ONE IN SEVEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23810, 11 November 1940, Page 7

ONE IN SEVEN

GUNNERS' GOOD SCOEE ANTI-AIRCRAFT BARRAGE IMPORTANT ROLE IN DEFENCE (Received November 10, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 9 One in every, seven German raiders destroyed since the air attacks on v Britain began have been shot down by anti-aircraft guns.' During the last 13 weeks gunners have destroyed 357 bombers' and fighters. In one wee;k in August they accounted for 64, 50 bombers and 14 fighters, an average of nine daily. As the German Air Force changed its tactics, so the gunners quickly learned to deal with the new menace, and fast, high-flying. Messerschmitts have been shot down as -well as slowerflying Heihkels. An aralysis of antiaircraft successes revealu that bombers and lighters have been destroyed in the ratio of two to one. A corporal with a Bren gun shot down a Dormer bomber at Abberton on Friday. The crew of six were captured. ' pi? A heavy barrage drowned the roar of London's home-going traffic when 50 raiders came in over the Thames Estuary on Thursday evening, in an attempt to penetrate the London area. After 10 minutes of the terrific barrage the raiders scattered toward the sea. Coastal observers reported that two bombers were seen to fall. The barrage in other areas was light because Royal' Air Fora* night fighters went up to tackle the raiders. Early in Saturday night's air raid over the London area a German aircraft was so badly damaged by antiaircraft fire that it crashed, and the noise was heard over a radius of several miles. Raiders approaching the capital were met with the usual formidable anti-aircraft barrage. Aeroplane losses since the outbreak of the war, based on the Air Ministry and Greek communiques, are as follows: —British, 1624; German, 4990; Italian, 262; Greek, 4.

/ ' ATTACKS ON SHIPPING NEGLIGIBLE RESULTS NAVY BRINGS DOWN RAIDERS HURRICANES TAKE HEAVY TOLL (Received November 10, 6.30 p.m.) ; British "Wireless LONDON, Nov. 8 In addition to the enemy aircraft destroyed on Friday by the Royal Air Force, two were shot down by the Nary. This was stated in the following Admiralty communique: "During attacks on shipping in the Thames Estuary yesterday by a large force of enemy aircraft two Junkers 87 dive bombers were, destroyed by the guns of H.M.S. Winchester and three others were hit. These enemy losses were in addition to those inflicted by fighters of the Royal Air Force, which, as announced by the Air Ministry, totalled 15. H.M.S. Winchester suffered slight damage from near misses. There were no casualties. "One merchant ship of 1900 tons sailing in ballast was sunk and one of 1200 tons was damaged. This vessel has arrived safely in port, and no further damage was done to our shipping. "On the previous day H.M.S- Egret destroyed one Junkers 87 dive bomber and hit another. In this attack a few casualties were sustained in the Egret from bomb splinters." The enemy air attacks on shipping mentioned in this communique have been the subject of the usual exaggerated claims by the Germans. Earlier reports stated that a large number of dive bombers, with a strong fighter escort, tried on several occasions to attack shipping off the east and south-east coasts of Britain. On each occasion , they were heavily engaged by Royal Air Force fighters and 15 of them were shot down by one squadron of Hurricane fighters, which swooped down on a formation of 25 Junkers aeroplanes. Each Hurricane chose a raider, then, after shooting it down, sought another. In addition to the 15 shot down,, six more were probably destroyed and two were damaged*, Only two escaped.