CROPS DAMAGED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 159, 6 July 1940, Page 10

CROPS DAMAGED.

INCENDIARY BOMBS.

Germair Raiders Again Over

Britain.

EIGHT SOLDIERS INJURED.

United Press Association.—Copyright

(Received 11.30 a.m.) LOXDOX, July 5.

German raiders over the south-east coast of England (his morning dropped a number of incendiary bombs, setting fire to haystacks and cornfields, which were badly damaged.

The Air Ministry reports that enemy bombers attacked a few districts in the north-east, south-east and south-west of England last night. The damage was very t slight and tfiere were no casualties. f

It is disclosed that 11 civilians were killed in the raid ou Portland yesterday.

Thirty-two enemy 'planes have been shot down over and around the British coasts since Juno 18, and many others have been seriously damaged.

The balloon barrage has brought down two. The total shot down since the war began ia 107.

Three high explosives fell in a town in south-west England, damaging a house. A gardener and a soldier had to be taken to hospital, while seven other soldiers were slightly injured.

A raider dropped a screaming bomb in a south-east town. Enemy aircraft also visited the north-west of England, where fighters went up.

Anti-aircraft fire gave away the position of a Ilcinkci 111. bomber which was shot down into the sea oil the south coast of England by Fighter Command Spitfires early this morning, says a British official wireless message. The bomber, after being hit and disabled, tried to reach land, but came down on the sea, sinking in a few minutes. Two of the crew went down with it. A third, who was wounded, was drowned in trying to swim ashore. Two others reached land and were taken prisoner.

German Claims. A German High Command communique states: "The Air Force yesterdav and last night bombed England's harbour works, air bases and munition factories, and also attacked a convoy off the south-west coast. It sank four transports of 5000 tone each, and damaged a warship and nine additional transports by bomb hits."

Referring to British raids on Belgium, Holland and Germany, the communique states: targets were not attacked, but apartment houses, farms, etc., were damaged or set on fire. Several civilians were killed and eight enemy 'planes destroyed. Two of our 'planes are missing." Nazi Prisoner's Admission. A number of German airmen whose machines have crashed into the sea after attempting to raid Britain are being picked up by British naval units, states a British Official Wireless message. The following is an extract from a British minesweeper's report concerning one such incident: "I saw an enemv aircraft in the beams of several searchlights over the coast and anti-aircraft gunfire exploding all round it. A few minutes later I saw the machine rapidly losing height and tracer bullets could be seen fired in its direction. It eventually crashed into the. sea. I immediately steamed full speed in the direction, and some time later found three survivors clinging to a collapsible boat. I pickcd these up.

"One of them, who spoke a little English, said the burst of fire had put both engines of his 'plane out of action. He remarked that our gunfire is very accurate, and that even if he had liad a a chance he would not have come over again. He said that lie had liatf no chance to drop his bombs, and hjd been trying to escape and get home."