CEASELESS AIR WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 39, 14 August 1940, Page 10

CEASELESS AIR WAR

DEFENCES STAND THE TEST

ALMOST IMPENETRABLE BARRIER

(By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright.) (Received August 14, 2 p.m.) LONDQN,August 13. Prom dawn to dark the Germans again waged ceaseless air war againsi England's coastline, but wherever they were engaged by fighters or attacked by anti-aircraft fire they were routed. The German attacks were again directed against shipping in harbours and balloon barrages, including the evening raid against Southampton, but the effectiveness of the air and ground defences reduced the damage to a minimum. The British proportion of successes to losses is the best yet achieved, indicating the almost impenetrable barrier of fire which the Germans received as, in formations sometimes reaching nearly 100, they roared from the clouds in abortive attempts to attack their objectives. At one time during the afternoon enemy bombers and fighters were falling out of the sky at the rate of one every minute, states an Air Ministry bulletin. Enemy aircraft came in three xvaves, directed, at the Southampton area and the Kentish coasts. Anti-aircraft gunners, by shooting down three more, brought their successes in the last two days to 10. In the Southampton area alone, fighter patrols destroyed 22 of the enemy. Nine of these were Junkers dive-bombers, five were Messerschmitt 110 fighters, and the remaining, eight were Messerschmitt 109 fighters. All nine Junkers were brought down in a space of minutes by a single Spitfire squadron, as well as four of the Messerschmitt 109 fighters. Not a single one of this squadron's pilots or Spitfires has been lost in two days' actions. They destroyed seven enemy aircraft yesterday.

One of the most severe of the afternoon's battles occurred off a south-west town, when fighters roared up to meet the raiders, who encountered a terrific anti-aircraft barrage. At least four Germans were shot down.

Another battle broke out over the south-east coast in the evening. The terrific noise only subsided after the raiders had been driven out to sea without dropping their bombs. Fighters completely routed another party of 50 Germans who attempted to attack another south-west area. Two Messerschmitts fell on the land and another two crashed into the sea. Four more were blazing. German planes crashed between two south-west coast towns, and fighters applied the coup de grace to a crippled German bomber which was struggling to reach home after the attack. A bomber which crashed in a field was quickly enveloped in flames.

One Heinkel was driven off arid another shot down when they attempted to attack a small motor coastal barge off the south-east coast.

Violent anti-aircraft fire sent back a formation of 12 bombers approaching a south-east town. They later returned, and three dog fights occurred; One German fell in the sea.

One of the successful pilots during the early morning fighting was a Pole who escaped after the defeat of his country and travelled back to fight with the R.A.F.

One R.A.F. pilot tells how just after one action was over he saw several pilots swimming in the water. They were picked up by a launch as he circled above them. As they climbed into the launch he recognised three of them as English and one as a member of his own squadron.

General de Gaulle's headquarters announces that French 75's, after adaptation for anti-aircraft work, and manned by free French naval units, shot down two bombers in a recent raid on a south coast port. French ships joined the land defences and put up heavy anti-aircraft barrages, this being the first time that French free naval units were in action.

Today's figures bring the total for four days' air fighting to 256 German machines lost against 66 British —roughly, 4 to 1. These figures reveal more than anything else the great weight and number of aircraft employed by Germany in the daily assault on this island. The blitzkrieg in the air is now at its height. Hitler is attempting to break down our defences, harass our shipping, destroy our ports, and by a series of hammer blows to knock our air organisation in/i a state of impotence. But so far the results of the blitzkrieg in the air are giving more courage and hope. Every hammer blow that Hitler has delivered rings on an anvil forged of the truest steel. He may break his hammer on us or may bring a heavier hammer into play, but the anvil will not break."