AIR BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 July 1940, Page 6

AIR BATTLE

OVER SOUTHEAST ENGLAND ENEMY FIGHTERS SUPPORT BOMBERS. NUMBER BROUGHT DOWN BY BRITISH PLANES. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, July 10. It is officially stated that eleven German planes were shot down in today’s series of engagements and a number of others are reported to have been destroyed. Two of our fighters were lost in today's combats and three yesterday. At least five enemy planes were shot down in today’s biggest air battle which was fought over South-East England. About thirty German bombers. escorted by fighters, participated. Anti-aircraft guns and R.A.F. lighters sent the bombers scurrying. The German escorts stayed and engaged the Spitfires. The ensuing battle, described as a terrific attack, had two phases. Fifteen bombers delivered the first bombardment, defying an intense antiaircraft barrage and raining showers of high explosive bombs. R.A.F. fighters soared up to intercept the bombers. After ten minutes, other German bombers flying in five flights of six and seen going in a westerly direction, at 10.000 feet, released several salvos of bombs, which fell wide of their mark. As our fighters drove off the bombers. German fighters, which had been hiding in clouds, dived down, blazing away with machine-guns. a The German fighters fled after sharp exchanges of-machine-gun fire. Eye-witnesses report seeing ten planes crashing into the sea. Spitfires shot down three bombers in three minutes and a bomber and a fighter collided in mid-air. It is estimated that in all 150 planes participated. A few people were killed and several injured in a south-west town. Three of those killed lived in the same house. Two men were killed and several injured when four bombs were dropped in South-East England. Several are reported to have been killed when six. bombs fell in a Welsh town. An enemy plane unsuccessfully attacked a lightship on the East Coast. The Air Ministry states that R.A.F. bombers last night attacked naval dockyards at Wilhelmshaven and Bremen, goods yards in the Ruhr, oil rcfiniers at Monheim and aerodromes at Borkum, Tejcel, Schipol and Waalhaven. Damage was inflicted on all the objectives. All the raiders returned. ENEMY LOSSES FOURTEEN PLANES SHOT DOWN > YESTERDAY. ANOTHER 23 BADLY DAMAGED. Spitfires and Hurricanes shot down 14 bombers and fighters in Britain yesterday and 23 more were badly damaged and would be lucky to get back, Daventry reports. Two British fighters were lost but the pilot of one is safe.