Nazi Bombers Attack and Set ire to Italian Ship Off East Coast of England; Air Battles London, Mar. 8, 1 Air Force flew over Poland last night according {o an official announcement issued today.
An Italian vessel, staled to be the Amelia Laura, while some} miles off the British coast, was bombed and set aflame by a German plane last night. A life-be: yat from the East Coast carly this morning took off 29 men from the ship, Three of the men were] wounded.
The captain of the ship said that the bombs contained a number of smaller bombs, which did not explode at first.
An hour after the attack, however, there were explosions on the vessel as the smaller ones went off, he declared. A member of the crew] said "We were lit up, and they must have seen our flag before they attacked." loud explosions were heard off the south-east coast of England at about 8 o'clock last night, followed by the rattle of machine-gun fire, It is reported that a German plane dropped bombs near shipping. There were no hits or casualties. The bombs fell in pairs, and exploded on striking the water, News reached Cromer (Norfolle) today" that a lightship stationed 25 railes off the north Norfolk coust was Altaeked by German aircraft yesterday. Damage caused is reported to ave been slight, and it is said there were no casualties, Trawlers arriving at on east coast port today reported they were taachine-gunned and bombed by Nazi planes last night. One vessel was it, although "no-one was. injured, suliile other trawlers escaped by ex= tinguishing, their lights.
Three trawlers returned to another east coast port Inter in the day and landed four men, who were injured esterday during attacks by. German planes. One man, the skipper of his vessel, wax seriously injured in the back by machine-grin bullets.
A German bomber was shot down of the north coast of Scotland today it is omelany:
The Air Min ist includes the names of te killed in action; four missing believed keilled in action; eleven missing: 23 kalled on active service: twenty died active service.
British fighters engaged two German planes off the east coast of Engl last evening. Onlookers saw one raider almost collide with a British fighter before climbing into the clouds, where a fight followed.
The second raider then appeared, with two British planes in close pursult. Three other British planes also arrived on the scene, and the raider was driven out {o sea with the fighters chase.
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