ONE A MINUTE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21191, 14 August 1940, Page 7

ONE A MINUTE

NAZI PLANE CRASHES SUCCESSFUL BRITISH FLIERS POLISH PILOT PARTICIPATES (Omclal Wireless) (Received August 14, 1 p.m.) RUGBY, August 13 At one time during the afternoon enemy bombers and fighters were falling out of the sky at the rate ot one every minute, states an Air Ministry bulletin in describing the air battles. The enemy aircraft came in three waves, directed at the Southampton area and the Kentish coasts. The anti-aircraft gunners, by shooting down three more, brought the successes of the last two days to ten. In the Southampton area alone fighter patrols destroyed 22 of the enemy. Nine of these were Junkers dive-bombers, five were Messerschmitt 110 fighters, and the remaining eight were Messerschmitt 109 fighters. All nine Junkers were brought down in the space of minutes by a single Spitfire squadron, as well as four of the Messerschmitt 109 fighters. Not a single one of this squadron’s pilots or Spitfires has been lost in the two days’ actions. They destroyed seven enemy aircraft yesterday. One successful pilot during the early morning fighting was a Pole who escaped after the defeat of hjs country and travelled back to fight with the Royal Air Force. One pilot tells how just after one action was over he saw several pilots swimming in the water. They were picked up by a launch as he circled above them. As they climbed into the launch he recognised three of them as English and one as a member of his own squadron.