ENEMY HOTLY ENGAGED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 252, 21 September 1940, Page 7

ENEMY HOTLY ENGAGED

AIR CONFLICT OVER BRITAIN

NAZI PLANES CHASED AWAY

(United Press Association.—Copyright.-— Pec. 10.5 a.m.)

(British, Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, Sept. 20

Although alert warnings were sounded in the London area during the forenoon, raiders < which had been reported crossing the South-East' Coast were driven back before reaching the outskirts of London.

Press reports state that a protecting screen of German fighters flew below the high-flying enemy bonibers of the first wave of about 30 aircraft which are reported to have broken formation after crossing the Channel, changing direction to avoid the fierce anti-aircraft fire. They proceeded inland and were hotly engaged by British fighters.

Most pi the fighting took place above fast moving clouds and lasted some 75 minutes, when the battle drifted over the Channel. Watchers state that three enemy aircraft were seen to crash into the sea.

JUNKERS CRASH

A Jupkers 88, after being hit by anti-aircraft fire in last night’s raid on London, burst into flames and fell, demolishing a house in Merton Park, a western suburb, whose occupants were in a shelter and were only slightly injured. One of the, airmen who baled out was captured three miles away. Another night raiding Junker fell near Cambridge after being engaged by lighters, and a third is reported down in Essex — a victim of anti-air-craft fire.

A bomb which dropped in the grounds of Westminster (lloman Catholic) Cathedral during the recent raids caused a big crater, but no damage to the Cathedral buildings oi the Archbishop’s House. The Japanese Embassy in London has been evacuated owing to the presence of a time bomb dropped during the raids. RESCUE BOAT SHARED.

A Hurricane squadron pilot-officer and a German sub-lieutenant who shot each other down off the Thames Estuary shared the same rescue boat. During an attack on fifty enemy aircraft the pilot officer shot 'down two Messerschmitt 110 fighter-bombers. One of' them hit set firo to his own machine.

' “I baled out, falling into the sea three or four miles from Brightling-on-Sea,” he said. “J noticed two other parachutes coming down, and one fell close by. A German sub-lieutenant was using it.” 'Another Hurricane pilot when shot down made his way to a nearby aerodrome and was told the pilot of the Messerschmitt he had attacked had also baled out and had landed near ' the same aerodrome. R.A.P. CONGRATULATED.

The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Parliament has sent Sir Archibald Smclair (Minister ot Air) congratulations on the work of the. R.A.F. at the unanimous request of members. ffbe Air - 'Minister has replied : “The tribute of; the' House of Commons of Northern Ireland to the gallantry oi the R.A.F. is an encouragement to us all in these stirring and strenuous days. It will be gratefully received by all ranks of the R.A.F.” The Nawab of Bahawalpur has given £7500 towards the purchase of aircraft. ' . ; m ' A Berlin communique states: respite difficult weather yesterday, we bombed London and south-eastern aerodromes and ports. At night we continued air reprisals against London and military targets in Western and Central England. A few British planes bombed residential districts and towns in Western and South-Western Germany. One British plane was shot down. Three, Germans are missing. ,

SOON RESTORED

DISRUPTED TRANSPORT

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Sept. 19. The problem of the transport of large numbers of workers from the suburbs to Central London has been intensified by the indiscriminate dropping of German bombs, which not befn" S directed at military objectives must occasionally fall in roadways and thus affect tramcar and omnibus 10 An S observer who toured the southern districts, where a great deal '“ senseless havoc of thisjand has been done, was impressed by the speed with which the public transport ser vices have adjusted themselves to new routes and maintained their service ' During the rush hours of traffic om nibus and tramway, employees are unselfishly and cheerfully working a the highest pressure to get the work era to or from tlieir homes, and the success they have achieved is highly •innreciated by the ' public, wfio are willing to put up with some inconvemcnee in "the Scime spiri . r rp c At the same time the radway s a have been working magnificently to repair the damage done to thc track^ anj maintam the «mc«. a ln ft. (LehTa failwajs »rs .W mind* for me as to the TO-I do * the toSrcimmand mJ.t be bitthat, eome what stolid regularity.

AIR CASUALTIES

(lire 11 5 a m.) LONDON, Sept.' 20. The latest Air Ministry casualty list is as follows: , 40 Kilted in action ••• AVoaiuled gg Alissing .••• fjo Killed on active service -•-