FIGHTERS ACTIVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23748, 30 August 1940, Page 9

FIGHTERS ACTIVE

WEDNESDAY'S RAIDS BATTLE OVER KENT ENEMY SUFFER LOSSES . LOXDpN.--August -28 It is officially stated that 24' enemy aeroplanes were,destroyed on Wednesday-.. shot. down, in .two engagements in the morning and another six were, brought down on the coast in the afternoon. Enemy activities during Wednesday morning' were almost entirely confined to two attempts to penetrate the defences of the Thames Estuary and Kent. British fighters intercepted the enemy arid broke up his formations. A force of enemy aeroplanes came over the south coast of Kent in the morning. Another/larger force flew over the north coast'of Kent soon afterwards. Both forces fiew inland, and -Royal Air Force fighters tackled them.. The engagement raged for half an hour from the.middle of Kent to the Thames Estuary. The enemy forces were dispersed and driven back after suffering losses. Two German airmen were seen to bale out. One parachute drifted out to, sea,, and the other came down inland..- . . . . ■ • ... / A British fighter dhot down a Messergch'mitt over ' south-eastern Eilgland. The pilot baled out and landed in an Ordiard.. Bombs on Coast Town Twenty-four bombers flew over a coast town in the afternoon and dropped six'bombs, damaging nine public houses, several restaurants and a number of shops and private houses; There was only one casualty. , Three high explosive bombs extensively damaged a south-western factory. Bombs also fell in isolated country districts. Seven incendiary bombs dropped near, a factory, but there .was not much damage done. Spitfires attacked 21 German bombers escorted by Messerschmitts over a south-east town on Wednesday afternoon. One bomber crashed into the sea several miles from land after heavy anti-aircraft fire, which seemed to give the starting signal for dog-fights over a .vide expanse of sky. Shot Down in Sea Another bomber was shot down into the . sea a mile from land. The pilot of this aeroplane- jettisoned his bombs M'hen 50ft. from the sea. A Spitfire shot down a Mes;serschmitt in'a cornfield. The German pilot baled out. . Bombs considerably damaged a residential area in a south-east coast town. Tliree women were . seriousily injured w hen a bomb went through a block of fiats, where rescuers are now digging f°r casualties. ,Fires were caused in this town when bombs struck gas mains. A home-made air raid shelter saved the lives of nine persons, including three children, in a south-east coast t°wn when raiders dropped bombs.near *>?>. where a fire brigr.de was subduing a fire in a country house. The firemen Were repeatedly forced to take cover 111 a ditch. There were no casualties. .The Germans aimed no fewer than six daylight bombing attacks on one distal town in Kent. Tlip last was made about tea time. At least seven :*f£oplanes were seen to spiral down during a half-li'our whirlwind battle between British and German lighters. There were similar fierce encounters earlier. A bomb blew up a house and *illed three wo men, including a cripple.