MERCILESSLY HAMMERED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 261, 2 October 1940, Page 7

MERCILESSLY HAMMERED

NAZIS’ HUMILIATING DEFEAT

LOSS OF MEN AND MACHINES

(United Press Association. —Copyright.—Itec. 9.5 a.m.) (British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, Oct. 1

The 49 German aircraft shot down over and around Britain yesterday brought the total for September to 1102. This is regarded by some commentators here as marking the end of the summer phase of the war in the air. ■

The total British losses in single-seater fighters oyer and around Britain in September were 319, but whereas, at a conservative estimate, Germany lost in trained personnel iio s men, no fewer than IBS pilots of the British planes shot down in the month’s fighting in these great air battles are sate.

ATTACKS BROKEN UP. Although, compared with the number of enemy aircraft destroyed in some recent daylight raids, yesterday’s engagements were not characterised by big losses, they are declared by the Daily Mail to constitute the most humiliating.defeat of the enemy since his big-scale raids on London began. Despite the size of the forces sent over, each of these attacks was broken up and the results achieved were practically nil. In all, six mass attacks were made during the daylight hours, and only 1a few stragglers, w'hich were quickly turned away, penetrated far inland.

HOSPITALS DAMAGED

Lord Luke, in a speech in London, 6aid no fewer than 20 London hospitals, including some of the biggest, had been damaged by the Nazi bombing raids. . “Evans of the Broke” (Sir E. R. G. R. Evans) one of the London Regional Commissioners, has been given the special task of organising the London shelter arrangements. This appointment follows those of Mr M. Willink, organiser of the provision of homes for London homeless, and Sir Warren Fisher to co-ordinate in restoring communications and the tasks of demolition and salvage. General Sikorski iias awarded several high Polish decorations to the celebrated Polish Squadron, which shot down 101 planes to September 30, of which thirty were downed on September 27.