CASUALTIES IN BRITAIN

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21190, 13 August 1940, Page 5

CASUALTIES IN BRITAIN

WOMEN AND INVALIDS WRECKAGE OF HOUSES (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Aug. 13, 12.50 p.m) LONDON, Aug. 12 Some English towns were raided for the first time today. Explosions at one centre caused much damage. Successive formations of divebombers substantially damaged one thickly-populated area. A salvo cut off walls of a row of dwellings like a knife. Hardly a window was intact in the whole district. Doors are hanging from their hinges and fragments of glass, tiles and slates littered the streets. A surgeon was beginning a critical operation when a raid began. A bomb exploded a few yards from the operating theatre, but he carried on and successfully completed the operation. A big heath fire was among a number of outbreaks resulting from the bombing. The people killed included two women in an air raid shelter, which was directly hit.

A legless old man in an invalid’s f chair was among five people injured t when a bomb dropped in front of a c parkland shelter. Twelve explosive and seventy incendiary bombs fell in two towns in the Midlands. One formation put out a smokescreen extending fifteen miles. It has become a full-time job for many men on the service of rounding up pilots and gathering up the wreckage. Nazi Planes Shot Down . German planes were shot down over widespread areas. The pilot of a bomber badlv damaged by anti-aircraft fire tried to land in a field. A young bombardier rushed out from a hedge with a Lewis gun and peppered the bomber. Three bodies were later taken from the plane. One is believed to be a 24-year-old German Count. . A German airman in another dis- , trict walked down the road to meet . the Home Guard. \ Another was found asleep rolled up in a parachute. Two others were ] sitting on the ground. A civilian passer-by pounced on a pilot who had landed in the middle of a street. Naval boats went six miles out to sea to rescue Germans who had been , brought down in the Channel. The battle extended for miles after 100 enemy planes had crossed one section of the south-east coast. Another seventy bombers and fighters appeared at dusk. Many , bombs fell in the open country and others in the sea. 500 Planes in Action The latest information regarding Monday’s raids on the British coasts, : shipping and aerodromes is contain- ' ed in an Air Ministry bulletin and discloses that of 39 enemy raiders brought down 32 were shot down by Royal Air Force fighters and seven by anti-aircraft batteries. This represents the most successful day for the anti-aircraft defences ' since the raids on the south coast began. For the first time Lewis gunners of a searchlight company in Britain ' saw their bullets hit and bring down ; a German raider. At one time during the day it is estimated that there were some 500 enemy aircraft in action over Portsmouth, the Channel and the Thames Estuary The British losses are nine fighters missing. All the 12 Germans who bailed out were captured. !