RAIDS ON ENGLAND

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21157, 5 July 1940, Page 8

RAIDS ON ENGLAND

ENEMY PLANES DOWNED KINO AND ANZACS NEARBY PEOPLE MACHINE=GUNNED (United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received July 5, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, July 4 An air raid was in progress in a nearby area while His Majesty was visiting the Anzacs. It is officially announced that a naval auxiliary vessel was hit and set on fire in an enemy daylight raid on Portland. One tug and one lighter were sunk, and there was some damage to buildings and a few civilian casualties. Military objectives were not hit. Enemy aircraft dropped several bombs on a south-west town. Spitfires engaged the enemy over the sea, and two German planes are believed to have been brought down. At least twenty Germans attacked and several running fights ensued. Bombs were dropped from a height of 200 feet, after which the Germans attempted to machine-gun people. Seven bombers were brought down in yesterday’s raids. One crashed in a wood in the southeast of England, and two of the crew were killed and two injured. In and Out of Clouds The Air Ministry revealed that a seventh German bomber was brought down in yesterday’s air raids on Britain, and six more were so severely damaged that they were not likely to reach home. The sixth raider to be shot down—a Dornier Flying Pencil—was first sighted dodging in and out of clouds by a patrol of Hurricanes. They immediately attacked and within a few seconds the bomber went into a steep dive and crashed in a wood in southeast England. The seventh victim, a Dornier 215, was chased out to sea by three Spitfires. Anti-aircraft fire caused two of them to discontinue the pursuit, but the third continued alone and 15 miles over France the British pilot silenced the German rear gunner with his first burst. A second caused the Dornier to wobble, and after a third burst the Dornier’s nose went up and it stalled at about 100 ft. Train Bombed One enemy raider bombed a train proceeding between two South Coast towns. The driver and guard were injured, but the passengers escaped. The driver, who was hit by a bomb splinter, subsequently died in hospital. It is officially stated that nearly 100 enemy aeroplanes have been destroyed over and around the British coasts since the outbreak of war. Many more have been so seriously damaged that it is unlikely that they reached their bases. The Air Ministry today issued its 1000th bulletin, indicating the extensiveness of Royal Air Force activity. It is officially stated that the Royal Air Force fighters shot down a Messerschmitt and badly damaged another in an engagement off the southeast coast tonight. Two German bombers were brought down in an afternoon raid on South-West England.