Nazis Lose 185 Planes Over Britain

Southland Times, Issue 24233, 17 September 1940, Page 5

Nazis Lose 185 Planes Over Britain

AIR-RAID ALARMS IN BERLIN (United Press Association.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received September 16, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, September 16. The Royal Air Force had its most successful day of the war yesterday. No fewer than 185 German planes were sent crashing .down, seven of them falling to London’s, anti-aircraft defences and 178 to the deadly fighter machines. Britain lost only 25 planes and the pilots of 12 of them are safe. The total bag for the day exceeds by five the number shot down on that successful day exactly one month ago. Of the 185, 131 were bombers. Thus Germany’s loss in airmen must run into hundreds. The German wireless stated that the concentration of planes for the defence of London had come as a surprise to the Nazi airmen. This morning fresh formations of Germans tried to penetrate the British defences. The pilots had learned a lesson from yesterday and the formations flew very tightly, almost wing-tip to wing-tip. Nevertheless anti-aircraft fire broke up the formations and fighters took up the work, sending the Nazis scuttling for home. There have been three alarms in London today. Berlin had two alarms during the night.