London, Jan. 12, GUCCESSFUL roconnaissance'nights were carried out by RAP, aircraft last night over west and north-west Germany, accord ing to an Air Ministry communique. There were also patrols over German seaplane bases at Heligoland Bight, the statement adds.
In bright winter sunshine, German aircraft yesterday made the most extensive visitation to Britain since the beginning of the war.
They passed the coast at six points, from Scotland to south-cast England, There are no reports of bombs having been dropped anywhere, but crowds at many places watched shrapnel from a heavy bombardment by British anti-aircraft batteries burst high in the air, and in several places saw British fighters ascend to pursue the raiders to sea.
Near Newcastle, one house was slightly damaged by antiaircraft shell splinters, when an intensive fire was kept up for! several minutes against some German aircraft which attempted to cross the coast. Eventually, the raiders were headed off by British fighters and driven out to sea.
While some people in, the streets of one coastal city hurried for shelter, others left their houses to watch the engagement, Visibility was poor, Dut black puffs of the exploding shells could be seen against the sky.
Reports of aerial activity near the Brilish const were again received today. A German plane, was chased out to sca over the Yorkshire coast. As planes passed over cliffs on the Const, machine-gun fire was heard find British aircraft swooped as if to make a "kill" The planes passed out of sight {o the north, and later the British machines returned.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.