NAZIS PUNISHED OVER DOVER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 179, 1 August 1940, Page 5

NAZIS PUNISHED OVER DOVER

LOSSES NOW BELIEVED. TO TOTAL 25 SIGNS OF WEAKENED GERMAN MORALE LONDON, July 30. It is unofficially estimated that in the Dover raid 25 enemy planes were destroyed. An Air Ministry communique states: “Full reports o£ yesterday’s encounters round our coasts show that a total of 21 enemy aircraft were destroyed. Two of our fighter pilots are missing. To-day, although enemy activity has been restricted two enemy bombers and one enemy fighter have so far been destroyed.” A German communique asserts that only three German planer were lost over Dover yesterday and claims to have shot down 12 Spitfires and three Hurricanes and sunk four vessels totalling 32,000 tons. In another engagement, the Germans claim, aircraft sank a cruiser and merchantman and damaged another merchantman. Falling Morale Authoritative British quarters say it is becoming increasingly clear that Germany's exaggerated air claims are intended to bolster up not only the civilian morale but also that of German pilots. Speedy loss of 17 out of about 80 machines within half an hour must have dealt a serious blow to the nerve of the German pilots engaged in the raid. This is borne out by the recent revelation by a captured enemy airman that German pilots have demanded provision of Red Cross planes to pick them up if they are shot down. As announced by the British Government these Red Cross planes do not confine themselves to legitimate work of rescue which in fact is unnecessary because it is already adequately performed by the R.A.F. working in conjunction with both Navy and any merchant ships in the vicinity.

When bombs were dropped on a south-east of England town last night houses on both sides of a narrow street were demolished, four on one side and three on the other. A number of people were killed and 12 were taken to hospital. An East Anglian town was bombed early to-day. A proportion of the casualties were fatal and some property was damaged. Buses Wrecked. In the raid in the south-east two motor buses were wrecked and several others were damaged. An enemy bomber crashed in the same area and burned. It is believed that none of the crew escaped, although several opened parachutes were found in the vicinity.

An Air Ministry communique states ■that an enemy bomber was shot down off the north-east coast of Scotland shortly after noon to-day by fighters.

CRASH INTO SEA GERMAN AIRMEN'S FATE COMBATS OFF ENGLAND ( British Official Wireless.) Received July 31, 6.5 p.m. RUGBY, July 30. One petrol tank blazing on the surface of the water was all that remained of a Heinkel bomber which was shot down off the East Coast of Scotland to-day. Attacked by Spitfires over the sea, the German pilot tried hard to take cover behind thin wisps of cloud while his rear gunner fought back. Then the Heinkel dived westwards, trying to reach land. Five thousand feet above the water the crew dropped bombs in a last effort to keep the aircraft under control, but, as one of the Spitfire pilots said: “It smashed flaming into the sea.” A fight by Hurricanes against a Messerschmitt 110 twin-engine fighter off the East Anglican Coast in the afternoon was very different. The Messerschmitt, instead of diving to destruction, was attacked as it flew almost touching the wave tops. The Hurricane pilots reported that it crashed “from five to ten feet.’'