QUICKLY BROKEN

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1940, Page 8

QUICKLY BROKEN

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

GERMAN FORMATIONS FEW REACH METROPOLIS SEASIDE TOWN BOMBED

Rec. 3 p.m. London, Sept. 24. Four large formations of German raiders attempted to reach London yesterday by three routes, over the Kent coast, the Essex coast and the Thames estuary. They were broken up by British fighters and anti-air-craft fire, but a few are reported to have reached the London area, where there was a brief alert warning. Eleven enemy aircraft are. known to have been . destroyed, the Air Ministry said. Eleven British fighters were lost, but the pilots of eight are safe. An Air Ministry and Home Security communique stated: "Enemy activities consisted at attacks by relays of single aircraft. The main objective was again London, where the attacks were uidely scattered. Houses and industrial premises were damaged in several localities. There were a number of casualties, some of them fatal. Bombs also fell in some south-eastern towns. Some damage was done and there were several casualties." Enemy Mostly Fighters. A later joint communique describing the attack said: "A formation of enemy aircraft mostly composcd of fighters which crossed the Kent and South Essex coasts in the morning was met and attacked by our fighters. The enemy formations were broken up. Engagements took place over Kent and Essex and off the coast. No bombs are reported to have been dropped in this attack. "Later in the morning the enemy made deliberate attacks on the civiliaii population of several seaside towns on the Sussex coast, in particular Eastbourne. Houses were damaged but fortunately the number of casualties was small. Early in the afternoon anti-aircraft guns in the London area opened fire on a single enemy aircraft which flew away without dropping bombs. "This evening another large enemy formation, again mostly fighters, crossed the Kent Coast but did not penetrate any distance inland. They re-crossed the coast on the approach of our fighters." There were three alerts during the day. The first occurred in the morning when 200 raiders attempted to reach London but only got to the eastern outskirts. A lone raider caused the second alarm.

Gigantic German Bomber. A new gigantic four-engined German bomber and three formations of nine bombers crossed the Kent coast this morning flying at a terrific height and outranging the anti-aircraft defences. Spitftres and Hurricanes broke up the formations. The giant was last seen speeding towards the Channel, hotly pursued. A raider ' dropped 12. high explosives in Eastbourne's working class district. There were no deaths. German raiders appearea over Central London and high explosives demolished a number of houses in the north-west of London. Several persons are reported to have been killed when a high explosive crashed on a section of a large block of flats. The south-west of London and coastal towns were also attacked. Low-flying raiders bombed the workingclass district of a south-eastern town and damaged 24 houses. A passenger train was bombed and machine-gunned while standing at a south-east country station. Every window in the train was blown out.

There were no casualties. Seven refugees of different nationalities were killed and a number were injured when a high explosive bomb directly hit a large block of West End flats. They had been sheltering in a basement for only 20 minutes following the destruction of their own home 100 yards away by a time bomb.