Closer inspection proved them indeed to be units of the German battle fleet: a battleship, a cruiser, and some few submarines and destroyers, heading south.
The submarine was the first to open fire, diving to safety immediately after, Within a few moments of sighting the warships, the British planes found themselves set upon by a strong force of German Messerschmidts and desperate fight ensued.
Although the British fighters were ready and willing to fight, the situation anything but favourable. Anti-aircraft guns of the surface craft spread out a terrific barrage, filling the air with deadly black and white bursts. At the first lull, a wave of enemy fighters would sweep over the. British flight, and then the a aircraft again. This manœuvre was carried out six times, during a fight of half an hour, For the first fifteen minutes, the outcome hung in the balance, and it appeared that, at least, no damage was going to be inflicted on the Ger-Then, finally, a. two-engined y fighter fell twisting in flames into the sea, to be followed a moment later by another. A third and fourth met the same fate, and one British fighter fell with them, unti the encounter was abandoned, and the Royal Air Force planes returned to their base, only 30 minutes over-due. Two of their number, besides the one seen to fall, have no! yet reported in.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.