HUNDREDS OF PLANES

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 39, 14 August 1940, Page 9

HUNDREDS OF PLANES

MASS AIR BATTLES

v FIGHTS OVER CLOUDS

STRONG DEFENCES

SOME CIVILIANS KILLED

(U.P.A. and Official Wireless.) (Received August 14, 1 p.m.) LONDON, August 13. The Associated Press of Great! Britain says that the Germans threw hundreds of planes into massed air battles this morning extending over 100 miles along Britain's coastal front line. They swept in waves of from 50 to over 100. A big formation, taking advantage of the low ceiling, flew in OVer the clouds and machine-gunned and cannonaded barrage balloons, several of which were seen falling. As fast as the Germans came, British Spitfires and Hurricanes rose to meet them. Most of the battles were fought high over the clouds. About 50 planes were over a southwestern town this afternoon. Machines were seen diving through the clouds. The fight continued high over the clouds for some time and British fighters dispersed a strong enemy formation.

It is now known that over 200 bombs fell in country districts yesterday, causing seven deaths. Several persons were injured. Three cottages were demolished.

Two men entering a station were killed in a raid in south-west England early this morning. The windows of 40 houses were smashed. A bomb fell in the courtyard of a large block of workers' flats, killing a girl aged 15. Only a few persons were injured.

Combat reports tell dramatic stories of the adventures of pilots in repelling today's mass attacks on England. One Spitfire squadron chased a large formation of Dornier bombers right across the Channel and damaged at least five. Another Spitfire squadron began a battle against thirty Dornier bombers five miles above the Kentish coast and the squadron leader, a South African, sprayed three of the bombers with machine-gun bullets in quick succession. He saw pieces flying off one and another appeared to be on fire after his first burst.

PLANE CRASHES ON MAIN ROAD

Meanwhile, a pilot officer, with his opening burst of fire, silenced the rear gunner and set fire to the fuselage of another bomber.

A second pilot officer shot down a Dornier and saw it crash on a main road. He was finishing off the work of another pilot, who had attacked this bomber but was himself attacked by two others and forced to retire with his Spitfire damaged. He managed, however, to land his fighter safely.

Another report tells of a flying officer who attacked four bombers one after the other, silencing the rear gunner in two of them. He saw thick Clouds of smoke pouring from the third as it dived crippled towards the sea.

A Hurricane squadron engaged a tightly-packed wedge formation of 24 Dornier 215's over the Thames Estuary. In this engagement a sergeant pilot, with already at least eight enemy aircraft to his credit, saw the gunner of a bomber he had attacked

jump out by parachute, with the bomber falling apparently out of control towards the water. A few minutes later a pilot of the same squadron attacked another Dornier and watched the entire crew of five bale out by parachute.

While this fight was< going on over the Thames, pilots from another Hurricane squadron were battling over the Sussex coast. They engaged a formation of 50 bombers, composed of Dorniers, Heinkels, and Junkers, flying at 50,000 feet. A long way behind were 50 Messerschmitts. In dog fights which followed at least one Junker 88 bomber was definitely destroyed, and among the probable victims of these Hurricanes' pilots were four more Junkers, two Dorniers, a Messerschmitt 110, and a Messerschmitt 109.

VIOLENT RECEPTION. Authoritative reports indicate that a violent reception was accorded today's raiders. Five Germans were shot down in an engagement over the southwest coast this afternoon.

Another pilot set fire to a bomber and silenced the rear gunner of another

A flying officer attacked fojir bombers in succession, silencing Uhe rear gunners in two and sending the bombers into the sea.

A Hurricane squadron engaged 50 bombers and 50 Messerschmitts over the Sussex coast. It definitely destroyed one bomber and probably destroyed four Junkers, two Dorniers, and two Messerschmitts.