STRONG DEFENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 196, 19 August 1940, Page 7

STRONG DEFENCE.

MET BY GERMANS. Good Day For R.A.F. And Also Anti-Aircraft Units. British Official Wireless. (Reed. 2.30 p.m.) RUGBY, Aug. 18. After resting for" a day the German Air Force again attacked aerodx'omes and harbours in the south and southeast. Reports up to 8 p.m. of 86 German losses show that 73 enemy aircraft were destroyed by Spitfires and Hurricanes of the Fighter Command. Fifty-three were bombers or fighter-bombers. Aβ Well ae in Lonon, anti-aircraft batteries were in action along the coast from Essex to Hampshire. So far reports have been received that 12 enemy aircraft were shot down by anti-aircraft guns and one by a searchlight Lewis gun crew. The first attack took place shortly before 1 p.m. Enemy formations crossed the Kentish coast at several points, and shortly afterwards other formations attacked over Hampshire. A equadron of Spitfires engaged the German bombers, which were about to attack their aerodrotue in Surrey, and within a short time they had destroyed 11—six bombers and five fighters.

About the same time a Hurricane squadron was challenging an attack in the Hampshire area. They shot down six Junkers 87' dive-bombers and t\vo Messerschmitt fightere.

During the air battles over Kent, a squadron of Hurricanes was on patrol. They sighted five Messerschmitt fighterbombers at 21,000 feet. One pilot said: "We climbed up and dived down on the eneiny aircraft, shooting down the lot in a dogfight."