Aviators Play at War Over London

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 433, 15 August 1928, Page 9

Aviators Play at War Over London

Night Attack Made During Manoeuvres BATTLE IN THE AIR (United P.A. —By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) LONDON, Monday. Tlio Royal Air Force manoeuvres, in which are included aerial attacks on London, are now in progress. The zero hour of the manoeuvres was 6 p.m., but before then the "enemy" had sent up formations of bombers which awaited the declaration of the mimic war close to the three-mile limit. Directly afterwards these formations converged upon London, with lightning rapidity, and were soon humming over tlieir objectives. These included the petrol depot at Beckton, Kent, the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, and the Air Ministry’s airdrome at North Weald, Essex. SEVEN MIMIC RAIDS By 6.55 p.m. the umpires appointed by the Air Ministry announced that seven mimic raids were in progress, and that “enemy” airplanes had crossed the coast and were engaging in an all-round attadk. Six fighting squadrons wore immediately in the air to meet them. One came into contact with the raiders at Croydon, but the cloudy and rainy weather was assisting the “enemy” to conceal the direction of his attacks. The official opinion at 11 p.m. was that out of 10 raids, two had been successful and the other eight had been intercepted, but it was emphasised that the umpires had not given their final decision at that hour. 250 DEFENDING PLANES Anti-aircraft gunners, subject to the umpires’ rulings, claimed that they had “shot down” eight bombers out of the 70 engaged in the attacks. It is estimated that 250 machines of various types were engaged in defending London throughout the evening, which later became fine. Many thousands of spectators watched the re£ lights flashing from the “invaders’ ” planes, indicating that they were dropping bombs. At one time 40 planes were over Bromley, and 36 more could be counted near Red Hill engaged in a battle. After nightfall the attacks were continued by night bombers, but subsequent to midnight the bomb dropping was confined to targets on the outskirts of London. The night objectives were stores and depots at Croydon, Richmond Park and Wormwood Scrubbs.