ENEMY AIR ACTIVITY

Evening Star, Issue 23836, 17 March 1941, Page 3

ENEMY AIR ACTIVITY

SPREAD OVER MANY DISTRICTS FIVE NIGHT BOMBERS DESTROYED TOTAL OF 41 FOR FIRST HALF OF MARCH (British Official Wireless.) Pres* Association -By Telegraph—Copj righ t RUGBY, March 15. A communique states that enemy activity last night was on a considerable scale and was spread over most parts of the country. . , , , , The Clyde was' again attacked, but the raid was not as heavy as on Thursday. Damage was done to business premises and houses. Some people were killed and a large number were injured when a block of flats was destroyed, but, apart from this incident, the casualties are not expected to be heavy. A town in the north-west of England had a sharp attack. Some shops and industrial premises were damaged, and a number of firfes were started, but these were effectively dealt with and brought under-control. The number of casualties is not large. Bombs were dropped elsewhere in many parts of the country, and in several places houses were damaged, but, apart from this, there was little damage and the casualties were nowhere numerous. _ Five enemy aircraft were destroyed during the night, three' of them by Beau fighters and two by anti-aircraft gunfire. ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS’TALLY. The total number of enemy aircraft shot down in night attacks on Britain in March by anti-air-craft guns is 17, of which 15 have previously been claimed. 1 It is understood that the ninth enemy aircraft destroyed on Wednesday night is now credited to anti-aircraft guns, in , addition to two not previously claimed as destroyed - which have been confirmed as shot down by anti-aircraft fire, one on Tuesday night and one the previous Tuesday night. The total night raiders lost by the enemy, over Britain during the first half of March is 41, which represents a rate of loss well over double that sustained by the Luftwaffe in night attacks in September and October. CIVILIAN CASUALTIES. Four of one family—the father, mother, and two sons—were last night when a, heavy bomb fell in a workers’ street in a north-east coast town. A stick of bombs straddled a row of workers’ bouses in a south coast town and killed four fire-watchers, also a mother, her daughter, and grandchild, and another mother and three children. , . Ten were killed when bombs struck houses in a north Midland village, rendering many homeless. Liverpool’s raid lasted as long as those of the previous two nights. Between 400 and 500 fire bombs fell in one London district within a few minutes last night. Fire-watchers called from roof to roof, and all the bombs were quickly tackled, but one large building caught fire, necessitating the sendees of the fire brigades. Fire parties of neighbours fought many incendiaries in a housing estate in a town on the east coast of England. “ LONDON DISTRICTS A FEW RAIDERS OYER DURING NIGHT LONDON, March 16, A few .raiders bombed several London districts during the night. Damage was small and casualties were uot heavy. Heavy bombs bit a Thames Estuary town, wrecking two houses; damaging many others, and burying many residents. One man was killed and two othere were severely injured. Similar reports have been received from the East Midlands and East Anglia. ART OF NIGHT FIGHTING BRITISH SUCCESSES (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 16. (Received March 17, a 8 a.m.) *• A pilot wuo stiut down a raider two nights ago repeated his success last njgut,” states the Air Ministry. “He caught a Junkers 88, which dived sjoUoft with a Beau Fighter Dn its tail, after being hit. The pace became too fast to continue the pursuit, but the Beau Fighter pilot saw his victim hit the ground soon afterwards and explode. “ A Heinkel 111 was intercepted off the east coast, and the German rear gunner was put out of action by the first burst. After another burst a large piece flew off and dented the Beau Fighter’s wing. Thirty miles out to sea one of the enemy crew bailed out. The Heinkel then turned, losing height rapidly to try to regain the coast, but it crashed into the sea just off land. A wing-commander caught a raider flying home very fast.. He closed in and tired a five-second burst that started fires in the cockpit and one engine. The raider spiralled down to the sea in flames. “ Two fighter pilots who flew over to France during the night found an aerodrome with 20 bombers on the ground. In spite of blue searchlights, heavy machine gun fire, and pompoms firing red, white, and blue shells, they came down low. One of the pilots set' one bomber on fire on the first attack. He came back and fired down a searchlight beam, hitting the light. He then shot at a pompom gun crew and saw some of them lying on the ground. Further attacks were made on the bombers on the ground and on the pompoms. His companions made similar attacks and hit one searchlight, which went out.”- .