AIR BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 July 1942, Page 3

AIR BATTLE

OVER THE CHANNEL NINE GERMAN FIGHTERS DESTROYED. THREE BRITISH MACHINES MISSING. LONDON, July 26. R.A.F. Spitfires were out on an offensive sweep over Northern France today, crossing and recrossing the English Channel throughout this afternoon and until early " evening. They ran into a large force of enemy fighters and one of the biggest free-for-all dogfights seen for some time took place. Nine of Germany’s latest type of fighters were shot down. Three British planes are missing. AMERICANS IN ACTION. American pilots took part in today’s sweeps. A communique issued by the European headquarters of the United States Army states that seven American Air Force pilots took part in today’s successful R.A.F. fighter sweeps over Northern France. One American pilot did not return. This is the first official report of American fighter pilots taking part in op-, erations in Europe. An Eagle Squadron on patrol sighted an E-boat near Calais. The airmen attacked and. following on a violent explosion. the E-boat was seen settling well down. ATTACKS ON THE RUHR. Single British bombers raided the Ruhi’ in daylight today. Fires were still burning from last night’s attacks on industrial targets. Duisberg was again bombed in the night. Other planes which attacked objectives in occupied territory destroyed two German raiders returning to their bases from raids on Britain. Two other raiders were destroyed while attacking the north-east coast, making a total of four out of a small force. MINISTER’S PRAISE R.A.F. HITTING GERMANS HARD. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, July 25. “You are hitting the Germans hard,” said the Air Secretary, Sir Archibald Sinclair, when he talked with pilots at an R.A.F. fighter station, near London, today. He talked with members of Belgian and Canadian squadrons, and with pilots of west Lancashire and south Yorkshire auxiliary squadrons. He was told that in the south Yorkshire squadron, there were now pilots from Britain,- the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, Rhodesia and Kenya. CUT OFF ON THEIR HOMEWARD WAY. FATE OF TWO GERMAN BOMBERS. (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) RUGBY, July 26. Of two German bombers destroyed near their bases last night by intruder aircraft of the Fighter Command, one Heinkel 111. was shot down over Brittany, south of Paris, and the other, a Junkers 88, over the sea, off Noorwijk, on the Dutch coast.