1940-04-13 — Page 9

R. A. F. SHOOT

SHOOT DOWN FIVE GERMAN 'PLANES One Squadron's Bag On Western Front PILOT DESCRIBES

ESCAPE BY PARACHUTE

With the Advanced Air Striking Force in France,

March 28,

A congratulatory telegram received by an R.A.F. fight- ing squadron at lunch-time to-day marked a sudden in- crease of aerial activity on the Western Front during the previous day.

British air fighters brought down at least five enemy 'planes and two others were so badly damaged that their safe return to Germany was regarded as impossible.

ANTI-FRENCH

from Devon and a sergeant-pilot from Hitchin, aged 21, emerged successfully from their fights.

The flying officer was quite satisfled that he had sent his opponent's ma-

SONG FOR NAZIS chine crashing down. The sergeant-

The High Command. of the German Forces has given per- mission for the singing of the well-known soldier song of the last war,

"Our Victory Will Crush France," which had form erly been prohibited.

This measure is algnificant of the changed attitude towards France which has gained ground recently.

but I started to run towards the sun. I had not gone far when I was chal- ed his revolver at me. lenged by a French officer, who levell-

"I explained who I was, and he took me along, and later explained things to soldiers who had appeared with fix- ed bayonets.

"I went on the back of a motor- cycle to a French mess, where a French

pilot had sent many bursts into the 'plane he was pursuing and saw flame and smoke streaming from it when it found cover in a cloudbank.

In the final engagement three of our aircraft on patrol noticed anti-aircraft fire and went to investigate. As they got near they saw 12 Messerschmitt 109s. With the sun from behind to help them, our planes' approach was unnoticed for some time. When they Germans were at last spotted the started to widen out in circles, and into these circlings our machines join- ed.

A

Then the Germans broke forma- tion and some made for home, but 28-yead-old flying officer from Warwick got on the tail of two of thom them and sent the first of whistling down.

the He chased other well Into Germany and when over an aerodrome he settled the long-drawn-out affair.

"The German dived," he said, "and

During the whole day not a single British airman lost his life, though one R.A.F. Hurricane fighter was lost. The pilot, a New Zealander, who escaped by parachute, describ-doctor bound up my leg grazes, which then made the error of coming up in ed to-day how he and two other British machines fought I think came from shrapnel. nine Germans.

The squadron which received the congratulatory telegram from the Air Air Office commanding the British Forces in France, Air-Marshal A. S. Barratt, well deserved it, for the five machines known to have been shot down brought this squadron's "bag" for the war to 11 certainties.

was

The following communique issued to-day from Air-Marshal Bar- ratt's headquarters:

"Yesterday there was a marked in- crease in aerial activity on the

Western Front in the neigbhourhood of Metz.

"A formation of seven enemy recon- naissance aircraft, which was escorted by fighters, was intercepted and en- gaged by fighter patrols of the Royal Air Force. Several combats took

place, and our fighters, having broken up the formation, forced the enemy to abandon his reconnaissance.

"One of our patrols encountered a formation of nine enemy fighters. In the ensuing fight two enemy aircraft were seen to go down in flames. One of our fighters was shot down, but the pilot escaped by parachute."

"PIKE IN AN AQUARIUM"

Enemy Machines Retire The pilot who was shot down is a 21-year-old New Zealander known to his friends as "Cobber."

"I saw oil coming out of the ma- chines," he said, "and, then it went right down to about 4,000ft and was moving very slowly towards its own lines. I felt pretty certain it was done for."

About 2.40 p.m. the New Zealand pilot officer was on patrol with two other machines when nine Messer- schmitt 109's were observed. The R.A.F. machines at once went into action. The New Zealander, when he

limped into the mess to-day, gave me

a dramatic account of his experiences.

SAW SMOKE AND FLAMES

Chase Towards Germany "Two of the machines went past me and then I turned and got on the taila of the two following ones. Of the five other machines I think that three went up above to watch. Certainly one of them was circling around at something bewteen 21,000 to 25,000ft.

"I soon had the measure of one of the machines and let go at him with all I had. Soon smoke and flames were pouring out and I left him. I did not see him go down, but my No. 2 did.

"Then I went after the second ma- chine, which was beating it for Ger- many. I caught him at last and shot him down. Other German machines were firing at me now, I think pro- The morning was clear, with only bably those I had earlier noticed cir- a bank of clouds at about 4,000ft.cling overhead. They

were firing Hostilities opened at 11 a.m., when 12 German machines were observed over the aerodrome. At once two of our machines went to the attack, one pilot being an officer and the other a ser- geant.

"It was like two pike being let loose in an aquarium," said an onlooker to me to-day. "One moment the sky was full of white German machines and the next they were scattering all over the place. There was plenty of flring and the sergeant-pilot got a bullet through his propeller. All the ma- chines made for Germany ́except one, which went on”.

ONE AGAINST SEVEN

Attack on Nazi Bomber

cannon and suddenly thought the top of my head had been blown away.

"Perhaps I was knocked unconscious for a bit. A any rate, the next thing I remember is realising that my hood fire had gone, the machine was on and diving steeply.

"I put up my left arm for my parachute and such was the force of the

wind that It seemed half an hour before I could force it down again. I pulled the stick hard back to try and stall and bent down to switch off the petrol, hoping to put out the flames.

"Then I jumped out. My first im- pression was one of immense relief at getting into the fresh air. Then I remembered that I had not pulled the A littlo later a flight lieutenant, aged rip-cord of my parachute. Next' all 20, from London, was out on a solo i went white. But it was only the cloud patrol at about 15,000ft when he saw bank, and I came down at last in the four Dorniers flying in a wide "V",middle of a ploughed field only ha.. with three Messerschmitt 110's sup- a mile from the German lines. porting them at about 17,000ft. picked out one of the Dorniers and attacked it.

He

At once the Dornier started to dive, but the British pilot went after it and pumped everything he had into it.

•

"There I lay for a bit taking stock of things. I pulled myself together and wrecked my parachute. Then, I had to decide which way go. There was a village near by, which I afterwards discovered to be in German, handa.

Then front of me. It was a perfect target

they took me home in a car.”

and I-loosed off. The machine turned over quite slowly and then went down COMPANIONS' SUCCESS

in flames. I was attacked going home, but not very seriously, and got back than a bullet "Cobber's" companions on with nothing worse patrol, a 23-year-old flying officer through a wing."

Both

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