NAZIS DOWNED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20547, 6 May 1941, Page 11

NAZIS DOWNED

RATIO OF LOSSES WEEK’S AIR FIGHTS RAIDING OF COLOGNE TASTE OF NEW BOMBS (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. May 5, 3 p.m.) LONDON, May 4. During the week ended yesterday the Germans lost 22 planes in combat in Europe and the Royal Air Force 18. In the Middle East the Axis lost IS planes and the Royal Air Force 10. During .the seven-day period ended at noon yesterday one German plane was destroyed by His Majesty’s shipping, and the destruction of another was by a “naval vessel.” Of the 16 enemy planes destroyed over Britain and nearby last night, one, it is now officially stateef, was brought down by the balloon barrage. One of the fighters’ successes was over northern France. Saturday night’s raid on Cologne, one of the most important centres of Gerlrian. industry and communication, gave the city its first experience of the new, very powerful British bombs. Clouds could not hide the signs of progressive ruin in the city. _ Flashes of the detonating bombs lit up the Royal Air Force aircraft through the clouds, and there were large fires. An official communique dealing with daylight raids on this country to-day states that enemy aircraft crossed the south-east and south-west coasts during daylight, penetrating a few miles inland. Up to 7 p.m. no bombs had been reported dropped.

A German communique minimises the raids oh Germany by the Royal Air Force, not mentioning and places but saying that a number of civilians were killed and others wounded. It is officially stated in Berlin that several hundred planes participated in last night’s air raid on Liverpool.