86 RAIDERS DESTROYED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21195, 19 August 1940, Page 7

86 RAIDERS DESTROYED

< BOMBS IN LONDON OUTSKIRTS OVER 600 GERMAN AEROPLANES PARTICIPATE

ENEMY DRIVEN OFF FORCED TO RETREAT

(United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received August 19, 11 a.m.) LONDON, August 18 The German Air Force resumed its hig-scalo raids on England, when over 600 bombers and fighters attempted to bomb London and other large centres, but again the bombers were turned back before they could reach the heart of the Empire. Bombs were dropped in the outskirts of the city, while some aerodromes were raided.

Up to early evening 86 of the raiders had been destroyed, while the British had lost 16 planes, eight pilots being saved.

Shortly after midday a large number of enemy aircraft, in three successive waves, crossed the south-east coast and attempted to penetrate the defences in the London area, states an Air Ministry communique issued at 3 p.m. They were at once engaged by fighters and anti-aircraft guns.

After a little over an hour’s fighting the enemy was driven off in retreat across the North Sea and the English Channel. It is known that some bombs were dropped in Kent and in the neighbourhood of Southern London.

Other r.aids have been made in the Hampshire area Fighters engaged the enemy and are still in action.