AIR BATTLE OFF COAST

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23001, 22 April 1940, Page 9

AIR BATTLE OFF COAST

HEAVY FIRING NEAR THAMES ESTUARY TWO BRITISH VESSELS BLOWN UP (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received April 21, 10 p.m.) LONDON, April 21. A German air attack off the south-east coast in the neighbourhood of the Thames Estuary began at 10 p.m. The heaviest firing since the outbreak of the war shook houses on the coast. British fighters roared out to •sea to engage the raiders. People rushed to the seafront to watch what was described as “a great fireworks display.” Searchlights shot up from many parts of the coast and gun-flashes and searchlights lit up the whole district. The raiders were last seen heading north-west. No air raid warnings Were sounded.. Flares were dropped, lighting up the seafront. The sound of firing faded after 20 minutes as the scene of the battle moved away. Germany appears to have renewed mine-laying by air on the south-east coast, which probably caused the loss of the British steamer Hawnby (5404 tons), which sank after an explosion off the south-east coast. Naval pinnaces picked up t>«' crew of 39. The Mersey (1037 tons) also sank off the south-east coast. Seven of her crew were taken to hospital. An eye-witness told of a terrific explosion before the ship disappeared. Two of the Mersey’s crew are dead and 11. are missing, including the captain. The Mersey sank in three minutes. A German bomber was driven off badly damaged by a British -fighter when it attempted a raid on the Shetlands. Tne British pilot found the German machine some miles out to sea, and chased it eastwards for 20 miles. He dived from 3000 feet above the German and opened fire at close 'range, and the Nazi-machine, badly hit, was seen to lose height. When last seen the German aeroplane was only 1500 feet above the sea and was hundreds of miles from its base, HERR ITITLEK’S BIRTHDAY (Received April 21, 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 21. Herr Hitler yesterday celebrated his fifty-first birthday. Three times he appeared on a balcony at the Chancellery to acknowledge birthday greetings from the crowds. King Victor Emmanuel of Italy, Signor Mussolini, and Couht Ciano, the Italian. Foreign Minister, telegraphed their congratulations. ‘ Numbers gathered in the Wilhelmsplatz before midnight in order-.to be the first to congratulate Herr Hitler on his birthday. They chefered when the clock struck 12. Germany’s birthday present to Herr Hitler is the much-advertised gift of scrap metal. There Were no parades, but the Propaganda Minister (Dr. Goebbels) delivered -an appropriate speech. Dr. Goebbels called on the. German people to stand united behind Herr Hitler in what he called Germany’s battle,, of life and death. “The nation is united in its devotion to Herr Hitler, who is the incarnation of the Germans’ spirit. We are unable to imagine that it could f ever be otherwise in the future,” -