OF NAZI AIR RAIDERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 May 1941, Page 5

OF NAZI AIR RAIDERS

Twenty-four Destroyed on Wednesday Night AND ANOTHER ELEVEN IN DAYLIGHT YESTERDAY POWERFUL R.A.F. ATTACKS ON ENEMY NAVAL AND OTHER BASES LONDON. May S. Thirteen German planes were shot down in daylight raids on Britain today. The Germans were Hying five miles up and dogfights took place in the clouds. Eleven were destroyed by British fighters and anti-aircraft gun fire accounted for two. One British fighter was lost, but the pilot is safe. THIS SUCCESS FOLLOWED THE RECORD BAG OF NIGHT RAIDERS LAST NIGHT. WHEN 24 ENEMY PLANES WERE DESTROYED. Captain Balfour, Under-Secretary for Air, told the House of Commons that in addition, the numbtr of raiders damaged and possibly brought down ran into double figures. In the first week of May, Germany has lost for certain 74 night raiders. The losses for the same period by the R.A.F., which is hitting back hard by heavy raids on German bases, total 12. In the first four months of this year the Germans have lost 167 night raiders. Twenty of last night’s totrl of 24 were shot down by night fighters, three as they were about to land at their own aerodromes. Extensive damage was done at Bristol and raids were also made on the Merseyside, and at points in the north-west and. north-east. The casualties are expectel to be heavy. DIRECT HITS ON BATTLE-CRUISERS Attacks by the R.A.F. on enemy targets included a heavy and particularly successful raid on the German naval base at Brest, where the Gneisenau could be plainly seen in dry dock and the Scharnhorst lying alongside a jetty. Several crews claimed direct hits. One very heavy armour-piercing bomb fell on the Gniesenau and another, failing on the forepart of the Scharnhorst, lit up the whole ship. There were many near misses. Objectives were also successfully attacked at a number of other places, including- a submarine base, where large fires were started. Much damage was done in Bremen and targets at Bergen, in Norway, were also attacked. These operations cost Britain two planes.