Taking part in they standing patrol over German seaplane bases, planes of the Royal Air Force last night encountered intense fire from heavy-calibre guns, working in close cooperation with searchlights, The Germans, it is stated authori= natively, failed to prevent the patrols from carrying out their work, and their presence over Sylt, Norder ney and Borkum again enforced a strict black-out, in which it is exceedingly difficult for seaplanes to take off.
Machines engaged in this patrol work, the statement adds, fly more than 800 miles a night, and that they are sometimes described as routine Work is largely due to the fact that the commanders, who best know the dangers and discomforts involved, are deceptively casual, slipping away almost apologetically from their mess, and returning to report briefly that there were no lights showing on the islands at the time of their departure,—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.