ARMADA REPELLED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 217, 12 August 1940, Page 8

ARMADA REPELLED

GREAT NAZI LOSSES

SIXTY PLANES DOWN. DESPERATE BATTLES. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received August 12, 1.55 p.m. RUGBY, Aug. 12. For the second time in four days 60 German bombers and fighters have been shot down round the British coasts, and since 7.30 this morning Hurricanes, Spitfires and anti-aircraft guns have been repel- ’ ling attacks by some 400 enemy aircraft on docks and shipping along the South and East Coasts. Twenty-four British fighter pilots • are missing. There were three distinct points in the attack—Portland, Dover and on a convoy on the East Anglian coast. The first Dover battle lasted from 7.30 until 11 a.m. But at about 10 a.m. much more ambitious attacks developed on Portland. Between 50 and 60 enemy aircraft were in the air over Dover. SPITFIRES’ SUCCESS. The first to do battle with them was a Spitfire squadron which went into action four times during the day. 'Plmio mnef eiiPfoccl'nl ot.tnr*lr pnH Pfl

There were three distinct points in the attack—Portland, Dover and on a convoy on the East Anglian coast. The first Dover battle lasted from 7.30 until 11 a.m. But at about 10 a.m. much more ambitious attacks developed on Portland.

Between 50 and 60 enemy aircraft were in the air over Dover. SPITFIRES’ SUCCESS.

The first to do battle with them was a Spitfire squadron which went into action four times during the day. Their most successful attack ended witii the destruction of ten Messer, schmitt 110’s and Jaguar bombers. While the Spitfires were worrying the Messerschmitt 109’s 20,000tt above Dover, the anti-aircraft guns were worrying them from, below. During the Dover action the gunners brought down three Megserschmitts and later destroyed another two at Portland / making the day’s total five in all. RECKLESS ENEMY EFFORT. Shortly after 10 a.in. the enemy flung in over 200 bombers and fighters, and about 150 reached the coast. In this action, which lasted until lunchtime, the enemy suffered the heaviest losses. Nearly 40 crashed on sea or land when Spitfire and Hurricane squadrons roared in and out, breaking up the formations, zooming, diving and picking them off in a long series of dog-lights. One auxiliary squadron shot down ten Messerschmitts, and a regular squadron which destroyed 21 German raiders last Thursday added another five to its bag to-day. Hardly had the Portland action finished when another battle developed further to the east from Dover around the North Foreland. FORMATIONS SHATTERED. The Spitfires which began the day’s fighting were now going into battle for the fourth time. They met 30 Messerschmitt 109’s dodging h. and out of the clouds 4000 ft up off the North Foreland. Four Spitfire* chased the 30 Messerschmitts through the clouds, bringing down two.

Only an hour before the same Spitfire squadron had been ordered to patrol over the convoy off the East Anglian. coast. There they found 40 Mesnorschmitt 110’s and Jaguar bombers about to attack the ships. Luckily, the Spitfires saw the enemy before they themselves were sighted, and the Jaguars were taken by surprise. They tried too late to form a protective circle and ten were sent down into the tea. In the afternoon the air war died away to break out again mildly in the early evening when a Junkers 18 and a Cornier 17 were destroyed off the East Coast. ENEMY VERSIONS. , AIR, LAND AND SEA. Received August 12, 11.20 a.m. BERLIN, Aug. 11. A communique states: “A U-boat sank the armed merchantman lipwev Grange. The air arm undertook an extensive reconnaissance over Britain and the sea yesterday, and attacked an armed merchantman, the crew of which left the ship. Important British harbours wore again mined. Bombers attacked the aeroplane works at Norwich. setting fire to a machine repair shed. Newport, Swansea and Pembroke and explosive works at Hayle, near St. Ives, were bombed last night. “Enemy planes flew over Northern and Western Germany and bombed non-military objectives. They hit dwell-ing-houses at Oberhausen and Sterkrade, another at Bielefeld, another at Bocholt, four houses and a barn at Bruchkoebel, near Hanau, and an hotel in the Tunster district. All the fires were extinguished.” A Rome communique states: The submarine Odin, which the British Admiralty has already announced as lost, was sunk during Italian naval operations. ■ “The advance into British Somaliland has continued, the Italian forces ocupying tho Karri n and Godajeie Passes. Italian planes bombed Erkovit airfield, scoring direct hits on 15 planes on the ground. All the Italian planes returned safely after enemy pursuit plane 6 bad been driven off. A British plane attempting to bomb El Auk was brought down and the pilot, with captain’s rank, taken prisoner.”