AIR BATTLES

Evening Star, Issue 23723, 2 November 1940, Page 11

AIR BATTLES

NAZI RAIDERS BEATEN BACK NINE BROUGHT DOWH ONLY SLIGHT DAMAGE FROM BOMBS (British Official Wirekws.) RUGBY, November 1. (Received November 2, at 11.12 a.m.) The third air raid alert to-day gave Londoners a lunch-hour spectacle of numerous exhaust trails weaving about the blue sky at a great height, indicating the interception of enemy planes by British fighters. A communique dealing generally with the raids on Britain to-day states there has been some enemy activity since dawn. In addition to some isolated aircraft, several formations entered the Portsmouth area, and ©there flew in the direction of London. Our fighters and anti-aircraft defences have been constantly in action, and the attacking formations in each case were quickly dispersed and driven off. In the course of these raids bombs were dropped at several points in the London area, the Eastern Counties, Southeast England, and Lincolnshire. Reports at present received show that in general the resulting damage was slight, and, though some casualties are reported, the number of persons killed and injured is very small. Nine enemy aircraft were destroyed. Six of our fighters were lost, but the pilots of two are safe. There was a further diminution in enemy air activity over the whole country during the night, states a communique, and the few bombs which were reported—mainly in East Anglia, London, and a town in the Midlandscaused little damage and few casualties. A few bombs were dropped with little effect at one point on the Northeast coast of Scotland. During a short but concentrated raid an a West Midlands town explosives and incendiaries damaged houses In five streets, demolishing a building over a public shelter, and resulting in a number of casualties. Seven explosives fell near an east coast rectory. The family of four was uninjured. ITALIAN BOMBERS IN ACTION ENEMY ACHIEVES LITTLE SUCCESS LONDON, November 1. (Received November 2, at 12.35 p.m.) London had three alerts in the morning, During the second two large formations crossed the south-east coast. The anti-aircraft defences went into action and the planes were later seen returning across the coast. Several bombs fell on the outskirts of London in the third alert. Four were killed and a number injured. It is believed that six Italian heavy bombers were among the formations which crossed the coast in the morning. British fighters scattered the enemy over the sky. Fifty enemy planes crossed the coast at Dungeness in the afternoon, 20 of which succeeded in reaching London, where they were met by our fighters and turned back. Two of the raiders were pursued and sent spinning to earth.

Among those 'killed in London last night were three sisters and their husbands, who died together when two houses were demolished. Three youths, playing cards in a surface shelter, were killed by the blast when a bomb exploded in the roadway. MESSERSCHMITT DESTROYED SHOT DOWN BY ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERY (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, November 1. (Received November 2, at 11.20 a.m.) The story of the destruction of an enemy fighter over Britain to-day was told in the Air Ministry news service. A Nazi machine which came down in flames was a Messerschmitt 109 fighterbomber flying nearly , five iniles high over Dover. The Nazi raider was only a white speck in the clear blue sky when the anti-aircraft, gunners opened fire. After firing a few rounds the battery scored a direct ’hit. The Messerschmitt spiralled down in flames from 24,000 ft into the sea. At almost exactly the same; time an air duel was going on between a Hurricane and a Cornier only 50ft above the water. A sergeant-pilot had been patrolling off the east coast with two Hurricanes which were going home when he sighted below him a Cornier 17 bomber skimming over the sea at 50ft. Chasing the bomber for 10 miles the Hurricane pilot caught it up and fired several bursts. When the sergeant had to make for his base the Cornier was last seen far out over the North Sea limping for home severely damaged. ACTIVE NIGHT OVER ENGLAND FIVE BOMBERS BROUGHT DOWN (By Radio.) DAVENTRY, November 2. London last night had its heaviest air raids for a long period. The sirens went much earlier than usual, and there was almost continuous and very heavy gunfire. An Air Ministry communique issued just before midnight said that five bombers had been brought down. The German planes tried to force »

way through the barrage in several directions at once. Most of the raiders were at a very great height, and they made considerable use of parachut# flares.

There was much more activity tha» usual over the whole of the countryside. One plane was brought down TO miles in from the Yorkshire coast, and another over Essex. Raiders also attacked Liverpool and the south-east of Scotland, where 20 high-explosiy«| bombs were dropped in open spaces.