SWIFT ATTACK BY GERMANS

Southland Times, Issue 24184, 22 July 1940, Page 5

SWIFT ATTACK BY GERMANS

CONCUSSION SHAKES COAST (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received July 21, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 20. Seventeen German aeroplanes, comprising a formation of Dorniers, escorted by Messerschmitts, carried out a lightning attack on Saturday afternoon on ships anchored at a south English port. The raiders flew in across the coast, then dived back over the harbour. Several bombs fell inside the harbour, but no ships appeared to be hit. Anti-aircraft guns broke up the attack and three Dorniers were shot down. Coastal batteries and the ships' antiaircraft guns put up a terrific barrage. The ground along the coast vibrated and buildings shook with the combined concussion of bombs and gunfire. Royal Air Force fighters engaged the raiders and carried the battle back across the Channel. The first German attack was made from less than 1000 feet. The bombers scored near misses, showering the ships with spray. A group of six divebombers singled out one ship for a concerted attack. Salvoes exploded all round the ship. Fighters chased the raiders and there were a series of dog fights off the French coast. Four Germans are reported to have crashed in the sea and another on land. In a second attack 12 bombers dived almost vertically on the ships. Guns along the coast immediately went into action and the noise was deafening. One of the raiders was hit. British fighters engaged other bombers. GERMAN LOSSES An Air Ministry communique issued on Saturday states: Twelve enemy aircraft were shot down today in attacks on our coasts. Several others are known to have been severely damaged. Two of our fighters were lost, but the pilot of one of them is safe. The British pilot who started Saturday’s destruction of enemy raiding aircraft was flying a Bristol Blenheim. He caught a Heinkel 115 seaplane off the east coast in the moonlight. When he first saw the Heinkel it was several thousand feet above him, and he climbed and closed in. The German seaplane was taken by surprise and after the first burst it turned sharply away and escaped into the clouds. It was seen again about a mile away burning with bright, yellow flames. Finally it crashed, still on fire, into the sea. The biggest action was fought during the afternoon off the southeast coast. Thirty-five enemy aircraft were engaged—Junkers 87 dive-bombers and Messerschmitt 109 fighters. One patrol of Hurricanes shot down two Messerschmitts and severely damaged several more. They also got in some useful bursts on one Junkers aircraft. Another patrol of Hurricanes chased a dive-bomber more than halfway across the English Channel. It was a straight chase and ended with the bomber in the sea. A fourth enemy aircraft definitely destroyed off the south-east coast was a Messerschmitt 109 fighter. It was shot down by Spitfire pilots.

As these fights were in progress a formation of Hurricanes patrolling further down the south coast met a number of Messerschmitts, of which at least two were shot down. In one of the engagements a Hurricane pilot saw a Messerschmitt 109 far below him. He dived and gave it a single short burst from his machineguns. The Messerschmitt dived almost vertically, then flattened out and made a dash for France. Still following, the Hurricane pilot got in another short burst and saw the Messerschmitt go straight into the sea. A fellow pilot on the same patrol set a Messerschmitt on fire, but did not see it crash. SCOTLAND BOMBED An official communique states that enemy planes bombed parts of Scotland and also south-east and south-west England last night. Two houses were destroyed and others damaged in a Scottish town. There were some casualties, but none was fatal. Six houses

were damaged in a village in south-east England and there were some minor casualties. Several enemy bombers were brought down. Four occupants of one bomber brought down in southeast England this morning were taken prisoner. A raider over a Scottish town badly damaged a secondary school. A cottage was wrecked and a row of two-story houses in another Scottish area was damaged and the families made homeless.

Eight bombs fell in a small village in south-west England and demolished part of a boys’ school. There were no casualties.