PLANES OVER THAMES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 95, 22 April 1940, Page 7

PLANES OVER THAMES

THRILL FOR CROWDS 3

FIREWORKS DISPLAY

FIGHTERS ENGAGE RAIDERS

(British Official Wireless.) (Received April 22, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, April 21. Air activity last night in the neighbourhood of the Thames Estuary, which was the subject of an , Air Ministry statement in the early hours of this morning, is reported to have drawn crowds into the streets of coastal towns nearby, while many persons are stated to have taken refuge in public shelters, though no air-raid warning was sounded. For several hours the drone of aircraft could be heard, but the activity appeared to onlookers to be lout to sea. . [ Anti-aircraft gun fire was heard for Isome time. ■ • , | The Air Ministry statement said that no attack on snipping had been t reported. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright.) LONDON, April. 21. A German air attack off the southeast coast, in the neighbourhood of the ' Thames estuary, started 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. Flarer. were dropped, lighting up the seafront. The firing faded after 20 minutes at the scene of battle moved away,"