AIR FIGHTERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 June 1940, Page 5

AIR FIGHTERS

GERMAN BOMBERS DRIVEN OFF ATTACKS ON BIG FORMATIONS. BAD DAY FOR MESSERSCHMITTS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 2. Squadron after squadron of Hurricanes and Spitfires flew high above the French fens all day and guarded convoys which were bringing the British Expeditionary Force rearguard home. Hugh formations of German bombers, escorted by fighters, came out and attempted to sink the ships. They did not lack targets, for the sea was thick with craft of all kinds, but when they attempted to bomb them British fighters attacked and drove them off. Most of the bombs fell into the sea. Many Junkers, Heinkels, Dorniers, and Messerschmitts soon crashed into the sea. Thirty-two fighters were actually destroyed. One Hurrncane pilot, who was disabled in combat with a Messerschmitt, had to land on the beach. Carrying his parachute, he walked 15 miles to Dunkirk, got a lift home to Folkestone in a paddle-steamer, rejoined his squadron, and was out on patrol again today. The best bag yesterday went to a Spitfire squadron which destroyed 12 German bombers and fighters in one short action. Later in the day this squadron went up again and shot down six more.

It was a bad day for the Messerschmitts. Two British fighter squadrons alone accounted for 23 of them. Three American-built Hudson bombers went into action yesterday oil Dunkirk against 40 enemy aircraft, which were about to attack transports bringing home men of the B.E.F. The Hudsons were on patrol when their flight leader spotted what he called “a patch of sky black with Jerries.” The enemy formation was in three banks —Junkers 87’s and 88’s—ready to dive on the transports packed with troops, a string of Heinkel Ill's above them, and high overhead a guard of Messerchmitt fighters. The Hudsons attacked at once, and in 13 minutes’ action three Junkers 87 dive Bombers were shot down, two dived away out of control, and the rest of the formation were driven off. The Hudsons escaped without even a bullet hole. The pilot of one of the Hudsons, a South African whose brother was shot down in France a few days ago, took on eight Junkers. He got two: one crashed into the smoking ruins of the Dunkirk oil tanks, and the other fell in pieces in the sea. The Heinkels tried to bomb the Hudsons, but without success.

When the sky was clear again the Hudsons continued their patrols. Soon the flight leader saw two drifting life boats full of troops. While one Hudson kept watch the other flew away and signalled two tugs, which went to the rescue, but before they arrived the Hudson pilot left on guard saw eight Nazi bombers come out of a cloud and get into position to bomb the lifeboats. He climbed and flew straight at the enemy and succeeded in driving them off.

This flight of Hudsons already had five Dorniers and one Messerschmitt to their credit.