RAIDS ON BRITAIN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 238, 16 July 1940, Page 5

RAIDS ON BRITAIN

SEVEN ENEMY BROUGHT DOWN, OTHER AIRCRAFT HIT, BATTLE OVER THE CHANNEL. (United Press Association. —Copyright.) LONDON., July 15. ' Pilots of the Royal Air Force fighter command and anti-aircraft gunners yesterday afternoon combined to shoot down seven enemy aircraft in air fights off the south-east coast ot England. Other enemy aircraft were hit and may also have been destroyed. About 40 Junkers dive-bombers were engaged, as well as a number ol escoiting Messerschmitt 109 fighters. Anti-aircraft guns were firing almost continually for more than half an hour. In the air the fight continued for a full hour, many Junkers being chased back across the English Channel. Within a few minutes one of the anti-aircraft gun crews scored a direct hit on a Junkers flying far above them. They did not see it crash but a neighbouring gun crew let them know. One patrol of Spitfires shot down four of the seven enemy aircraft known to have been destroyed, these four were also Junkers dive-bombers. Three Messerschmitt 109 fighters were destroyed by Hurricanes.

The" first * fighter was shot down by a squadron leader. After a long burst the enemy aircraft flicked over onto its back. The squadron leader continued to fire, and, still upside down, the Messerschmitt dived steeply and crashed.

Meantime, another enemy fighter was doing its best to get on the tail of the squadron leader’s Hurricane, hut it in turn was being attacked by another British pilot. After one long burst from the British pilot’s machine-guns, there was an explosion in the Messerschmitt, and this, too, dived steeply to its end. A pilot from another formation of Spitfires went after a third Mosserschmitt 109 and got in two bursts. He saw it go down enveloped in smoke. It •may have been destroyed but the Spitfire pilot was too busy attacking another enemy fighter to watch.. it further. This aircraft was, therefore, not claimed officially.

Last night, raiders over the southeast of England dropped five bombs from a great height.'They shook buildings, hut did no damage. Fighters drove them out to sea.

Night raiders were also over Wales. They were driven off by anti-aircraft fire.

An official statement reports that a few enemy aeroplanes crossed the coast during the night. Bombs wore dropped at isolated points in the southeast and south-west of England, hut no serious damage was done.

The battle over the Straits of Dover on Saturday afternoon in which Royal Air Force lighters shot * down six enemy aeroplanes, was described as a terrific sight by people who saw it. The German -bombers circled while waiting their turn to dive and drop their bombs, but the British fighters spoiled their aim. All the bombs fell wide of the mark. Several German machines were seen to crash into the sea. One German pilot was seen to bail out at 1000 feet and land in the sea by means, of his parachute. The British machines broke up the formation and when last seen the Germans were fleeing for home with British Spitfires chasing after them.

LITTLE DAMAGE CAUSED. THREE FATALITIES REPORTED. (Received This Dav. 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, July 15. It is officially stated that an enemy ’plane dropped bombs on a south coast town this morning. Some houses were damaged -and there wore a few casualties, of which three were fatal. A raider swooped over a Welsh town and dropped four bombs. There was little damage and no casualties. The ’plane disappeared after it had been given a. hot reception from -anti-aircraft guns. MORE RAIDS REPORTED. NO CASUALTIES; SLIGHT DAMAGE (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, July 15. The Ministry of Home Security announced that there was a little- enemy air activity in the south-east of England and South Wales this afternoon and a few bombs were dropped. No casualties were reported and the damage was slight.