LONDON RAIDED

Hokitika Guardian, 15 August 1928, Page 2

LONDON RAIDED

A MIMIC WAR. Australian Press Assn.— United Service LONDON. Aug. 13. Air attacks on London are in full blast. The zero hour of the manoeuvres were six in the evening but before then the enemy sent formations of bombers, which were waiting for the declaration of a mimic- war close to the three .mile limit. Directly afterwards they converged on London with lightning rapidity and soon they were humming over their objectives, such as the Beckton Petrol Depot, the Crystal Palace, the Air Ministry, and the Northweild Aerodrome. By 6.55 p.m. the umpires of the Air Ministry announced that seven mimic raids were in progress and that all of the enemy aeroplanes had crossed the coast and were engaging in an all-round attack. Six fighting squadrons were immediately in the air to meet- them. One was in contact with the raiders at Croydon. hut cloudy and rainy weather was assisting the enemy to conceal the direction of their attacks. By 11 o’clock, the official opinion was that, out of ten raids, two were successful, and eight were intercepted, but it was emphasised that the umpires had not yet given their final decision. The anti-aircraft gunners, subject to the umpires’ rulings, claimed that they liad shot down eight bombers of the seventy engaged in attacking. It is estimated that 250 machines of various types were engaged in defending.

Throughout the evening, which became fine, one hundred thousand sjiool, a tors watched red lights flashing from tlfc imfadors, indicating that they were dropping 1 Kindis. At one time forty planes were over Bromley, and another thirty-six pianos could be connted near Red Hill engaging in battle. After nightfall the attack was continued by night bombers, hut subsequent to midnight, the bomb-dropping was confined to targets on the outskirts of London, the night objectives being the. stores and depots at Croydon, Richmond Park and Wormwood Serublis.