ONE PHASE ENDS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 305, 2 October 1940, Page 5

ONE PHASE ENDS

SUMMER WAR IN THE AIR.

ENEMY’S HUMILIATING DEFEAT.

RESULTS PRACTICALLY NIL

(United Press Association. —Copyright.) (Received This Day, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, October 1.

Forty-nine German aircraft were shot doVn over and around Britain yesterday. This brought the total foi September to 1102, and is regarded by some commentators here as marking the end of the summer phase of the war in the air.

The total British losses in singleseater fighters over and around Britain in September was 319, but whereas at a conservative estimate Germany lost in trained personnel 2755, no fewer than 16S pilots of the British pjlancjs shot down in tihjei month’s fighting in these great air battles are safe. * . I

Although, compared with the number of enemy aircraft destroyed in some recent daylight raids, yesterday’s engagements were not characterised by big losses, they are declared by the “Daily Mail” to constitute the most humiliating defeat of the enemy since his big-scale raids on London began. Despite the size of the forces sent over, each of these attacks was broken up and the results achieved were practically nil. • In all, six mass attacks were made during the daylight hours and only a few stragglers, which were quickly turned away, penetrated far inland.