KENT AND LINCOLNSHIRE COAST

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20071, 18 October 1939, Page 5

KENT AND LINCOLNSHIRE COAST

NAZI PLANE DRIVEN OUT TO SEA RAIDERS DROP BOMBS IN SCAPA FLOW DAMAGE TO DEMILITARISED IRON DUKE R.A.F. RECONNAISSANCE IN GERMANY (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Oct. 18, 12 noon.) LONDON, Oct. 17. The Air Ministry has announced that the Observer Corps reported enemy aircraft activity along the cast coast of England this morning and afternoon. Air raid warnings were issued in some districts of Lincolnshire, and the East Anglican and Kent coasts. Immediately our fighter and.antiaircraft defences went into action. No bombs were dropped in any of these districts. One enemy aircraft was intercepted on the Yorkshire coast and pursued out to sea. Air raid warnings were sounded at Hull, Bridlington, Grimsby, Felixstowe, Chatham, Southend and Ipswich. The Air Ministry announces that a number of Royal Air Force planes carried out a successful reconnaissance over* western and north-western Germany yesterday. One machine has not returned. An Amsterdam report says that a German pursuit plane compelled a British plane to land near Lingen, Germany. . The machine struck a farm building and caught fire. Three airmen, one of whom was wounded by machine-gun fire, were saved. Statement in Commons. It is officially announced that 11.M.5. Iron Duke was hit and damaged in a second air raid at Scapa Flow to-day. Speaking in the House of Commons the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, described a raid on Scapa -Flow this morning by about four machines. He said that two bombs fell very near to the Iron Duke which sustained certain damage but no casualties. He recalled that the Iron Duke was an old battleship demilitarised, with the armour removed and was ■ being used as a depot and training .ship. One aircraft was shot down in flames and another probably was damaged. ' The Admiralty announces that a second air raid' was made in the Orkneys between 12.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.ni; by two formations of six and four aircraft respectively. There was no damage and no casualties were caused. One raider was reported to be destroyed. The Royal Mail steamer S.tola was bombed between Scapa and Thurso. No damage was caused. Land guns brought down one plane. Bombs in Firth of Forth. In an account of yesterday’s Firth of Forth raids, Mr. Chamberlain said that 12, or possibly more, German, aircraft, in waves of two or three at a time, came over. Two civilians wore slightly injured. The damage ,to civilian property was negligible. The naval casualties in the cruiser’Southampton'"and'‘the cruiser Edinburgh, which suffered slight damage hut; were ready for sea, and in the destroyer Mohawk, the damage to which was superficial, numbered three officers and 13 ratings killed or died of wounds, two officers and 31 ratings slightly injured, and 11 ratings seriously injured. The enemy was at once engaged by fighters and the air force.’ Four enemy bombers were brought down, one by gunfire. Also a number of other enemy aircraft was heavily damaged and may not i • have been able to reach home.