FIVE BOMBS FOR ONE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 August 1940, Page 5

FIVE BOMBS FOR ONE

DROPPED BY THE R.A.F. IN GERMANY RECORD OF RECENT WEEKS. MORE ATTACKS ON OIL PLANTS & AERODROMES. It is revealed in London, a Daventry broadcast states, that for every German bomb dropped in Britain in recent weeks, the R.A.F. has dropped mere than five bombs in Germany. In other words about 7000 bombs have been dropped on Britain and 37,000 on Germany. R.A.F. bombers have attacked more of Germany’s oil supplies. An Air Ministry communique states that the bombers raided an oil plant in the Ruhr. They dropped 14 tons of high explosives as well as incendiary bombs. The target was left in flames. An attack was also made on an aerodrome. A hangar was hit and fires were started among the aerodrome buildings. All the British machines returned. Three German planes were shot down by Spitfires in battles over the Channel, two of them off the French coast within range of German anti-air-craft guns. One British pilot has failed to return. The third German machine fell to another Spitfire squadron over the English Channel. Bundles of leaflets were again dropped by German planes over Britain for the third successive night. High explosive and incendiary bombs were also dropped in a few isolated districts. The damage was negligible. One person was killed. AIR MINISTRY REPORT LOSS OF ENEMY & BRITISH PLANES. (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) LONDON, August 5. An Air Ministry spokesman stated: “Since the German air campaign began on June 19 we have dropped 33,431 bombs on Germany and the Germans have dropped 6987 bombs on Britain. England has lost 172 planes and Germany 307 during that period. In view of the German numerical superiority their losses do not represent relatively a much higher figure than the British.” THREE ENEMY FIGHTERS SHOT DOWN BY SPITFIRES. MORE ENEMY LEAFLETS DROPED. (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) LONDON, August 5. Nine Spitfires this morning shot • down two Messerschmitt fighters on the ■ French side of the English Channel, t within range of German anti-aircraft - guns. Another Spitfire shot down a ■ third Messerschmitt on the English side [ of the Channel. These German losses ■ apparently are the same as the three J mentioned by the Air Ministry com- - munique, which states that three en- , emv fighters were shot down near the s south-east coast this morning. One of 3 our fighters is missing. s A raider on the south-east coast - dropped bundles of leaflets of Hitler's 3 speech in a country churchyard, litter- - ing gravestones, tree tops and the church tower. Two high-explosive bombs fell in a field.