LULL IN ENEMY RAIDS

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 August 1940, Page 7

LULL IN ENEMY RAIDS

FOUR MACHINES CRASHED

RAF.’s WIDE ACTIVITY

, Bombs On Germany and Italy

[BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.]

RUGBY, August 19. An Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security communique confirms that, in general, little damage was done in the air-raids on this country, yesterday evening. A number of high-explosive bombs, however, which fell on a town in south-east England, damaged some houses and caused a smal number of casualties, some being fatal. During last night enemy air activity was not on a large scale, but bombs were dropped at a number of I points in England and South Wales. Little damage was done, and a few people sustained injuries. . It is now officially disclosed that two more R.A.F. pilots, making a total of: twelve, out of the twenty-two British ‘ fighters shot down yesterday, are safe. In all, 144 enemy aircraft were destroyed. “The Times,” in a calm review of recent encounters, says: “The only possible conclusion is that we have won the first round of the battle of Britain. That, at least, is the view taken in every quarter abroad where opinion can freely be expressed, and. admiration for the achievements of the R.A.F. and our anti-aircraft gun- . ners has been hardly less in the, United States than in our own coun-j try.” , _ I Meanwhile, the British offensive has continued unremittingly. A feature of yesterday’s engagements which has given particular satisfaction is the relatively low cost at which the impressive results were achieved, jmd at the same time all our aircraft returned from mosteffective raids over Germany and German-occupied territory. The “Daily Telegraph” says that it' is authoritatively stated that Germany’s recent heavy casualties so disorganised the German Air Force that they necessitated drawing upon reserves. The German High Command claims to have destroyed 138 R.A.F. planes ' and says that thirty-four German : machines are missing.

HOUSES DAMAGED

LONDON, August 19.

A German raider, early this (Monday) morning dropped high explosive bombs and incendiary bombs On a coastal town in the south-east of England. It jettisoned other bombs as it was chased to sea by British fighter planes. One house was demolished. The occupier and his wife were buried under the debris. It was an hour before they were released. Both were taken to hospital. Other houses were also damaged. Some were set afire, but the fires were quickly extinguished. Several buses were damaged in a garage.

TWO PLANES COLLIDE.

RUGBY, August 19.

Giving details of the destruction of three more German bombers, yesterday, bringing the day’s total to 144, the Ail* Ministry states: Two’ were shot down by Blenheim aircraft of the coastal command. The third was destroyed by a .sergeant-pilot of an unarmed Anson aircraft of the training command. Whether he intentionally rammed the raider will never be known. The two aircraft collided and fell to the ground, interlocked.

Of 144 enemy aircraft destroyed, 128 were shot down by fighters, 13 by anti-aircraft fire, two by searchlight crews, and one in collision. To-day, enemy activities over this country have been on a minor scale, only intermittent attacks being attempted by aircraft operating in small numbers. Damage by bombs was done to houses in an Essex town and Norfolk village. A dock in South Wales was attacked, but the damage was confined to an oil tank, which was set on fire. Several R.A.F. aerodromes were attacked, and there were a number of casualties. Reports so far confirm that up to 8 p.m., four enemy bombers were shot down by our fighters. The engagements were in all cases with single enemy aircraft.

LONE INVADERS.

RUGBY, August 19.

Al! four enemy aircraft so far reported destroyed in Monday’s actions were flying alone when attacked. Three were Junkers 88’s, and the fourth was a Messerschmitt 110. Four different fighter squadrons brought them down. One sergeant-pilot, flying a Hurricane, describes how, after two attacks, a Junkers 88 burst into flames over the West Country, and crashed, Both the other two Junkers 88 s were brought down‘in the Channel. The Messerschmitt 110 crashed into the North Sea, after being attacked by a patrol of Spitfires.

ANALYSIS OF LOSSES

RUGBY, August 19.

German raiders brought down over and around Britain during the past week have been destroyed m the ratio of nearly three bombers to one fi °During the past seven days, have seen the most-intense an battles ever fought, R.A.F. fighters shot clown 516 Nazi raiders, including 3uo bombers or fighter-bombers. On Thursday, when the Germans used at least 600 bombers, apart from fighters, they lost 127, or one-fifth ot their raiding bomber strength. Yesterday, they lost 92 of the 400 bombers they sent over. AGED MACHINE-GUNNED (Recd. August 20, 12.45 p.m.) ■. LONDON, August 19. South-eastern raiders machinegunned a poor law institution, crowded with aged and sick patients, but there were no casualties. Bombs fell near the same institution. Another raider bombed a southeastern town, this afternoon, demolishing two houses.

SUNDAY’S BATTLES.

; ENEMY’S HEAVY LOSSES LONDON, August 19. One hundred and forty German aeroplanes are known to have been j destroyed in raids on Britain yesterIday. Britain lost 16 machines, but the •pilots of eight are safe. London was again the main objective of the raiders, but once again they failed to get past the outer suburbs. The air raids on London reached proportions comparable to the attacks launched last week against coastal towns. - Several armadas of German bombers and fighters, one totalling 200, i were intercepted before reaching the i London area. Two smaller thrusts | got through and caused widespread j but superficial damage. There were a number of casualties, most of them slight. The raiders considerably damaged a number of houses. A force of; 42 aeroplanes followed the Thames in, spite of tremendous anti-aircraft fire, j and penetrated deep enough to give■ the metropolis its second alarm for thej day. ' j One hundred bombers were count- j ed heading for London in the evening, i I but Spitfires cut up the formation some , ' distance away, and only 53 of the for-1 mation, flying haphazardly, were! counted returning over the coast. The onslaughts against Britain were concentrated in three mass raids, with huge bombers and fighters appearing over the Channel in wedge formation. Bombs fell in a main shopping centre in one district on the outskirts of London. The raiders swooped low here, attacked a railway station and machine-gunned civilians going to shelters. One squadron unloaded bombs on a row of semi-de-tached bungalows when British fighters got close. One bomb demolished half a big dairy depot. ■ I Some 600 enemy bombers and fighters took part in the raids, so the total of 140 brought down is an even higher proportion of losses to aeroplanes taking part than Thursday’s results, when 180 enemy aircraft were shot down out of 1000 used. 1

GERMANS’ HASTY RETREAT.

EFFECTIVE ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE

RUGBY, August 19.

The anti-aircraft defences proved extremely effective during yesterday’s enemy raids. Seventy German bombers, in the evening, paid the anti-aircraft guns the biggest compliment in their power—they turned back. The enemy bombers were in four groups, forming a large rectangle. Forty were Heinkels and over 30 were Dorniers. Behind them flew the escorting fighters, stepped up in tiers. As they approached the outer part of the Thames Estuary, they were received with a hail Of shells from the anti-aircraft batteries. At this moment, a Spitfire patrol was approaching the scene, ready to finish off whatever of the enemy had braved the terrific anti-aircraft fire. The Spitfires were just in time to see the enemy’s retreat. All that was left for the Spitfires were a few circling Messerschmitt 110’s and a number of lone bombers, forced away from the main formation. They shot down five of the Messerschmitts and one Dornier 17 for certain, and it is thought that three more Messerschmitts were unlikely to get to their base. They also badly damaged several more. The anti-aircraft gunners had many other successes. In one area alone, three enemy aircraft, a Junkers 88, a Heinkel 111, and a Messerschmitt 109, were shot down by light anti-aircraft fire. In all, the gunners got 13, including one by a Lewis gun at a searchlight site. The Lewis gun crew saw a Dornier 215, flying with a Hurricane on its tail. Behind the Hurricane was a Messershcmitt, which was firing in its turn on the British fighter. The Hurricane was in obvious difficulties, and was seen to crash, although the pilot was safe. The searchlight crew opened fire at the Dornier at 1000 feet with a Lewis gun. Three other searchlight posts also went into action. Finally, the Dornier crashed. Two of the crew were found to be dead, and the other was injured. Home Guards, using rifles, have brought down a German bomber. This became known to-day, when the War Office stated that, during the air-raids on Sunday, a few Home Guards in the South London area were attacked by machine-gun fire from an enemy dive-bomber. They retaliated with rifle fire, and, after firing 180 rounds, they caused it to crash. SPITFIRES’ GREAT RECORD. OVER 140 VICTIMS. RUGBY, August 19. A Spitfire squadron, which has destroyed or damaged more than 130 enemy aircraft since the war began, won fresh laurels in Sunday’s great enemy attack. Early in the day, some of the squadron pilots chased a Messerschmittt 110 over south-east England, at 30,000 feet, and brought it down. Later, in the first of two mass raids, the squadron again went into action, and, after some fierce combats, returned to its base to report that it had destroyed four Messerschmitt 109’s. Three other raiders were probably sent crashing into the sea, and six more are believed to have been damaged by the same squadron. In the evening, the squadron scored further successes, destroying four Messerschmitt 110’s and one Dornier 17. In addition, it probably destroyed three Messerschmitt 110’s and damaged another four of the same type, together with two Heinkel Ill’s, making its bag foY the day 10 enemy aircraft destroyed, six probably destroyed, and 12 damaged. . It was this squadron which saw a .main formation of enemy bombers, which it was about to attack, turn back under anti-aircraft fire. The only casualty which the squadron

sustained during the day was slight damage by bullets to two aircraft. None of the pilots was hurt. It was a strenuous day for them all.

The squadron-leader, who had brought clown several enemy aircraft, spoke of the terrific dogfights, and described how his pilots more than once had torn up into the sky from 3000 feet to 30,000 feet in search of the enemy.

NEW ZEALANDER’S SUCCESSES.

RUGBY, August 19.

A New Zealand pilot who was recently awarded the D.F.C. not only helped to destroy a Messerschmitt 110 in the morning, but also damaged a Dornier 115. In the first mass raid he brought down a Messerschmitt 110, and probably destroyed two other raiders in the evening.

GERMAN VERSION

(Recd. Aug. 20, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, August 19.

The German High Command states: An air squadron attacked industrial and railway works in south and middle England, and aerodromes around .London and in Kent and Hampshire. I A merchantman was sunk, and an- ! other was heavily damaged, during bombing attacks against shipping in the Channel. ' A violent air battle developed at several places, in which our fighters and chasers caused heavy losses to the enemy. The fighter squadron, Horst Wessel, under Commodore Lieutenant-Com-mander Muth, brought down 51 enemy planes last night. It attacked depots east of London, armament works at Norwich and Essex, harbour works at Milford Haven, Avonmouth, Bournemouth, and Weymouth, besides several aerodromes in south England and near Liverpool. Large fires and heavy explosions were observed. Several ships in the harbours were hit.

The total British losses yesterday were 147 planes and 33 balloons. We lost 36 planes. British planes dropped bombs in western and southern Germany, but caused no material damage. The Bremen radio states: Three British planes were shot down near' Ramsgate, this morning. ■

GERMAN PURPOSE

(Recd. August 20, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 19.

The Berlin News Agency announced that reconnaissance planes over England carry some bombs, but their main duty is to observe yesterday’s targets, carry out minor raids, and annoy the enemy.

PARACHUTISTS’ STATUS

(Recd. August 20, 12.30 p.m.). LONDON. August 19. .The German Government has sent a note to Britain, through the Swiss Government, stating that parachutists must be treated in accordance with international law, otherwise serious reprisals will be taken against R.A.F. prisoners. The note describes the uniform of parachutists, who must be recognised as members of the Army.

(Recd. August 20, 2.25 p.m.). LONJDON, August 19

It is authoritatively stated that Britain has not received a note from Germany, regarding the treatment of parachutists.

R.A.F. ATTACKS.

GERMANY AND ITALY.

RUGBY, August 19

An Air Ministry communique states: Our bombers last night again bombed aircraft factories at Milan and Turin. Other aircraft attacked the aluminium works at Rheinfelden, and chemical works at Waldshut near the German-Swiss frontier. Buildings were wrecked by direct hits and left in flames. Aerodromes at Freiburg and Rabsheim near Mulhouse, were heavily damaged. . The Coastal Command aircrait pressed home another successful attack on Boulogne harbour, in face of intense searchlight activity, and’heavy anti-aircraft fire. All our aircraft returned.

RAIDS ON ITALY.

LONDON, August 19. A Rome communique admits that the cities of Milan, Cuneo and Turin, in Northern Italy were bombed on Sunday night.

BERNE, August 19.

Anti-aircraft guns went into action after an air raid alarm in Basle. Zurich and Geneva also had air raid alarms. , A Rome message states that Berne s air raid alarm was due to a formation of British planes flying southward..

RHINE FACTORIES HIT,

(Recd. August 20, 10.45 a.m.). BASLE, August 19. British night raiders are reported to have scored direct hits on Germany’s aluminium factories across the Rhine, from 'the Swiss town of Rheinfelden.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

RUGBY, August 19.

For the third time within a week, R.A.F. heavy bombers, last night, attacked the Caproili aircraft factory at Milan and the Fiat _ aircraft engine motor works, at Turin. Other squadrons of the R.A.F., operating 150 miles further north, severely damaged aluminium works at Rheinfelden on the GermanSwiss frontier, ten miles east of 13 n si 6 A factory near the Rhine, to reach which the aircraft had to fly six hundred miles, was attacked for an hour and a half. One of the first salvos of heavy bombs, which dropped just before midnight, caused a high chimneystack to fall. Then, as more bombs found the mark, there followed a steadily spreading fire. Next, hydro-electric plant, housing turbines and generators, were hit, and about'.midnight, more high explosives and canisters of incendiaries caused fires •shich spread rapidly. Roofs of buildings ■ were blown off, and a column of white smoke rose.

j Fro,pi 12.20 a.m. until nearly 1 1 o’clock, another section of the raiders, descending at times to 1500 feet, saw the wrecked plant illuminated, by eerie green flames. There was an ac- ' companiment of explosions, as further heavy bombs found targets, including 1 a direct hit on the converter plant.

i The whole area appeared by now to I be ablaze, and from twenty miles ' away,‘the crews could see the fires as they flew homeward. | The electro-chemical works at Waldshut, in the same region, were also attacked and set on fire. Here

[ some anti-aircraft defence was en T countered, one of the bombers being hit by shellfire. Other aircraft bombed the aerodrome at Frieburg/ north of Basle. It was considered in this attack that an’ ammunition dump was exploded, for the observers saw a series of brilliant white flashes continuing some time after the bombs had fallen.

The enemy-occupied Habshein aerodrome at Mulhouse (Alsace) was also attacked, and hits scored on the landing ground and on large buildings. Harassing attacks on the Italian aircraft industry were again successful. One pilot after identifiying the Caproni works at Milan, bombed them successfully from heights of between two thousand and four thousand feet. Soon after this attack, an Italian biplane fighter attempted to intercept but; the rear gunner of the British bomber fired a burst, which caused the enemy to break off the action. The fighter was obviously in distress, and is believed to have been destroyed.

WAR CABINET’S THANKS

RUGBY, August 19

Sii' A. Sinclair has received the following message from Mr. Churchill: “Please convey to the Commander-in-Chief of the Bomber Command the congratulations of the War Cabinet on the success of the operations against Germany on Friday night. The War Cabinet is impressed by the skill with which both these operations, and those against Italy and Germany on\>ther recent occasions, have been prepared, and by the cool and sure courage and efficiency with which the fighting crews of the bomber squadrons have carried them out. Both night and day, the bomber squadrons are dealing hard blows against Italy and Germany, and they deserve the thanks and admiration of their fellowcountrymen.”

GERMAN ADMISSIONS.

(Recd. August 20, 12.45 p.m.) BERLIN, August 19.

An Army communique states: Foreign planes bombed the railway between Biessenhofen and Schlatt, smashing telegraph lines, but not damaging the railway track. Bombers, last night, are reported to have attacked German armament plants near Lake Constance, including the Friedrichshafen Zeppelin works. ITALIAN VERSION (Recd. August 20, 10.55 a.m.) ROME, August 19. During the British raids, last night, three bombs struck a dwelling-house in Milan. Others fell in open fields. There was only insignificant damage at Cuneo and Turin. No victims are reported. BOULOGNE’S DESTRUCTION (Recd. August 20, 10.45 a.m.). VICHY, August 19.

The R.A.F. raid against Boulogne on August 17, virtually completed the destruction of the port.

AMERICAN KILLED.

(Recd. August 20, 10.45 a.m.). LONDON, August 19. Pilot Officer W. Fiske is the first American serving as an R.A.F. officer, to lose his life. He died from wounds received in the fight against bombers on August 16.

SOUTHLAND FUND.

INVERCARGILL, August 20.

The first New Zealand fund to buy fighter planes for Britain was opened in Southland with the Prime Minister’s approval a few weeks ago, and already over £15,000 has been contributed. The objective is £21,000, the cost in New Zealand currency of two fighters. The Government has been asked to forward the cost of the first plane to the British Government immediately. .