144 SHOT DOWN

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21196, 20 August 1940, Page 5

144 SHOT DOWN

NAZI RAIDS ON BRITAIN SLIGHT DAMAGE DONE AIRCRAFT IN COLLISION (omcial Wireless) (Received Aug. 20, 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, Aug. 19 In giving details of the destruction of three more German bombers yesterday, bringing the day’s total* to 144, the Air Ministry states that two were shot down by Blenheim aircraft of the Coastal Command. The third was destroyed by the sergeant pilot of an unarmed Anson aircraft of the Training Command. Whether he intentionally rammed the raider will never be known. The two aircraft collided and fell to the ground interlocked. Of the 144 enemy aircraft destroyed 128 were shot down by fighters, thirteen by anti-aircraft fire, two by searchlight crews, and one in a collision. Today’s enemy activities over this country have been on a minor scale, only intermittent attacks being attempted by aircraft operating in small numbers. Damage by bombs was done to houses in an Essex town and a Norfolk village. A dock in South Wales was attacked but the damage was confirmed to an oil tank, which was set on fire. Several Royal Air Force aerodromes were also attacked. There were several casualties. Reports so far confirm up to 8 p.m. that four enemy bombers were shot down by our fighters. The engagements were in all cases with single enemy aircraft. Ratio of Three to One German raiders brought down over and around Britain during the past week have been destroyed in the ratio of nearly three bombers to one fightef. During the past seven days, which have seen the most intense air battles ever fought, Royal Air Force fighters have shot down 516 Nazi raiders, including 380 bombers or fighterbomber;!. On Thursday, when the Germans used at least 600 bombers, apart from fighters, they lost 127, or onefifth of their raiding bomber strength. . Yesterday they lost 92 of 400 bombers sent over.