HEAVY AIR ATTACKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 June 1942, Page 3

HEAVY AIR ATTACKS

ON GERMANY & OCCUPIED AREAS DAYLIGHT RAIDS ON CHANNEL PORTS. EMDEN AGAIN BLASTED AT NIGHT. ' LONDON, June 21. The R.A.F. was again over Northern France this afternoon. Boston bombers escorted by fighters attacked the docks at Dunkirk. One of our fighters is missing. Last night a strong force of bombers again made Emden the main target. Other places in North-west Germany and German air bases in Holland were also raided. Hudson aircraft hit at least one harbour ship. Our night’s losses were seven planes, six of them bombers. EFFECTIVE ESCORT GIVEN TO BOMBERS. THREE HUNDRED FIGHTERS IN ACTION. LONDON, June 21. Many squadrons of fighters escorted Boston bombers in an attack on objectives at Le Havre this afternoon. All the bombers returned safely. Our fighters destroyed four enemy aeroplanes. Six of our fighters are missing out of at least 300 engaged in the operation. The fighters were divided into a strong escort for the bombers and to cover the Le Havre area and diversionary forces sweeping over Boulogne, Calais, Dunkirk and up the coast as far as Funes in Belgium. Opposition was encountered in the Calais area with many severe dogfights near Hardelot. Several formations of Focke-Wulfs were encountered by bombers’ escorts, which shot down three and damaged others. A fourth Focke-Wulf was shot down by a British pilot when it attacked a Spitfire pilot who had baled out and was in a dinghy off Le Havre. The bombers were escorted out and back without loss to themselves or the accompanying fighters, the six Spitfires missing being from the forces engaged in the diversionary sweeps.