RAIDS ON BRITAIN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 260, 1 October 1940, Page 7

RAIDS ON BRITAIN

BIG ENEMY FORCES.

IN DAYLIGHT ATTACK

(United'Press Association —Copyright.) (Rec 10 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 30 Raiders during .* tlie first daylight raid to-day consisted of big forces of bombers 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. ’ BIG NAZI LOSSES. It is officially stated that up to 8 p.m. 43 enemy aircraft had been destroyed. The British fighter losses are 16, with eight pilots safe.

R.A.F. fighters and the anti-aircraft defences were constantly in action today, in the course of which the enemy made four large-scale attacks on South and SouthrEast England. An Air Ministry 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 forty miles inland, but none reached London. In the 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, were caused in each of these towns. “About an hour later a third attack was made across the Dorset coast, where the enemy was engaged. Few of his bombers penetrated any distance inland, and no reports of bombs have been received.

“The fourth attack was the largest and began soon after 1 p.m. About 180 aircraft flew in over Du.ngeness and again penetrated inland, but were engaged and broken up before reaching the outskirts of London. A few enemy aircraft, however, evaded our defences and succeeded in dropping bombs in the western suburbs. Here damage was done and casualties caused, but the details are not available.” <

Major Walter Elliott, in a speech, said that the R.A.F. during the past two months had shot down one German plane every 42 minutes,' which was the present rate of German production. A German communique claims t'hat great destruction and fires were caused in London, Liverpool, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Leith and the Midland towns. It says that single enemy planes reached Brandenburg last night; some bombs were dropped but no military damage was done. Many civilian casualties occurred.