WAVES OF BOMBERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 August 1940, Page 5

WAVES OF BOMBERS

MET BV BRITISH FIGHTERS SERIES OF DOGFIGHTS.

AT GREAT HEIGHT IN CLEAR AIR. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 24. The German air force has raided south and south-east England repeatedly since early on Saturday morning. Till the mid-afternoon the attacks were concentrated on

aerodromes in east Kent. Then large numbers of German bombers were flung into two new mass raids. While some of them were attacking aerodromes almost up to the outskirts of London others were raiding the Portsmouth area. There were 80 German aircraft in the first wave, which began at 7.45 a.m. and lasted till 9 a.m. Before 10 o’clock the second-wave attacks had started. Formations of Dorniers, Junkers, each of 30 or 40 bombers followed one after another over Kent, German fighters flying high above them. The sky was cloudless. During the second-wave raids above east Kent a Spitfire squadron had a series of running fights, which lasted for one hour and a half. They first met a formation of 30 or 40 Junkers 88 bombers flying in herringbone pattern. A pilot who found himself underneath this formation sprayed five leading German bombers with machine-gun bullets. Others climbed to attack some 30 German fighters flying nearly five miles high. In the clear air at this great height, while each pilot inhaled from his oxygen apparatus, a series of dog fights began. Two Messerschmitts, 109 and 110, went down. A Spitfire squadron chased one Messerschmitt 109 across to France and saw it crash miles inland from Calais. They shot down a second Messerschmitt into the sea off Cape Gris Nez. Over Ramsgate a Hurricane squadron destroyed three Junkers 88 bombers and a Messerschmitt 109. One of the pilots, a Polish sergeant, made a German bomber burst into flames and fall into the sea. Then he sent a German fighter crashing after it.

A squadron of Defiants tackled the enemy at 3000 feet. The Junkers at once went into a steep dive. The Defiants, diving after them, chased the enemy out to sea, bring down three Junkers and one Heinkel fighter before the rest disappeared. As a result of the day’s engagements, ten British fighters are missing, but the pilot of one is safe.

A number of bombs was dropped within the London area.

Between 200 and 300 incendiary bombs were dropped during a prolonged Midlands raid early this morning. Many fell near a town, causing a number of fires. High explosive bombs were also dropped.