GERMAN CLAIMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 August 1940, Page 5

GERMAN CLAIMS

SEVENTY-THREE PLANES SHOT DOWN. ALLEGED DAMAGE TO SHIPS AND HARBOURS. (Received This Day, 10.35 a.m.) LONDON, August 11. A series of German communiques was issued this afternoon describing the Channel air battles The latest admits that fourteen German planes are missing and says the Germans attacked a Channel convoy of seventy merchantmen, protected by fourteen warships, of which several warships were hit. A further attack was progressing, new relays of German planes being sent over. Two separate squadrons allegedly brought down twentytwo and sixteen British planes respectively and German air successes were “increasing from minute to minute.” Other communiques claim that seven barrage balloons and five Spitfires were brought down near Dover, mention air battles at Southampton and Canterbury and allege that bombs destroyed important sections of Portland Harbour, setting fire to oil tanks) Large fires were observed and loud explosions heard and the walls of a quay are reported to have collapsed and “wrecks of burning ships litter the water.” Warehouses at Castletown are claimed to have been set on fire and various little boats along the Channel are said to be busy picking .up crews from British planes which have been shot down.

The German High Command claimed that forty British planes were brought down in a great air battle over Portland.

The Berlin News Agency later reported a general air battle over the Channel, from Portland to Dover, and claimed that 73 British planes had been brought down. It was also claimed that during an attack on Portland Harbour, most of the shipping in the harbour was sunk.