NAZI BOMBERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 July 1940, Page 5

NAZI BOMBERS

SIX DESTROYED & FOUR DAMAGED IN DAY OF AIR BATTLE OVER BRITAIN. SERIES OF HIT & RUN ATTACKS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, July 4. Six German bombers were destroyed and four others were damaged by fighters during daylight raids yesterday on England and Scotland. The German made a series of hit-aiid-rnii attacks between dawn and dusk, dropping high-explosive, incendiary and delayed-action bombs. The known casualties are five civilians killed and at least 22 injured.

Shortly after 7 p.m. Spitfires raced seaward to intercept more raiders, which came over in relays flying between 2000 and 3000 feet. The first raider which crossed the coast last night was shot down in six minutes after the fighters took off, and one of the occupants fell into the English Channel, where he was picked up by a British ship. Other bombers were met with an intense barrage from anti-aircraft guns and fierce fighter opposition, and one raider was last seen diving into the sea from a considerable height. It was a day of air battle over Britain. Repeated'attacks were made over south-eastern England, and anti-air-craft artillery of all types along the coast blazed away periodically for several hours as Germans attempted to cross. Civilians in south-eastern England assert that a German plane deliberately attempted to machine-gun the population at one point, and there were also lively exchanges of machinegun fire between planes and ground defences.

Germans made a bomb attack over the same area later in the night, and also again visited beaches which they had machine-gunned earlier in the day. One raider flew so low that soldiers opened fire with their rifles. A terrific anti-aircraft barrage caught a low-flying plane, whereupon the raider jettisoned his entire cargo of 12 heavy bombs, which demolished an empty house and fell in back gardens and roads, making huge craters. The Air Ministry has issued its thousandth bulletin since the outbreak of the war, indicating the extensiveness of air activity, including the R.A.F. operations over enemy territory, which continue uninterruptedly. TRAIN ATTACKED DRIVER FATALLY INJURED. PASSENGERS ESCAPE UNHURT. LONDON. July 4. When a German raider bombed a train proceeding between two southcoast towns last night the enginedriver was hit by a bomb splinter, and he later died in hospital. The guard was also injured but the passengers escaped. People saw the plane flying over the train and there were two explosions as it swooped down. Passengers crouched on the floors of the cars. The train was stopped, but later proceeded to its destination. TOTAL RISING SEVEN PLANES BROUGHT DOWN. DURING WEDNESDAY’S RAIDS. (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, July 4. An air raid was in progress in a nearby area while his Majesty the King was visiting the Anzacs. It is officially announced that a naval auxiliary vessel was hit and set on fire, in an enemy daylight raid on Portland. One tug and one lighter were sunk. There was some damage to buildings and a few civilian casualties. Military objectives were not hit. Enemy aircraft dropped several bombs on a south-west town. Spitfires engaged the enemy over the sea and two German planes are believed to have been brought down. At least, twenty Germans attacked, and several running fights ensued. The bombs were dropped from a height of 200 feet, after which the Germans attempted to machine-gun people. Seven bombers were brought down in yesterday's raids. One crashed into a wood in south-east England and two of the crew were killed and two injured.