1200 NAZI 'PLANES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 223, 19 September 1940, Page 7

1200 NAZI 'PLANES.

Engaged In Tuesday's Raids On

Britain.

ROME RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT. (Reed. 1 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 18. The Rome radio stated that 1200 German 'planes attacked Britain on Tuesday, making unusable seven of the ten aerodromes in the London region. A Berlin communique states: "Reprisals against London continued yesterday with increasing violence. Bombs of all calibree were dropped on the East India, London and Victoria docks, also hitting gas and water works, railway stations and other military targets.

"We attacked northern England aircraft factories and ports, and severely damaged a - 5000-ton merchantman from Xortk Ireland. Nine enemy 'planes were shot down."

FINE RESCUE WORK. Trapped Man Released After 18 Hours. WIPE AND EIGHT FIREMEN DIE (Reed, noon.) LONDON, Sept. 18. After 17 hours or rescue efforts, an injured man was released from a car in which he was trapped in the basement of a West End garage. His wife was killed nearby. Eight auxiliary firemen were killed in the same garage by a bomb.

AS THE NAZIS HEAR IT.

REPORTS OF AIR FIGHTING.

(Reed. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 18.

The Berlin news agency reported that German bombers carried out a devaetating attack on London supply depots yesterday and caused a serious explosion at Croydon aerodrome, set fire to many war industry factories on ihe Thames Estuary, directly hit anti-air-craft batteries, and heavily damaged the Armstrong Rolls-Royce works at Birmingham.

In the course of the previous night the Royal Air Force bombed the Antwerp working-class quarters, killing 45. The British also damaged several farm houses in other parts of Belgium. Last night a number of single British 'planes tried to penetrate into Germany at a great height, but German fighters attacked them, bringing down one and forcing the others to return.

The news agency stated that the Royal Air Force lost 1354 'planes in August and 742 in the first fortnight of September.

Officials claimed that German 'planes heavily bombed Tilbury \o-day, setting fire to the docks.and warehouses.

POLES DECORATED.

SQUADRON'S FINE WORK.

(Reed, noon.)

LONDON, Sept. 18.

General Sikorski, Polish Prime Minister, decorated 20 Polish airmen with the Polish equivalents of the D.S.O. and M.C. Their squadron destroyed 71 raiders in 18 days.