Black Day for Nazis

Evening Star, Issue 23693, 28 September 1940, Page 11

Black Day for Nazis

130 RAIDERS SHOT DOWN Suicidal Assault on London Quick and Disastrous Climax (British. Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright EUGBY, September 27. (Beceived September 28, at noon.) The Air Ministry announces that 130 enemy aircraft were Shot down to-day. Thirty-four of our fighters are missing, but the pilots- of fifteen are safe. To-day's tally of raiders brings the total for September to over 1,000. The 'operations in which these enemy aircraft were brought down were described in a joint communique by the Air Ministry and Home Security Ministry, which says our fighters intercepted several enemy attacks on the south of England to-day and inflicted severe losses, particularly in the neighbourhood of London. When a big wave of bombers tried to penetrate the capital's defences in the morning they were pounced upon by fighters. The ensuing battle was fought at a great altitude. The wrecks of three bombers now lie in Surrey villages. Two more riddled bombers crashed in Westminster.

Fresh waves of Germans kept appearing over the Channel but the E.A.F.’s' resistance, became fiercer and fiercer as the day progressed, breaking up the German formations over the coast. Some of the raiders then, turned their attention to seaside towns. Three raiders crashed near Canterbury during an «ir battle over Kent.

During the first daylight raid on London a bomb penetrated • section of a London factory’s underground shelter in which many were sheltering, causing many casualties, including some fatally. Other buildings were battered in this district. In the afternoon the defences kept the enemy planes at such a respectful height as to make them almost invisible. There were six daylight raids.

It is officially stated that 18 enemy planes were shot down in south-east England this morning. At least 10 raiders were shot down over London’s breakfast tables when the Germans made a suicidal attempt at a daylight raid which began Jess than four hours after the conclusion of the’ 1 usual tiight onslaught. It ended quickly and disastrously for the Germans. One crashed in the city and three came down in a south-west district.

A few bombs fell in Central London'and a number in the ■outh and south-west districts. There was some damage to houses. Two fires were quickly brought under control. In South London an industrial building was hit and a number of casualties resulted, some being fatal.

Bombs were also dropped in several places in Kent , and Essex, but reports indicate that the damage and casualties jvere slight.

In the morning a force of enemy aircraft crossed Dorset and reached the outskirts of. Bristol. They were heavily engaged by and driven off. The reports so far indicate that the damage and casualties were not heavy. Later this afternoon enemy aircraft crossed the south-east coast in force, but were again intercepted at a number of points »nd only a few reached the London area. The Berlin radio stated: “ German planes dropped 251 tons of bombs on London last night and a further 141 tons on Liverpool, Birkenhead, and Southampton, causing very heavy damage and enormous fires.”

To-day an artillery duel was fought across the Straits of Dover when British long-range guns replied to the German bombardment of Dover in the afternoon.