100 PLANES FIGHT

Grey River Argus, 27 July 1940, Page 7

100 PLANES FIGHT

RAIDS ON CONVOY Enemy More Persistent BUT LOSES MORE PLANES. LAus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.j LONDON July 25. One hundred British and German planes provided the longest period oi air-righting yet experienced over the south-east coast and the Channel Enemy planes attacked a convoy of vessels in the Channel, thus givmg ris e to the battle. Scores of bombs wer e dropped on one convoy, consisting of 20 small freighters. These German raids were more sustained than hitherto, and the sky seemed to be filled with planes for nouis-Anti-aircraft guns and coastal guns were in action almost incessantly. Many bombs were dropped, several falling inland, from the raiders, which were driven awav from their shipping objectives. The convoy attacked was off the soutn-east coast of England. Scores of British fighters flashed across the sky, and were instantly engaged by the German fighttrs, whil e German dive-bombers circled low to attack the convoy. The opposing planes hurtled down on each other’s tails, with their engines screaming. There were three squadrons, comprising 27 bombers, in the first wave of Germans. Another formation of similar strength powerdived immediately afterwards. Shells burst all around them. The raiders climbed back steeply, however, am. repeated the attack. British fighters closed in as the Germans sought the cover of clouds. Two German bomber s pitched in flames into the sea. Separate battles between British and German fighters raged. British pilots finally .gained the upper hand, and routed th e enemy. The convoy sailed on, but an hour later it was attacked a third time. This was swiftly broken up by antiaircraft guns and fighters. A Norwegian motor torpedo-boat also shot down a German dive-bomu-er. Another German bomber crashed in a field near a south-west village, after a combat with a fighter. The members of the crew parachuted and were captured. The Air Ministry communique states: In the .cours e of a series of attempted attacks on shipping off the south-east and south-west coasts, to-day, four enemy aircraft have been shot down by R.A.F. fighter s and anti-aircraft guns. A fifth enemy aircraft was shot down by fighters off th e north-east coast of Scotland this morning. A later Air Ministry communique states: An additional four enemy aircraft, making nine in all', were shot down in engagements off the British coast to-day. i n addition to the nine German raiders shot down to-day, many others are known to have been severely damaged. The R.A.F. lost one Spitfire. FURTHER DETAILS. (Received July 26, 5.5 p.mj RUGBY, July 25. To-day’s intense air activity again turned very much in favour of the R.A.F. In ona case a Nazi fighter dived into the sea without a shot being fired. This plane, with four other Messerschmitts, was chasing a single Spitfire which became separated from its squadron. The Spitfire dived five thousand feet in attempt to avoid its pursuers. One Messerschmitt also dived, but when th e Spitfire straightened out fifty feet from the sea. the Messerschmitt was travelling so fast that it was unable to pull out of its dive, ana crashed straight into the sea. On another occasion during the afternoon Hurricane pilots, flying nearly four miles high over the Channel, engaged three of the new German Messerschmitt 110 Jaguar bombers, shooting one down. THE GERMAN ACCOUNT. BERLIN, July 2~A German official report states: —

German fighters attacked shipping on th e English east coast. Violent dog-fights occurred during an attack on a convoy, resulting in six enemy planes being shot down. Three merchantmen received direct hits and were probablyitost. Thursday’s Losses 20 GERMAN PLANES. TO FIVE BRITISH. (Received July 26, 9.0 p.m.). LONDON, July 26. The Air Ministry has confirmed that eleven German bombers and nine fighters were brought down yesterday (Thursday). The Ministry also reports that five British fighters were lost on Thursday, but two of the pilots are known to be safe. 23 Enemy Planes LOST ON THURSDAY. (Received July 27, 12.35 a.m.). LONDON, July 26. An official report states that it has been established that three additional enemy planes were shot down on Thursday, making the day’s total 23. German Airmen CAPTURED IN ENGLAND. (Received July 26, 10.0 p.m.). LONDON, July 26. A housemaid captured one of four German airmen who baled, out over the south-west of England from their plane. She left an air raid shelter to turn off a gas iron, which she had forgotten. An eighteen-year-old German landed almost beside her. He was badly shaken. She took him into the kitchen, and gave him some whisky. A Home Guard soon arrived, he having watched the airmen jump out of their plane. He also arrested two others of the German airmen. The fourth aidman's parachute failed to open. The Home Guard said that all four of the Germans were very shaky. They were terrified of being shot on sight. German Claims ELEVEN CONVOY SHIPS SUNK. DESTROYER SET AFIRE. (Received July 26, 9.45 p.m.) LONDON, July 26. ? The German radio has mad e tire following announcement:— Our attacks on English Channel shipping yesterday resulted in the sinking of eleven ships, totalling 43,000 tons, from a convoy of 23 ships. Three more ships, totalling 12,000 tons, were set on fire or damaged, and are likely to be a total loss. One destroyer was set on fire, and one destroyer was seriously damaged. Thursday Night Raids NO CASUALTIES OR DAMAGE. LONDON, July 26. (Received July 27, 12.40 a.m.). It is officially reported that during Thursday night there was a slight amount of enemy air activity over the south-east of England, and southwest of England', and also over Wales. Some bombs were dropped near a town in East Anglia. No damage was done. No casualties in any area have been recorded. BRITISH INDUSTRIAL PLANTS. GERMANS REPORT ATTACKS. BERLIN, July 25. A German communique sl’fites: — German fighter planes attacked industrial plants in south-east England and Scotland. Our planes attacked Vickers’ aircraft factory at Weybridge, destroying four planes on t’le ground. They also bombed industrial plants at Great Yarmouth and Glasgow. THE KING TAKES SHELTER.

LONDON, July 25.. His Majesty spent ten minutes m

an underground shelter, during an air-raid, while visiting soulli .-“coast naval establishments.

The King to-day paid a surprise visit to London docks. H e appeared suddenly in the bar of a canteen, and th e men assembled there drank his health.