144 To 27—R.A.F.’s Cricket-Score Victories Today

Northern Advocate, 16 August 1940, Page 5

144 To 27 —R.A.F.’s Cricket-Score Victories Today

Hitler Hurls 1000 Planes into Battle Over Britain

Bombs Dropped Near Croydon 'Drome (Received 1.40 jun.) LONDON. August 15. Q ERMA NY LAUNCHED 1000 PLANES AT BRITAIN TODAY. Tlic record number of 1 11 were downed by fighters ol the Royal Air Force. who lost only 27 philips. Eight of the British pilots ore reporled safe. iThe Air Ministry and Minister for Security in a eonnnunique st a t e : ‘■Enemy aircraft again a])peared in large munhers off our coast today. ■’During the morning a large force of bombers lmsuceesstully attaekod several R.A.F. aerodromes in the south-east. "Our lighters inllietcd heavy casual!ies. “Early in the afternoon a number of enemy aircraft crossed the north-east coast and dropped bombs in the Tyneside area and the residential district of Sunderland. ■■ Xo damage of any military importance was caused and the number of persons injured was very small, though some were killed."

Progress llep@Fts

Furl her inland bomhs were dropped on several isolated points. Some damage was done to buildings at a Koval Air Force aerodrome and a number of casualties caused. Anti-aircraft guns ami lighters have been constantly in action throughout the day. Reports up to 5 p.m. showed that no enemy aireralt had been destroved and seven of our fighters were lost, but tour ol the pilots were safe. Later, however, it was reported that SS enemy planes had been destroyed, 11 of them by aid i-aireral 1 tire. .N ineteen ol our lighters have been lost, bill live of the pilots are safe. The report at midnight stated that 144 German planes had been destroyed, and that 27 British lighters had been lost.

Sirens S©®*is«led Sit London

Cabled advices state that German planes made desultory raids in coastal areas in the north-west of Scotland and south-west of England, as well as in Wales.

In the morning a Heinkel bomber was shot down in open country near a Scottish town and two members of the crew were killed and one was taken to hospital.

> A bright light over France has been periodically visible from a Channel Port from early today. A big fire is apparently burning between Calais and Le Havre.

High overhead the intermittent throb of aeroplane engines is heard. They are probably German. Simultaneously heavy explosions

were audible for an hour across the Channel.

In the evening bombs were dropped on and around Croydon aerodrome, causing damage, of which no details tire available at present. Sirens sounded in London for the first time in many weeks when 20 or 30 raiders bombed Croydon .air port. The raid was the climax of a day of the most intensive aerial warfare, but air battles over England continued until long after nightfall, with German losses rapidly rising to the century. Bombs at Croydon damaged the airport buildings, a hangar, and some houses, including 20, which were rendered untenable, in one street, but a remarkable feature of the raid was that only one man so far is known to have been killed.

Most §te®tra@tas ©ay

Fighters and anti-aircraft gunners had the most strenuous day since the outbreak of the Battle for Britain, as hundreds of German bombers and their escorts swarmed across the Channel raiding wide scattered areas in southeast England. Raids culminated with a crash of bombs on London’s airport of Croydon. The afternoon raids began with the formation of 54 enemy bombers in flights of 13 strong. They met a tornado of antiaircraft fire, but flew on across the coast, hotly engaged by fighters. After 10 minutes another formation of 54 crossed the coast, following the same course. Anti-aircraft guns went into action even more violently and more accurately rocking the raiders. North-cast England had the fiercest attacks so far, reportedly killing 12. nf which three were children. A farm hand, who was clipping a hedge, was instantly killed when three bombs landed in the next field. Bomb splinters hit a stationary train injuring several passengers. Twenty to 20 raiders bombed Croydon this evening.

Fighters shot three down. Bombs hit a hangar on the outskirts of the aerodrome and razed a building at which rescuers were working several hours later digging in the debris in search of men who had been working there. A dense pall of black smoke hung over the district after the attack. The raiders just missed the gas works and hit several houses in an adjoining road. The bombers were first seen starting to dive three miles from the aerodrome. Crowds watched until, within a few feet of the ground, they released bombs. Anti-aircraft gunners put up a heavy barrage and the bombers turned away, but the fighters were quickly on their tails. Machine-gun bullets sprayed houses and streets. A score of ambulances collected and took the injured to hospital. The German news agency says a German fighter squadron made a surprise raid on Driffield aerodrome, in Yorkshire, destroying hangars and the barracks.

Berlin Version

The official Berlin news agency says that dive-bombers raided Hawkinge airport west of Dover, setting fire to several hangars and destroying 11 fighters which went up to meet the raiders. Two German planes are missing. Raiders also damaged three hangars and runways of Lympne airport. The news agency added that a fire over London indicated the presence of German planes. The entire lower Thames area was raided. The Bremen radio reported: "Our airmen today attacked balloon

barrages .at Dover, Folkestone and Lydd.' "So far they have shot, down 14 British fighters. "Cur bombers flew far over British territory." A High Command communique said that, despite bad weather, German air units vesterday effectively bombed harbour works at Cardiff. Weston and Portland, a power station between Brighton and Lewes, armament works near Worcester and Salisbury, military barracks at Aldershot and aerodromes elsewhere.