ENEMY OUTMATCHED BY R.A.F. FIGHTERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 161, 9 July 1940, Page 8

ENEMY OUTMATCHED BY R.A.F. FIGHTERS

RAIDS ON BRITAIN. Heavy Toll Taken During Thrilling Battles. FEW CASUALTIES YESTERDAY. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 10 a.m.) LOXDOX, July S. It is authoritatively stated in London that since the outbreak of i the war only two British fighters have been lost defending Britain, compared with 112 German attacking 'planes, plus 25 others which were unlikely to reach their bases. Official records show that since the outbreak Germany has lost almost 2000 aeroplanes against Britain alone, says '"The Times." The destruction of at least three German raiders yesterday brought the total since June 18 to 40. Two iressorsebinitts are believed to have been shot down.after a thrilling battle over tlie south-cast of England this afternoon. Hundreds of people watched the dogfight. The enemy attacked two west coast towns, causing several casualties, and also bombed an east coast town. Little damage resulted and there were no casualties. Spitfire's Deadly Attacks. Authoritative reports state that a Spitfire pilot shot down -two Jlesserschmitts over the Channel last night and attacked three others before reaching his base unscathed. The Spitfire pilot first attacked a formation of five enemy fighters and shot one down into tlie Channel, says a British official wireless message. Later he completely broke up a further for- j mation of seven Slesserschmitt 109's. He followed one, and after three short bursts it also crashed into the sea. A fellow pilot of the same squadron got in three long bursts on another and saw it dive steeply-and hit the .sea.. < Another Spitfire -squacron chased a Messersehmitt 109 over the French coast,-scoring repeated hits, and sent a Messerschmitt 110 twin-engined fighter plunging j downward toward the sea. Shortly before the. Jlesserschniitt 110 had itself shot down a Hurricane c * fighter. ;.. .- ■ ■ a

Several people arc believed to have been killed in a daylight raid on a southwest town this morning Three bombs demolished one shop and two houses in tho main street and badly shattered several' other shops. • An enemy 'plane was clearly visible over the southeastern area and sharp 1 burets from anti-aircraft guns appeared near the tail of the' raiders, which turned eastward. . B'.A.F. 'planes Vent in pursuit of another raider, which later ran an antiaircraft gauntlet in the same area. Twice it appeared to be hit and lost height, but recovered and escaped. Anti-Aircraft .Activity. .'. There was little enemy activity over Britain last night, states a joint communique issued by the Air Ministry and the i Ministry of Home Security. Bombs were dropped at twp points on the north-east coast, where some houses were damaged. There were eome casualties, but none serious.

Three British fighters failed to return from patrol. ,An .enemy, bomber, was shot. down last evening,. and at least one enemy ' fighter was probably destroyed. ">. '

British fighters shot down three enemy, bombers to-dav. -One British lighter was lost. . L'

One aeroplane dropped 10 bombs on the south coast. One-person"<ras°killed and three seriously injured". Nine buildings were demolished and rseveral others seriously damaged.

Between 20 and 30 bombs fell in the south-west. Little damage was done. One man was killed by shrapnel.

Most of the German bombs fell into the .water. The raiders were driven off after encountering a terrific anti-air-craft barrage. One Messerschmitt was seen toppling into the sea after a fight with Spitfires.

There was further . enemy activity near the Channel coast'yesterday afternoon, said an earlier message, but our anti-aircraft defences were active and no important attacks developed, says a. British official wireless message. Some houses were destroyed and .there were casualties, including a number of persons killed, whea bombs fell iu West Country coastal districts ■'■ . * .;

The Air Ministryannouiices that yesterday morning, a Dornier 17 bomber was attacked-by Hurricanes at 13,000 feet over ; the Euglish- Channel. It went into a "shallow dive as. the flight of ' Hurricanes closed in, firing ■ short bursts. - i The ■ enemy bomber; was shot i down.. ' '*:': '■•■'■ ', '■ ..,-.' : : I

Another: Dornier 17 ~ was sighted by ; and attacked at 18,000 ft over the'.Channel. At the end of a running fight the Dornier had' slowed down to a glide' arid it dived straight.',into the sea. A third Dormer .17, which our fighters engaged, was last seen in difficulties • and may not have reached its base'. .

NAZI AIR FORCE.

Successes Over A Wide Area v Claimed. RAIDS, ON. BRITAIN. ; : .(Received 0.30 a.m.) ':»..•• . . , BERLIN, July 8. The German High Command states: ''U-boats sank off the Spanish coast 21,500 tons of enemy shipping, including an armed British merchantman, the San Fernando, of 13,000 tons (unlisted in Lloyd's). "The Air Force successfully bombed the railway station at Brighton, coastal batteries on the Isle of Wight, harbour works and barracks at Falmouth and munition works at Middlesbrough and Newcastle. It also attacked conyoys and shipping concentrations off the south) coast, sinking two merchantmen and one I transport, and, damaging others/'' f ' T

"British • raids against .northern . and western Germany caused slight damage. Two civilians were killed. The'enemy *or,t 14 'planes yesterday, including 10 Spitfires in a fight over the Channel. liJVoe of our 'planes are missing."