RESTRICTED RAIDS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 265, 7 October 1940, Page 2

RESTRICTED RAIDS

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. NAZIS AGAIN THWARTED. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Oct. 5. A number of enemy air attacks were made on Britain between dusk on Friday night, and the early hours of Saturday morning, but these were on a restricted scale. The attacks were mainly directed against London. An Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security communique states : “A number of bombs were chopped, in South-East England and some fell in other parts of the country. In London and the surrounding districts some houses were destroyed and other buildings damaged. The casualties are not numerous, although they include some fatalities. In all the districts fires resulting from incendiary bombs were dealt with promptly and most were very quickly extinguished. An enemy bomber was shot down by gunfire from, the ground last evening, making a total of three enemy aircraft destroyed. One of our fighters is missing from patrol yesterday.” News agencies report an attack by the German air force in waves over the South-East coast to-day. The bombers are said to have been heavily escorted by fighters. London has had two alerts since daylight, but they have been of short duration. During one, according to stories, a few' German aircraft which had penetrated the outer defences were seen over the capital. FORCES BROKEN UP. A Ministry of Home Security communique states: ‘‘During to-day the enemy made a number of attacks over the Kent and Sussex coast by forces of several squadrons. All w r ere broken up and repulsed by our defences before they developed seriously. Reports received to 5 o’clock this afternoon show' that bombs had been dropped on a number of coast towns and a few were also dropped in the London area. Very little damage was done, but a number of houses .-were demolished at Hastings, -which w’as twice attacked. In all the attacks the number of casualties w'as very small, though some were fatal.”

During Friday’s daylight and night operations the enemy admitted the loss of five aircraft, says an Air Ministry bulletin. In this period the British claimed that three enemy aircraft were destroyed. Two others were reported as “probables,” although not claimed, and will not be claimed as definitely destroyed. The enemy’s admission shows that at least two more aircraft were in fact brought down. This goes to prove that a large number of enemy aircraft are so badly damaged by British fighters and anti-aircraft guns that they do not return to their bases. On one occasion' when 185 enemy aircraft were destroyed the reports showed 42 probables and 75 damaged in addition. On another date when 89 aircraft w'ere destroyed there were 34 probables and 53. damaged. , The figures issued by tlie Air Ministry at 8 p.m. show' that 23 enemy aircraft were destroyed to-day. Nine British aircraft are missing but four of the pilots are safe. In announcing astronomic figures for the total British losses since the beginning of the raids on Britain, .. iho German and Romo broadcasts give the same figures, but render their value useless by -the -fact that Rome reveals the .German News Agency as: the source; qf its information, while the-German (News" Agency cites the Italian new'Spaper Popolo (li Roma as its. . own j source. 1

A" bomb exploded outside the House of Lofdts rear Hie, statue of Richard Coeur de Lion. Superficial damage, was done to -windows and the structure of the building. Slight damage was caused to the House of Lords_ bv a bomb early in the offensive against London. NIGHT DEFENCES BETTER.

;4 In London to-dav freportg the Press Association) a spokesman stated that, the British problem of night interception was well on the way to solution. The details could not be released, but lie' confirmed the impression that the reduced effectiveness of the German night bombing this week has been duo more to the greater practice by the anti-aircraft gunners with their new predictor and consequently their increased accuracy than to such a factor as fear of the weather, which, judging by the demeanour of the prisoners, finds no place in the German airman’s make-up. “The morale of the German air force,” he said, “shows no sign of breaking, though the great losses have made them more wary, particularly of the British eight-gun fighter.” He added that the R.A.F. found the Berlin anti-aircraft defences a tough nut to crack, the gunners being accurate and their fire usually constant. The spokesman, incidentally, rated the Italian air force as “25 per cent, good, 50 per cent, mediocre, and 25 per cent, rubbish.” The Italian machines were not as manoeuvrable as ours and were vastly inferior in armament.