RAID VICTIMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 September 1940, Page 5

RAID VICTIMS

ELEVEN PERSONS TRAPPED IN CELLAR ONLY TWO SURVIVE. TONS OF RUBBLE REMOVED BY RESCUERS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.35 a.m.) LONDON, September 1. Eleven persons were trapped in a cellar beneath an empty fish shop in a north-east of England town when a bomb wrecked the shop. Rescuers, after twenty hours’ work, recovered nine bodies. Only two persons were found alive. They are a married couple, whose three children were among those killed. Many tons of rubble had to be removed before it was possible to enter the cellar.

POLES IN ACTION DORMER BOMBER SHOT DOWN DURING EXERCISE FLIGHT. SUCCESS OF CANADIAN SQUADRON.

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 31. The Air Ministry news service says that the R.A.F. Second Polish Squadron yesterday opened its account against the enemy by shooting down a Dornier bomber during what was meant to be an exercise

flight. The first Polish squadron to go into action with the R.A.F. opened its account on August 20. The second squadron to fly as a unit unexpectedly entered the lists after six of its Hurricanes took off from an R.A.F. station yesterday afternoon with the intention of taking part in an exercise with six Blenheim bombers from another station. They no sooner had

made their rendezvous over a town on the north side of London than they saw what they described as a ‘very large enemy force” 7000 feet above them. Suddenly one of the enemy, a Dornier, broke formation and dived below them. One Polish pilot dived after him while the other five remained as escorts to the Blenheims. As the Dornier straightened out in its dive the Polish pilot closed and opened fire and the Dornier in a burst of flames plunged downward, this time out of control. One of its crew baled out and finally the Dornier hit the ground and ex- • ploded. An R.A.F. “All-Canadian” squadron put in useful hours of work yesterday afternoon. In a single patrol they destroyed eight Messerschmitt 110’s and three Heinkel 111 bombers, as well as finishing off a fourth Heinkel which already had been attacked and damaged by another squadron. They suffered no casualties and their Hurricane fighters were not damaged. j