HEAVY TOLL ON THE ENEMY

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21191, 14 August 1940, Page 7

HEAVY TOLL ON THE ENEMY

57 GERMAN PLANES BROUGHT DOWN RETALIATORY RAIDS OX GERMANY —MUCH DAMAGE (Official Wireless) (Received August 14, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, August 13 The great air battle over Britain continued today with mass attacks soon after dawn on aerodromes and shipping along the south and south-east coast. By noon it was evident that for the third day in succession the Royal Air Force fighters were exacting a heavy toll on the enemy, and the latest reports show that 57 enemy machines were destroyed, 54 by fighters and three by antiaircraft guns. Nine of our fighters were lost, but the pilots of two of them are safe. An Air Ministry communique reports: Medium Royal Air Force bombers carried out daylight operations today over an area extending from Jutland to the Bay of Biscay. The / objectives included enemy-occupied aerodromes at Waalhaven, Hingene, Caen and Sherbourge, and a seaplane base at Brest. Twelve aircraft have not returned. The targets attacked by the Royal Air Force bombers last night included the Gotha air frame factory and other objectives in North-west Germany and enemy-occupied territory in France and Holland. The attacks were pressed home in spite of ice and cloud. Raids w'ere also made on seventeen aerodromes and the seaplane base at Borkum. From these operations four of our aircraft have not returned.

The harbour of Helder, on the Dutch coast, was bombed in co-operation with the Fleet Air Arm.