AIR WAR FLARES UP

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 227, 23 August 1940, Page 8

AIR WAR FLARES UP

CROSS-CHANNEL EIRE

' BRITISH REPRISALS. FIERCE' BATTLE RAGING (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) Received August 23, 2 p.m. LONDON, Aug. 22. While. German long-range guns were shelling the coastal area of South-east Kent to-night, British planes launched a great attack on the French, side of the Channel at or near Calais. Heavy gunfire shook towns on the English side and numerous flares and tracer shells lit up the sky, while red glows on the waterline illuminated the French coastline. ;

The British planes were apparently intensively bombing Calais, endeavouring to locate and destroy tlie batteries which attacked the convoy to-day. The Germans began • shelling the English coast shortly after dusk. A terrific explosion shook the Channel coast at 9 p.m., gun flashes stabbing the darkness. Shells p : ere heard screaming through the sky. •' :y A salvo of three shells opened the bombardment, which continued, for over half an hour. . A% :

Anti-aircraft fire flashed from Calais to Boulogne, indicating that strong formations of British planes were attacking. The British raid temporarily silenced the German long-range guns, which an hour later roared into action, sending five shells across the Channel.

■ Ii.A.F. bombers thereupon delivered a second and fiercer attack, which was continuing at 10.45 p.m. The naval authorities express immense admiration for the gallantry of the skippers and crews of the little cargo vessels’who, undaunted, ran the gauntlet of shellfire and bombs for two hours when German shore batteries attacked. a British convoy in the Straits of Dover. It is understood the area which the German heavy guns were shelling on Thursday night was that around Dover. RAIDERS BROUGHT DOWN. There were German planes over Wales to-night. A Spitfire brought down a raider this afternoon. One of the crew was dead and three were interned. Three raiders are believed to have been shot down to-night in a fierce battle over South-East England. Antiaircraft guns elsewhere brought down another. The Berlin Official News Agency says German bombers operating in the middle of England attained good results south-east 1 of Birmingham. .They severely bombed motor works at Coventry, where fierce fires and detonations occurred. Several planes were destroyed on the ground at Leamington and Man by. where barracks were hit and munitions blown up.

See “New Nazi lluse”—Page 7,