ITALIAN PLANES ROUTED

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 42, 13 November 1940, Page 7

ITALIAN PLANES ROUTED

Raiders Over Britain ATTACKS ON SHIPPING Enemy Losses On Monday Total 25 (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. November 11. Koval Air Force successes against German and Italian raiding aircraft today included the destruction o f 25—12 German and 13 Italian. The British losses were two. Hurricanes destroyed eight Italian aircraft over the Thames Estuary today during an attempted attack on shipping: live were bombers and three fighters. These were the victims of a single R.A.F. fighter squadron. There were no British losses in this combat. Some Italians were captured. 01’ several formations of German aircraft which attempted to reach the Loudon area, each was broken up, according to an Air Ministry and Home Security communique, ami very few aircraft succeeded in reaching London. Other German aircraft which attempted to attack a convoy off the coast of Kent were stoutly engaged by R.A.F. fighters and driven off. ' Bombs were dropped at several places in tlie south-east of England, and at a few points in the London area. No damage was done to houses, but a few casualties are reported. A later report says that the Italian aircraft which attacked a British convoy today numbered 15 to 20 bombers and about GO escorting fighters. In shooting down 13 planes the R.A.F. suffered no losses. A communique issued by the Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security states: — "Yesterday at about dusk enemy aircraft dropped a few bombs at several points near the east coast, causing no serious damage or casualties. During the night enemy activity, while in general not being particularly heavy, was somewhat greater than on the previous night, but it practically ceased soon after midnight. A few isolated incidents occurred, mainly in the Thames Estuary and on the south coast, in none of which was extensive damage done, but there were some casualties, including some persons killed. Most of these casualties occurred when a building was demolished at a point near the south bank of the Thames Estuary. Apart from these few incidents, the bombing was concentrated on the London area. A few fires were caused, but only one of these was large, and all were soon niftier control. A certain amount of damage was done to houses, commercial property, and road .mains in various parts of the capital, but the aggregate amount was not large. The casualties are not likely to prove heavy.” Raiders In Two Waves. Over a hundred enemy planes attempted to reach London in the firstattack today. Two waves crossed the south-east coast, and Spitfires and Hurricanes split them up. A formation of about 40 enemy machines reached the outskirts of London, but only four got over the capital, though many remained in the vicinity. British fighters were simultaneously attacking 20 others over the Thames Estuary. A high-explosive bomb in the London area hit a house and killed a family of eight, including a three mouths old baby. A public house received a direct hit during, a busy hour. Only one bar was left standing. Several persons were killed, and the landlord was among the injured. A doctor crawled under wreckage to administer morphia to victims of another bomb. Bomb blast killed a soldier after he had farewelled a girl. A bomb hit a publie shelter in the grounds of a college in the London area while 200 people were holding a community sing. Seven were killed and a number seriously injured. Another bomb struck the college, smashing every window. A bomb fractured a water main which flooded the basement under a London orphanage. A.R.P. workers rushed in. fearing that, some persons had been trapped, but after swimming in icy water for some time they stated that everybody had been saved. There were about 150 persons in the basement. They made their escape through a buck entrance. In the second attack today another wave of 50 fighter-bombers crossed the Kent coast and were met by British lighters. A number of enemy planes later approached London from the south-east. .Anti-aircraft guns forced the raiders to change direction. Respite for London. (Received November 12, 8.40 p.m.) LONDON, November 11. Bad flying weather over London and a fierce south-westerly gale with mist and rain in the Straits of Dover gave London a quiet night. Both the alert and all clear were among the earliest during the blitzkrieg. Six members of a Loudon family, namely, a three-weeks-old boy, tiis parents, and three grandparents, wore killed last night when celebrating the baby's christening.