EFFECTIVE DEFENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 September 1940, Page 5

EFFECTIVE DEFENCE

ENEMY HEAVILY DEFEATED IN INTENSIVE BATTLES. ATTACKS ON AERODROMES ATTEMPTED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY, September 6. This morning’s air attack on Britain, in which the enemy suffered heavy losses and was driven back, is the subject of an Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security communique stating: “A large formation of the enemy crossed the coast of Kent this morning and, splitting up into a number of sections, attempted to launch simultaneous attacks on several R.A.F. aerodromes. Our anti-aircraft guns and fighter aircraft engaged the enemy, who were driven back, after some intensive battles. Bombs were dropped, causing slight damage at one factory in the Thames Valley, where a small number of persons were injured. Reports indicated that elsewhere the damage and number of casualties from this morning’s attacks were very slight. During last night’s attacks, minor damage was done and a small number of persons were injured, as the result of bombs dropped in a district in Wales. In this morning’s air battles, 34 of the enemy aircraft were shot down by our fighters in the first waye.”