Air Raid Nearby When King Visits Anzacs

Northern Advocate, 5 July 1940, Page 6

Air Raid Nearby When King Visits Anzacs

(Received 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, July 4. An air raid was progressing in a nearby area while King George was visiting the Anzacs. It is officially announced that a naval auxiliary vessel was hit and set on fire in an enemy daylight raid on Portland.

One tug and one lighter were sunk. Some damage was done to buildings and there were a few civilian casualties.

Military objectives were not hit. Enemy aircraft dropped several bombs in a south-west town.

Spitfires engaged the enemy over the se.a, and two German planes are believed to have been brought down. A later message says it is officially stated that two German bombers were brought down in this raid. It was also stated that R.A.F. fighters shot down a Messerschmitt and badly damaged another off the southeast coast tonight.

Several Running Fights. At least 20 Germans attacked, and several running fights ensued. Bombs were dropped from a height of 200 feet, after which the Germans attempted to machine-gun people. Seven bombers were brought down in yesterday’s hud. One crashed in 2 wood in south-east England. Two of the crew were killed and two seriously injured. One of four women seriously injured in last evening's raid on southeast England h,as died. It is officially stated that a small number of enemy planes last night intermittently attacked Eastern counties. Bombs were dropped at random. One building was set on fire. There were no casualties.

German Report.

The Berlin High Command stated

“German bombers yesterday successfully attacked British port installations, coastal fortifications, aerodromes, camps and war industry plants, including Aldershot camp, Reading aircraft factory and heavy coastal batteries near Newhaven. “Two heavy bombs hit a large ship in British convoy in the Channel. “British planes bombed Northern and Western Germany, unscrupulously attacking the civilian

population. “Several enemy planes last night carried out raids over Belgium and Holland, but caused no substantial damage. “Six enemy planes were destroyed. “Four of our planes are missing.”

Day of Air Battles. Yesterday was a day of air battles over England, an earlier London message stated. Repeated attacks were made on South-Eastern England, and anti-air-craft guns of all types along the coast blazed away periodically for several hours as the Germans attempted to cress the coast. Civilians in South-Eastern Eng-

land assert that a German aeroplane deliberately attempted to machine-gun the population. There were lively exchanges of machine-gun fire between aeroplanes and ground defences.

Bomb Attack Later.

The Germans made a bomb attack on the same area later in the night, and also again visited beaches which they had machine-gunned earlier in the day. * One raider flew so low that sol-

diers opened fire with their rifles. A terrific anti-aircraft barrage caught a low-flying aeroplane, whereupon the raider jettisoned its entire cargo of 12 heavy bombs. An empty house was demolished, and bombs fell in back gardens and roads, making huge craters. Enemy aeroplanes dropped bombs at several points, over England and Scotland in the afternoon.

Train Attacked. ,

The bombs dropped by enemy machines which crossed the South Coast in the morning were few in number, and it did not appear that they were directed against any particular objective. Three bombs which were dropped on the north-eastern part of England injured several workmen. One enemy raider bombed a train proceeding between two South Coast towns. The driver and guard were injured, but the passengers escaped. The driver, who was hit by a bomb splinter, subsequently died in hospital. The Air Ministry today issued its 100th bulletin, indicating the extensiveness of Royal Air Force activity.