FIGHTERS’ “BAG”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20526, 9 April 1941, Page 7

FIGHTERS’ “BAG”

FIVE NIGHT RAIDERS WIDESPREAD BOMBING MERSEYSIDE BEARS BRUNT ULSTER ATTACKED (Elec. Tel. Copyright—Unite l Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 11 a.m. RUGBY, April 8. Royal Air Force night fighters had the most .successful night which the April moon has yet afforded them. They shot down five enemy raiders last night, Beaufighters betting two, Hurricanes two and Defiants one.

Enemy air activity over Britain last night, according to an Air Ministry communique, was on a considerable scale and lasted for several hours, although no district experienced a heavy attack.

A number of people were killed and injured when several houses ' were destroyed in a town in the south-west of Scotland.

Five enemy planes were brought down by fighters during the night. Aid of Bright Moon The raiders were aided by a brilliant moon. Merseyside apparently bore the brunt of the attack. Many incendiary bombs fell on an east coast town, damaging and destroying' buildings, including a sailors' home and two stores. 1 A few bombs fell on a London district, damaging a hospital for the aged and infirm, otherwise it was London's eighteenth night free from raids. Raiders, over Britain early to-day bombed a Thames Estuary town and directly hit an auxiliary fire service station, killing two firemen and seriously injuring two others. . Bombs last night fell on an East Anglian town, killing five persons and injuring several others. A number were trapped under the wreckage of houses. 20 Killed in Hall A bomb last night directly hit a hall in a north-west of England town. Tt killed 20 persons. Concerning the enemy air attack on an area in Northern Ireland the following communique has been issued: “Last night an attack was carried out by small forces of bombers and continued intermittently during the small hours of the morning. A heavy barrage of anti-aircraft fire was maintained by the ground defences. One enemy bomber was shot down. A number of fires were started but the majority were extinguished by morning. The number of casualties was small but unfortunately a few were fatal.”

Bombs damaged a church and several houses. A few persons were slightly injured by shrapnel.

The Berlin radio states that several hundred planes last night attacked harbours and towns throughout England, causing great damage.