1941-03-27 — Page 41

THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 27, 1941.

AIR BATTLES OVER GERMAN CITIES

WHILE THE increasing number of Nazi FOOD BOSS

bombers falling victim to night fighters at: tracts attention, the destruction of Nazi fighters by British bombers is a subject on which the public has not been greatly inform- ed but it is now possible to give some details of these encounters.

Again and again these night fighters are seen when R.A.F. bombers have no time to turn aside from the more urgent task of at-

tacking targets.

Sometimes, and especially 011 the way home, they have some minutes to spare for a quick en- counter.

When an enemy night fighter has disappeared in the dark it is not always possible to say it has been destroyed,

British crews may feel certain that the enemy was so badly damaged that if it cannot reach its base it must soon crash, but

unless theré la some more ob- vlous sign of disaster the enemy is only claimed as a "probable." The record of this month's en- counters with German night figh- ters contained several such pro- bables as well as an encouraging number of certainties.

Cologne Clashes

On the

The month began well. night of March 1 the enemy put up many night fighters to protect Cologne.

There were a number of in- conclusive encounters during which several Messerschmidts gave up the struggle, and the crew of one R.A.F. bomber saw a two- engined fighter burst into flames the enemy was held by one of his own searchlights and disap-

peared below.

---

On the same night both gun- ners of another, bomber fired long bursts into another enemy air- craft and put it out of action.

On the night of March 10 one British bomber came down low

to attack an enemy-occupied aero- drome from which two Junkers 83 bombers were just taking off. The bomber had just shot up one of the Junkers when a Messer- schmidt 110 appeared ahead.

Four Each

Both front and rear gunners fired four bursts each at a range of 100 yards. The Messerschmidt climbed steeply to 1,000 feet and then dived and crashed to the ground.

On the same night another bomber was attacked by four enemy fighters. There was 'a general malée and one enemy was hit while another was seen to climb vertically, stall and crash into the ground.

On the night of March 13 one R.A.F. bomber chased away an enemy fighter and soon after- wards sent two bursts into Junkers 88 which immediately went into a steep dive and dis- appeared.

A

also

After another encounter, on the night of March 13, a Mes- serschmidt 110 broke off the fight. and a dull red glow was seen to fall seaward through the mist.

From Stem To Stern

The next night a bomber was immediately under a Junkers 88 and the rear-gunner raked it from stem to stern. Pieces of the Jun- kers were falling from it the whole time.

In a raid on Braman-on the night of March 17 a Messersch- -midt was sent; down in flames -and the whole crew of ‹n: British "bombær. watched it fall and ex-

· ploda -whân it hit the ground. Enemy fighters often have to pay dearly, if they try to pursue R.A.F. bombers, k

On March 21 n Messerschmidt 100 made to follow one bomber hear Lorient. He was flying steadily along and the bomber's

· rear-gurinor watched him gra- dually get close

He was expecting--the onémy.

to Attack at any moment but hoped to get him within close range, The enemy

must also have been hoping to make cer- tain of the bomber for the pur-

suit went on, the Messerschmidt gaining inch by inch.

Then the rear-gunner struck- he fired otte long burst, the Mes- serschmidt wobbled, wavered in the air and went into a spin. A moment later a

red glow shone through thin cloud at the point where the enemy had gone down.

British Wireless.

FINED

Harry Clusky, chief sanitary inspector of Leigh Council, Lancs, who without coupons obtained bref for મ supper of the local branch of the National Association of Local Government Officers, was fined £10 at Leigh for contraven- ing the Rationing Order.

Horace J. Brett, the council's canteen superintendent, who is

a member of a food control committee, chairman of Ather ton District Council and a

ma- gistrate, was fined £1 for ob taining the meat.

Parties For Churches

He said that he simply received the meat and cooked it for the supper.

He understood that at the time

parties for churches could get

meat.

Thomas Waltho, butcher, of St. Helen's Road, Leigh, was fined £5 for supplying the meat,

Mr. T. B. Bamber, Food Execu- tive Officer, said that Waltho had made a statement that Clusky had asked him if he could spare piece of meat.

PHILCA

SEE AND TRY THE