THRILLING BATTLES OVER BRITAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 239, 8 October 1940, Page 8

THRILLING BATTLES OVER BRITAIN.

AIR ENGAGEMENTS.

R.A.F. Fighters Disperse Enemy Formations.

United Press Association. —Copyright. (Reed, noon.) LONDON", Oct. 7. London had six "alerts" during today. More thrilling air battles occurred this morning when several groups of German planes crossed the J\nnt coast. British fighters broke up the formations, which scattered in disorder.

Anti-aircraft guns put up a lively barrage when raiders tried to penetrate inland. One Junkers dive-bomber dropped high explosive bombs on a Kent town, directly hitting a cottage. One person was killed and several injured.

A whistling bomb fell in a street in a Kent town.

Twelve nuns were kneeling in prayer before an altar at a convent's little cluipel on a coast town of Kent when a raider dropped bombs which smashed over 300 windows of the building, but no one was injured. Another bomb partly wrecked a sanatorium, from which children were evacuated.

During the second alert this morning raiders dropped 12 bombs on the southeast London residential district and demolished two houses, from which two .people wore quickly extricated. It is feared others are still under the debris.

A shop and a warehouse were also wrecked and two persons killed in another south-east London area. During Hie sixth alert late in the afternoon three planes were seen over central London, Two to One Ratio. A British Official Wireless message says that according to the latest information 28 enemy aircraft were shot down to-day. Fourteen British aircraft were lost, but six of the pilots are safe.

"A strong German air attack was made on Britain to-day, and repeated efforts to reach the metropolis were beaten back by the R.A.F.," states an Air Ministry and, Ministry of Home Security communique.

"Considerable numbers of enemy aircraft attacked Britain during the day. Enemy planes taking part in the first five attacks attempted on London totalled in all some 450. Large forces of our fighters engaged enemy formations, which were broken up and dispersed. In only two of these attacks did any enemy aircraft succeed in penetrating the London area, and very few bombe were dropped.

"Reports received up to 5 p.m. show that while several houses .were demolished in south and east London, casualties are not likely to be heavy, though they include some fatal injuries. During these attacks minor damage was also done to Eastbourne, Dover and certain other towns in «i<iit, but few casualties are reported. Two,attacks were also made on south-west England this afternoon."