ARTILLERY DUEL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 October 1940, Page 5

ARTILLERY DUEL

FOUGHT ACROSS CHANNEL DAMAGE DONE TO CALAIS QUAYS. . CASUALTIES IN DOVER. (By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright) (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, September 30. The British long-range guns again shelled France, shortly before dawn. Direct hits are believed to have been scored on the quayside at Calais, where big fires blazed for some time. The German guns replied, firing four salvos at twenty minute intervals. A man was killed, several persons were seriously injured and premises were damaged, when Dover was shelled. DAMAGE IN LONDON DONE BY STRAY RAIDERS. MORE DAYLIGHT ATTACKS. (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, September 30. About 100 shops and houses were demolished, a public house wrecked and a' clubhouse seriously damaged in South-West London last night. Another raider jettisoned its bombs in a north-west London residential quarter, damaging houses and, it is believed, wiping out a family of three. The raiders, during the first daylight raid today, consisted of big forces of bombers and fighters. At least fifty bombers, escorted by fighters, crossed the coast in one wave. British machines engaged the raiders over Western London later in the morning. LARGE-SCALE ATTACKS NAZI ATTEMPTS TO REACH LONDON FEW RAIDERS PENETRATE ■ DEFENCES. FORTY-THREE SHOT DOWN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) RUGBY, September 30. It is officially stated that up to 8 p.m. 43 enemy aircraft had been destroyed. The British fighter losses are 16, with 8 pilots safe. R.A.F. fighters and anti-aircraft defences were constantly in action today in the course of which the enemy made four large-scale attacks on south and south-east England. An Air Ministry and Ministry for Home Security communique states: “In the first two attacks, which took place at about 10 a.m. and 10.15 a.m. respectively, the enemy crossed the coast near Dover and penetrated some 40 miles inland, but none of the planes reached London. In the course of these 'raids bombs were dropped in several places in the south-east, notably at Bexhill and Hastings, and some damage and casualties, some of which were fatal, were caused in each of these towns. “About an hour later a third attack was made across the Dorset coast, where the enemy was engaged. Few of his bombers penetrated for any distance inland and no reports of bombs have been received.

“The fourth attack was the largest, and began soon after 1 p.m. About 180 aircraft flew in over Dungeness and again penetrated inland, but were engaged and broken up before reaching the outskirts of London. A few, enemy aircraft, however, evaded our defences and succeeded in dropping bombs in the western suburbs. Here damage was done and casualties were caused, but details are not available.”