AIR OFFENSIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 June 1941, Page 5

AIR OFFENSIVE

DAY & NIGHT RAIDS ON GERMANY AND ON OCCUPIED PORTS. SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS ON NAZI SHIPPING. LONDON. June 16. British aircraft were again active over the Straits of Dover and the French coast today. British fighters carried out a number of sweeps in strength. This afternoon escorted bombers attacked targets at Boulogne. Several enemy fighters were shot down and some of our aircraft are missing. Gunfire was heard over the Channel and it is believed British aircraft intercepted a number of Messerschmitts and put them to flight. British bombers raided Western Germany last night for the fifth night in succession. A Messerschmitt 109 was shot down and an enemy plane was beaten off over Hanover. Bombs were dropped on targets at Hanox'er. Cologne and in the Ruhr and on the docks at Dunkirk and aerodromes in occupied France. Daylight raids on German shipping continue. A cargo vessel of about 1.000 tons was hit and later was abandoned. A 4,000-ton ship in a conx'oy was set on fire and a German E-boat is believed to have been sunk. A supply ship of 6,000 tons was also damaged. Throe British planes have failed to return.

NUMBER OF SWEEPS MADE BY BRITISH FIGHTERS. AIR MINISTRY REPORT. (British Official XVireless.) (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) RUGBY. June 16. The R.A.F. again has been active over the Straits of Dever and the French coast, today. An Air Ministry communique describing these activities states: "Our fighters carried out a number of sweeps in strength and in the late afternoon they escorted bombers of the Coastal Command in an attack on targets at Boulogne. Full details of these operations are not y.?t available, but it is known that enemy lighters have been shot down in combat and that some of our aircraft are missing.”