German Attacks on Britain

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 44, 20 August 1940, Page 7

German Attacks on Britain

FOUR BOMBERS SHOT DOWN

Total for Seven Days 571 LONDON, August 19. German raids on Britain today have been on a small scale. Only intermittent attacks have been attempted by aircraft operating in small numbers, but official reports received up to 8 p.m. show that four German bombers have been destroyed by British fighters. Damage by bombs was done on houses in an Essex town and in a village in Norfolk. A dock in South Wales was attacked, but damage was confined to an oil tank which was set on fire. Several E.A.F. aerodromes were also attacked, and there were a number of casualties. • It was announced this evening that the number of German aircraft destroyed during Sunday's raids is now known to have been 144. Against this 22 British fighters were lost, but 12 of the pilots were saved. . . In seven days up till midnight last night 571 German aircraft have been destroyed in battle over this country. About three-quarters were bombers or bonrber-fighters» (British Official Wireless.) (Received August 20, 1 p.m.)' LONDON, August 19. German raiders brought down over and around Britain during the past week have been destroyed in a ratio of nearly three bombers to one fighter. During the past seven days, which; has seen the most intense air battles ever fought, R.A.F. fighters shot down 516 Nazi raiders, including 380 bombers or fighter-bombers. On Thursday, when the Germans used,at least 600 bombers, apart from, fighters, they lost 127, or one-fifth of their raiding bomber strength. Yesterday they lost 92 of 400. bombers sent over.