Heavy Toll Of Night Raiders Over Britain

Northern Advocate, 8 May 1941, Page 5

Heavy Toll Of Night Raiders Over Britain

[British Official Wireless] (Rec. 11 a.m.) RUGBY, May 7. It was announced this morning that during enemy air activity over Britain last night, nine enemy aircraft were destroyed, eight by night fighters and one by anti-aircraft fire, bringing the total of enemy aircraft definitely accounted for in May during night attacks on Britain to 50 and the total since January 1 to 249.

Of the 50 destroyed this month 30 have been brought down by night fighters, 10 by anti-aircraft fire and one by the balloon barrage. The Air Ministry and Ministry for Home Security says that since dawn today there has been continuous enemy activity by fighter aircraft near the south-east coast and Thames Estuary.

Daylight Dog Fights

Spitfires of the Fighter Command have engaged them and there have been a number of dog fights. Four Messerschmitt 109’s were destroyed and one Spitfire is missing. Soon after 6 o’clock four Spitfires engaged eight Messerschmitt 109's, and destroyed two of them. A quarter of an hour later three Spitfires of the same squadron found three Messerschmitt was destroyed. Later six three at 1600 ft.

In the ensuing fight one Messerschmitt was detsroyed. Later six Spitfires of another squadron encountered other Messerschmitts, one of which they destroyed. Ports Main Targets Enemy air activity over Britain last night was on a considerable scale. The main attacks were again directed against Clydeside and Merseyside for the sixth night in succession. Considerable damage was caused on Clydeside and there was a number of casualties. Casualties on Merseyside are not expected to be large. There were other scattered attacks, principally in the north-east, East Anglia, and in the south-west, where large bombs were dropped without doing much damage. A fighter shot down an enemy aircraft into the sea in daylight yesterday, says a British Official Wireless message. Another raider; a Messerschmitt 109, whicn was being chased by fighter pilots, crashed in the Channel in the morning. One British fighter was lost, but the pilot is safe.

Fifteen raiders made a low level machine-gun and cannon attack on a country district in tlje south-east of England yesterday. There were no casualties and one raider, .which was hit, was unlikely to reach its base. A few enemy aircraft crossed the Kent coast later and flew a short distance inland. Bombs were dropped on two towns, but little damage was done, and there were no serious casualties.

Ulster Again Attacked

A communique issued in northern Ireland states that there was some slight enemy activity experienced over northern Ireland in the small hours of ihis morning. A few minor incidents have been reported, but so far no news of serious casualties has been received. Day Battle Resumes.

An Air Ministry communique says that since dawn today there has been considerable enemy activity off the south-east coast and raiders have been frequently engaged by our fighters. As a result of these combats six enemy fighters have been shot down and two of our fighters arc missing.

During daylight yesterday four enemy fighters in rll were destroyed, two by fighters and two by anti-air-craft guns. Five of our fighters are missing from yesterday's operations, but three of the pilots are safe. It is confirmed that anti-aircraft, guns shot down two more enemy bombers during the night of May 4-5, making the total, nine enemy aircraft destroyed during that night.

New Zealand Pilot Scores

A New Zealander shot down two of last night’s raiders. He saw the first after he had been in the air only 15 minutes and sent it crashing with two bursts of gunfire. Later he attacked a second raider, which swerved out of control, forcing him to turn sharply to avoid a collision. Swarms of German moonlight raiders were over central Scotland last night in one of the heaviest attacks experienced there. The Luftwaffe scattered its forces over a wide area. Considerable damage was caused at Clydeside, which was again attacked, as was Merseyside. There were numbers of casualties at both places. Large bombs were dropped at several places in the north-east of England, east Anglia, the south-west of England and elsewhere without doing much damage. Nazi Claims. A German communique claims that strong Luftwaffe formations last night attacked Clydeside, Liverpool, Newcastle, Plymouth and other harbours, in addition to aerodromes in the southeast of England. The Berlin radio says the Luftwaffe in daylight yesterday attacked Plymouth, the docks at Newcastle and four aerodromes, including Lympne.