WELL PARRIED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 October 1940, Page 8

WELL PARRIED

NAZI BLOWS AT BRITAIN MANY ABORTIVE ATTEMPTS TO REACH LONDON. i BAD DAY FOR ENEMY FIGHTERS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 30. An Air Ministry bulletin comments that the enemy’s attacks today followed, in boxing parlance, the tactics of a right-right-left, with the blows spaced out throughout the day. All were parried and none found its mark with real effect. The enemy opened with a right toward London and another stab in the same direction followed about an hour later. Both were largely feints, being probably designed to wear out ■ the British fighters. In neither case was the attempt to reach London a success. Soon after 11 a.m. the enemy aimed

a left toward the West Country. Like the first two attacks, it was a tentative jab rather than a full blow. About 70 bombers and fighters crossed the coast between St Alban's Head and Portland, threading fanwise over Dorset and Somerset. It was again a right—left in the afternoon. Just as the Londoners were settling down to their midday dinner the German , right fist again jabbed in their direction, this time more purposefully than before. Though the main body of 120 enemy aircraft reached no farther than the line of the North Downs, a few got through to the London area, but they were quickly driven off. Another 200 to 300 aircraft followed, and finally, about half-an-hour later, a left shot out toward Portland and Bristol. During the evening attack on the south-east of England, two Messerschmitt 109's met unusual ends. One was shot down by one of his fellowcountrymen and the other crashed in Windsor Great Park after the pilot had failed to recover from a flat-out dive after two Ansons. He tried a steep turn at only 1800 feet but his engine spluttered and before he knew where he was he hit the ground. He was taken prisoner by a Hurricane pilot from New Zealand who was driving his car near the park while on leave. ( The best fighting of the day was in] the midday attack on the south-east of England. A Spitfire squadron met 20 Dornier 215 bombers surrounded by 50 to 60 Messerschmitt 109’s behind, above and on either of their flank. The British . leader went right through the fighters. In the meantime one pilot dived on a Messerschmitt 109 and sent it down smoking in a vertical dive to hit the ground in full view of the pilot who shot it down. Another formation of Spitfires went mainly for the fighters, and they shot down six for certain. Four Messerschmitts crashed on the land, one was sent down in flames and the sixth blew up in midair. Several others were badly damaged. One ef the R.A.F. Polish squadrons chased 30 Dornier 215 planes from Beachy Head to the French coast. The Dorniers were in close herringbone formation and were escorted by large numbers of Messerschmitt. 109’s. The Poles shot down one Messerschmitt near Beachy Head, two more as they were approaching the French coast, and finally one of the Dorniers on land over France. This squadron has now destroyed more than 100 of the enemy. At the beginning of the afternoon, drive toward the West Country a patrol of Spitfires chased away a number of Junker 88's before they had so much as crossed the coast. When first sighted the Junkers were flying north of a high speed. The Spitfires dived on them from the rear and by the time the enemy had wheeled away to fly back to France four of their number had been shot down in the sea.