AIRBLITZ ON ENGLAND

Evening Star, Issue 23695, 1 October 1940, Page 5

AIRBLITZ ON ENGLAND

MORE LARGE-SCALE ATTACKS NAZIS LOSE FOBTY-THREE PLANES FORMATIONS SMASHED BY RAF. (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, September 30. (Received October 1, at 11 a.m.) It is officially stated! that up to 8 p.m. 43 enemy aircraft were destroyed by British fighters Our losses were 16. with eight of the pilots safe. R.A.F fighters and anti-aircraft defences were constantly in action to-day, in the course of which the enemy made four large-scale attacks in the south and south-east of England An Air Ministry and Home Security communique says: In the first two attacks, which took place about 10 a.m. and 10.15 a.m. respectively, the enemy crossed the coast near Dover, and penetrated some 40 miles inland, hut none reached London, In tho course of these raids bombs were dropped in several places in the south-east, notably Bexhill and Hastings, and some damage and casualties, some of which were fatal, wore caused in each of these towns. About an hour later a third attack was made across the Dorset coast, where tho enemy was engaged. Few of his bombers penetrated any distance inland, and no reports of bombs dropped have beejj received. Tho fourth attack was the largest, and began soon after 1 p.m. About 180 aircraft flew in over Dungeness, andl again penetrated inland, but they were engaged and broken up before reaching tho outskirts of London. A few of the enemy aircraft, however, evaded our defences, and succeeded in dropping bombs in the western suburbs. Hero damage was done and casualties were caused, but details are not available. About 100 shops and) houses were demolished, a public house wrecked, and a clubhouse seriously damaged in Southwest London last night. Another raider jettisoned its bombs in a North-west London residential quarter, damaging houses, A family of three is believed to havo been wiped out. The raiders during the first daylight raid to-day consisted of big forces of bombprs and fighters. At least 50 bombers, escorted by fighters, crossed the coast in one wave. British machines engaged the raiders over Western London later in the morning. SUNDAY’S BAG TEN RAIDERS SHOT DOWN BIG FIRE IN LONDON ATTACK ON LIVERPOOL BEATEN OFF LONDON, September 30. (Received October 1, at 8 a.m.) German raiders venturing to London last night received the most violent welcome so far from our guns. The enemy’s losses for tho day were 10, compared with four of our fighters missing, two of tho pilots being safe. None of the 10 were bombers. Six were shot down by anti-aircraft gunners over south-east England. They got one before dawn, three during the morning, one during tho afternoon, and the sixth about 10 p.m. A bomb started a serious fire in tho City of London, but it is now under control. Houses were destroyed or damaged in many residential districts, and a number were killed and injured. Large fires were started on the Merseyside, where commercial premises were damaged. The attacks on the Home Counties were heaviest south and west of London, but the damage was not heavy and the casualties few. A bomb demolished some houses in a south-east London district and rendered others uninhabitable. Another wrecked a nurses’ homo at a western surhurban hospital. Two Auxiliary Fire Servicemen were killed and four injured in fighting the blaze on the Merseyside. Tho firemen were caught under the blazing debris of a warehouse fire. Waves of raiders adopted a new technique in some provincial districts, dropping only incendiaries and crude-oil bombs. The premises set on fire included three churches, a convent, a school, and a garage, also many dwellings. Nine Hurricanes saved Liverpool from a serious bombing attack last evening. The Hurricanes were patrolling over the Irish Channel when they sighted nine Heinkels apparently en route to Liverpool. They gave chase, and one raider crashed into the sea and another was so seriously damaged that it is unlikely to have reached its base. The Heinkels were last seen heading southward. Several jettisoned their bombs to expedite their escape. SINISTER SIGNIFICANCE NAZI SUGGESTION OF USE OF GAS LONDON, September 30. (Received October 1, at 8 a.m.) Berliners spent lb 50min in air raid shelters last night. No shooting and no planes wore heard. Neutral correspondents in Berlin see a sinister significance in the authorities’ advice to citizens to obtain gas masks. The implication that the British might use gas has caused much speculation.