DEFENCE OF LONDON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23886, 14 August 1939, Page 9

DEFENCE OF LONDON

"SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION" I REPORT ON AIR EXERCISES (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Aug. 11. The chief events of last night's air war were two heavy offensives by Eastland bombers—one over the Midlands and another in two phases over the London area and south-east England. Observer posts detected shortly before midnight large-scale bomber movements off the coasjt north of the Thames Estuary. Enemy reprisals were expected in reply to successful counter-raids by the Westland bombers over Eastland territory during the afternoon. The weather at midnight was .improving, but there were low clouds and patches of fog forcing the incoming* raiders to hug the coast north of the Thames Estuary. The fighter squadrons were hampered by fog in southern England, but the defenders of London succeeded in deflecting the main tide of the enemy offensive to south of London, where bad visibility neutralised their activities.

By 12.30 a.m. Westland was in darkness, and. the Eastland attack slackened in the south. Many enemy formations, however, crossed the coast north of The Wash at 1 a.m. to make a concerted attack on the Midlands. The defenders were ready, and many* raiders were shot down by fighters, while a number of those escaping fell victims to the light and heavy anti-aircraft defences. The offensive, however, was very determined.

The invaders, being repulsed in the north, returned to the attack in the south, and towards 1.30 a.m. it was apparent that the invaders were preparing to strike hard at London, although the capital was then in darkness, and visibility was still bad. Many invaders were deterred from low bombing attacks by the balloon barrage, being compelled to fly over the clouds, and thus were unable to carry out precision bombing. Those that flew below the clouds encountered the anti-aircraft batteries, and were also harassed by the defending fighters. Eastland bombers and navigators reported the success of the black-out in the London area, which looked like very small and scattered villages. The enemy were forced during the early hours to decrease their. raids owing to heavy casualties. The Air Ministry communication concludes that there can be nothing but praise for Eastland's tactics in making use of the cloud formations and skilfully evading the many searchlights, but the 1 keenness of the defenders, aided by the black-out and the efficiency of the observer corps, saved London from destruction.