HEAVY LOSSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 May 1941, Page 5

HEAVY LOSSES

SUFFERED BY ENEMY MANY LANDINGS DISASTROUS. DESTRUCTION OF JUNKERS PLANES. LONDON. May 24. The British airmen who got away from Crete with their planes when the Royal Air Force withdrew are carrying cn the fight from the Western Desert, says a correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain. One pilot, who was one of the last to leave, took off in a damaged fighter from an airfield which the Germans had already bombed. He said: “As New Zealanders, who were on the edge of the field, fought the parachutists I circled over the battle and machinegunned the Germans, killing some and dispersing others. The last glimpse I had was of the New Zealanders rapidly getting the situation in hand. 'He added that the Germans were landing the troops from the air with cynical disregard for losses. Some tell in the sea. others became tangled in trees, and some being shot as they struggled like apes among the branches, many broke their legs in craggy ravines, and others were blown into snowdrifts on mountain peaks. Attempts to land planes and gliders on beaches were disastrous because all the beaches were well guarded by Australian patrols, which made short work of them. “It is doubtful if half of the parachutists who were dropped ever got into combat,” the airman said. An R.A.F. communique today states: “In Crete extensive damage was caused among enemy aircraft and troops at Malemi by aircraft of the R.A.F. yesterday, when our bombers attacked large numbers of Junkers 52's on the aerodrome and beach. Subsequently the enemy were machine-gunned. “Preliminary reports state that at least 10 enemy aircraft were destroyed and many others damaged. Reconnaissance was carried out later in the day and these confirmed that many Junkers 52’s were burnt out and a large number had been made completely unserviceable. “Our long-range fighters also attacked the enemy at Malemi and destroyed at least four large troop-carriers.” Yesterday's R.A.F. communique stated: “A. troop-carrier'was shot down off the coast of Crete. Since the invasion of Crete began 16 Junkers 52’s have been destroyed by anti-aircraft gunfire.”