Late News

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 284, 26 August 1940, Page 8

Late News

MASS ATTACKS Two Simultaneous Raids On Britain EIGHT HUNDRED NAZI PLANES ENGAGED (Bv Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Received August 26, 1.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 25. The Air Ministry announced that two big mass raids began at 3 p.m. on Saturday. The first attack by 300 bombers and their escorts extended inland, causing the London anti-aircraft guns to go into action. Simultaneously 500 bombers and lighters raided the Portsmouth area.

A sergeant, pilot, iu a Spitlire squadron shot down live Messerschmitts in three battles. His squadron engaged 20 Junkers and at. least 20 escort planes over the Thames Estuary. The squadron destroyed four MessersehmiT.ts and probably a fifth. A Hurricane squadron patrolling the Thames Estuary encountered 30 Junkers and 30 Messerschmitts. They destroyed a Junkers' aud a Messerschmitt and damaged a second Messerschmitt. At the same time 12 Hurricanes intercepted 15 Heinkels and 15 Messerschmitts and shot down a Heinkel and a Messerschmitt and probably destroyed a second Heinkel and damaged a third. Spitfires encountered 50 Messerschmitt Jaguars escorted by an equal formation of lighters. The Spitfires destroyed two and damaged three of the Germans. Boulton Paul Delimits were three times in action during the day. attacking 21 Junkers, of which they destroyed four. They went ou and shot down a Heinkel and damaged a Messerschmitt. Fires In London. High explosives aud incendiary bombs fell in London during the raid. The numerous fires caused suggest that the incendiary bombs were dropped in large containers known as “Molotov bread-baskets.” An incendiary bomb hit the roof of a hospital and the nurses helped the firemen to extinguish it. A high-ex-plosive bomb killed a 65-year-old widow sheltering under the stairs instead of in the backyard shelter of iter dwelling. Members of the Home Guard in tlie Midland area reported seeing parachutes descending and expressed the opinion that this was a repetition of the old hoax. Explosives and incendiary bombs were dropped this morning in a southwest district. Four small houses were wrecked and a number of casualties caused, some fatal. The north-east hud the longest raid since tlie war began. Enemy planes passed over a coastal town aud dropped 15 bombs on the outskirts at intervals of a few yards. Houses were damaged • and a gas main set on lire. Other bombs fell inland. The anti-aircraft guns were heavily in action. The total damage was slight considering tlie length of the raid and the number of explosions. Shortly before midnight a bomb from a raider caused a tiro in the business section of London. Hundreds of tiromen fought the blaze, while the raider was still circling over them. The fire raged furiously for half an hour before "it was brought under control. Members of the home guard and the police closed tlie approaches to tlie fire as tlie crowds which emerged from the shelters surged around. The windows in a number of buildings were blown out and some fires wore caused elsewhere. The casualties are believed to be few.