London, Oct. 23.
An air-raid warning was given in the Firth of Forth area shortly after noon today on the approach of unidentified aircraft, according to an official announcement made by the Aix Ministry. "All-clear" signals were sounded a half hour later, when it was known that no German were in the area.
An air raid warning was sounded over part of the north-east coast of England yesterday when unidentified air-craft were observed flying northwards. Fighter planes were patched, but none of the aircraft dropped bombs or crossed the coast British fighters brought down one of two German aircraft seen off the Scottish coast yesterday afternoon, it is officially claimed.
Since the attack on a British convoy in the North Sea on Saturday, says an announcement of the Air Ministry, five German airmen have been picked up and landed by trawlers. Three of them were found in a rubber boat.
Thus, it adds, "confirmation has been obtained that, in addition to three German machines brought down, a fourth, badly damaged, fell into the sea."
Three of the rescued airmen were seriously injured.
Naval experts are agreed that the results of the defence against the first German air attack on a convoy were distinctly encouraging. It is stressed, however, that the attack was only delivered by a small force. The speed of the arrival of British fighting planes to ce-operate with the warships is said to have been especially satisfactory. Surprise is expressed at the German failure to register hits, though a convoy offers a specially favourable target for low-dive bombing owing to the slowness of the ships. These naval observers emphasize that in all five encounters between ships and aeroplanes, so far only one bomb has hit a ship, and that one failed to explode.
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