BIG FIGHTER FORCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 April 1942, Page 3

BIG FIGHTER FORCE

WIDE SWEEP OVER DUNKIRK AREA BOMBERS ALSO ESCORTED TO LE HAVRE. HEAVY NIGHT BOMBING OF RUHR & ST. NAZAIRE. LONDON, April 16. Over 400 Spitfires took part in a series of big R.A.F. sweeps over Northern France today. The operations began at dawn when a force of fighters carried out a wide sweep over the Dunkirk area. They escorted a force of bombers and while the latter were pounding objectives the fighters were engaged with German fighters high above. Another strong force of Spitfires escorted bombers to Le Havre, where four direct hits were made on a power station and a stick of bombs was seen to hit dock gates. Barges and warehouses were also hit. Later this evening squadrons of Spitfires were on the job, but no official news has been issued yet. Five German fighters were destroyed and two or ours are missing.

The day's almost continuous attacks followed a night in which bombers again heavily attacked the Ruhr, where many fires were caused. Other bombers also raided the docks at St. Nazaire and aerodromes in the Low Countries. Four of our aircraft did not return.

BATTLE INCIDENTS DURING FIGHTER & BOMBER SWEEP. COMBATS AT 20,000 FEET. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.0 a.m.) RUGBY, April 16. Describing the sweep over occupied France today by large formations of Spitfires, assisted by Hurricane bombers, the Air Ministry says all the bombers returned safely. The fighter pilots saw their bombs hit railway sidings and a quay in the dock area at Dunkirk. One Spitfire wing had a short fight at over 20,000 feet with about twelve Focke Wulfe 190 s. Two of these were probably destroyed, but the Spitfires were so high that the pilots could not see their victims’ end. A member of an Australian squadron sent a Focke Wulfe into an apparently uncontrolled vertical dive from 25,000 feet. A squadron leader fought another Focke Wulfe 190 which suddenly rolled over and went steeply down, with smoke pouring from it. Soon afterwards a lone Spitfire pilot, on a shipping reconnaissance in the Channel, damaged an enemy torpedoboat of about 200 tons. He dived from 5,000 feet and broke off the attack when almost at sea level. He then gave the boat another- burst as he dived again from 2,000 feet. Neither Hurricane bombers nor Spitfires were hit. Two enemy aircraft are known to have been destroyed during the sweep.