GERMANS ATTACK SHIPPING

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23087, 1 August 1940, Page 7

GERMANS ATTACK SHIPPING

Morning Raid Off English Coast R.A.F. OPERATIONS OVER GERMANY (UNITED UEES3 ASSOCIATION—COrUEIGIIT.J (Received July 31, 11 p.m.) , LONDON, July 31. German aircraft this morning attacked shipping off the south-east coast of England. British fighters went up to engage the raiders, but there is no news vet of the results. Raids on Britain last night were light. They were carried out by single machines, and reports- indicate that little damage was done and that there were no casualties. An Air Ministry communique issued yesterday said: ‘‘Full reports of yesterday’s encounters round our coasts show that 21 enemy aircraft were destroyed. Two of our fighter pilots are missing. “To-day, although enemy activity has been restricted, one enemy lighter has been destroyed, and an enemy bomber was shot down off the northeast coast of Scotland shortly alter noon to-day by Royal Air Force fighters.” One petrol tank blazing on the surface of the water was all that remained cf the Heinkel 111 bomber shot down off the east coast of Scotland yesterday. Attacked by Spitfires over the sea, the German pilot tried hard to lake cover behind thin wisps of cloud, while his rear gunner fought back. Then the Heinkel dived westwards trying to reach land. Five thousand feet above the water the crew dropped bombs in a last effort to keep the aircraft under control, but, as one of the Spitfire pilots said, “it smashed flaming into the sea.” A fight by Hurricanes against a Mcsserschmitt 110 twih-engined fighter off the East Anglian coast in the afternoon was very different. The Messerschmitt, instead of diving to destruction, was attacked as it flew almost touching the wave tops. Hurricane pilots reported that it crashed “from five to 10 feet.” An East Anglian town was bombed early yesterday morning?- A proportion of the casualties proved fatal, and some property was damaged. An enemy bomber crashed in the same area and was burned. It is believed that none of the crew escaped, though several opened parachutes were found in the vicinity, The Admiralty announces that the naval patrol vessel Guillemot shot down one German dive-bomber during an attack on that ship by German aircraft on Monday. No damage and no casualties were sustained in the Guillemot. Patrol Yacht Sunk An Admiralty communique states that the auxiliary patrol yacht Gulzar was sunk on Monday as a result of an enemy air attack. There was no loss of life. A German communique asserts that they only lost three aeroplanes in the Dover battle on Monday. Itclaims i that the Germans shot down 12 Spitfires and three Hurricanes, and sank four vessels totalling 32,000 tons, also that in another engagement aircraft sank a cruiser and a merchantman and damaged another merchantman. Commenting on the German High Command's statement that only three raiding aeroplanes were brought down in the Dover raid. while 12 Spitfires and three Hurricanes were shot down, authoritative quarters say that it is becoming increasingly clear that Germany’s exaggerated air claims are intended to bolster up not only the civilian morale but' also that of the German pilots. The speedy loss 6f 17 out of about 80 machines within half an hour must have dealt a serious blow to the nerve of the German pilots engaged in the raid, during which only one British machine was lost. This is borne out by the recent revelalion by a captured enemy airman that German pilots have demanded the provision of Red Cross aeroplanes to pick them up if they are shot down. As announced by the British Govern* meat, these Red Cross not confine themselves to the legitimate work of rescue, which, in fact, is unnecessary, because it is already adequately performed by the Royal Air Force working in conjunction with both the Navy and any merchant ships in the vicinity. Raids on Germany A further Air Ministry communique issued yesterday said: “Yesterday our bombers made daylight raids over a widespread area of Germany and the Low Countries. A large supply ship was damaged near Flushing. Barges and other vessels were hit at Emdcn and Hamburg and off the island of Terschclling, An oil refinery in the Ruhr Was bombed and attacks were made on several aerodromes in Germany and Holland. One of our bombers Was lost. “During last night, although conditions and visibility were poor, a large number of our bombers penetrated enemy territory. Twenty-four of our aircraft, however, were unable to locate the targets assigned to them, and returned without dropping their bombs. The remainder attacked targets in north-west Germany, the Ruhr, and the Low Countries, including oil refineries, shipping, docks, aerodromes, and road and rail communications. No losses were suffered in any of these operations.” The second communique so far issued from General de Gaulle’s headquarters states: “Our airmen took part in operations carried out on Monday night by the Royal Air Force over north-west Germany. In spite of violent opposition from the ground defences, the objectives were attacked with success. Important results were observed. All our airmen returned safely.” EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY ANKARA, July 30. Three hundred were killed and several hundred were injured and 12 villages were destroyed as a result of a violent earthquake on the central plateau in Anatolia. The shock was felt in Ankara, Istanbul. Erzinjan, and many other centres.