TOTAL BAG OF 187 ON SUNDAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 221, 17 September 1940, Page 8

TOTAL BAG OF 187 ON SUNDAY.

BRITISH SUCCESS. Nazis Keep Up Attacks At Night. United Press Association. —Copyright. (Reed. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON", Sept. 16. - The total bag for Sunday was 187 -Nazi 'planes, including one brought -•tlown by the British cargo steamer Port Auckland, and one shot down by the guns of the minesweepers Libra and Conquistador. Of the total 132 were bombers. Five British fighters, previously reported missing, are now reported at their bases. British losses, therefore, are 25 fighters, but 12 of the pilots are safe. In the nine days since the "air-blitz" began on Saturday, September 1, the .."enemy lias lost 455 machines and 1100 ."airmen. The Royal Air Force has lost 101 aircraft and 57 airmen. A British official wireless message says the Port Auckland was proceeding down the River Thames during one of the enemy's air attacks on London when she shot down an enemy bomber. The shell from the Port Auckland's anti-aircraft ■gun burst close under the German ijbomber, which then caught fire and '"crashed in flames on the bank of the -river. One of the bomber's crew was seen to bale out. Attacks Mainly on London. Air attacks on Britain were continued at night by a succession of small groups of bombers. These attacks were directed mainly against the London area ;and surrounding districts. ~ A smaller number of raids were also Dnade in other parts of the country. on London spread over a wide area. Houses, commercial premises and other buildings were damaged and also three hospitals. Two houses in southwest London were demolished by bombs last night. Several injured pereons were extricated. It is feared there were some .fatalities. . ri t A heavy bomb fell on a business biiil.d-: 3ng in central' London and considerably the. two top floors-and also - shook a "nearby hotel. Vast lumps of zinc from the ventilators on the roof of the building were blown several 1 ' hundred -feet ' into a neighbouring street. ■;.& • " German reference to the raids yesterday has been scarce, but the Berlin radio reported that the concentration of air--craft defending I»ndon came as a surprise to the German High Command. * Details of last night's enemy raid on form the, an Air and Ministry of Home Security communique. This communique states ' ..that reports so far received show that number of casualties in last night's ' on London were a little greater ..than on recent nights, but much less • -than in the first attacks on the capital, i ~ Outside London casualties were very < -few. but some were fatal. It is now 1 3cnown that two enemy bombers were phot down by R.A.F. fighters during the »night. This vsincludes one' already -announced.