London, July 27.
HE striking power of the German air force has been further severely crippled as a result of successful extensive operations carried out by Royal Air Force bombers last night over a wide area in Germany and German-occupied territory.
Oil supplies, aircraft factories and acrodromes were the pr mary targets, but the Dortmund Ems canal at Hamburg, and docks and other military objectives, including blast furnaces and goods yards in the Ruhr, were also bombed.
According to an Air Ministry communique, oil supplies at Bremen, Sterkrade, Bottrop, Castrop, Rauxel, Dortmund and Kamen were set on fire; aircraft factories at Kaisel, Eschwege and Gotha were attacked; and 14 acrodromes in Holland and Germany were bombed.
'A German fighter which attempted to intercept a British bomber was shot down. Five British planes fail-fed to return (rom the raids.
'A German bomber whic brought down in south-west England early yesterday skimmed the root of farm house before crashing in the field. Three of the occupants were killed. The pilot was the only sur viver. He parachuted to earth, where he was captured by a farmer, a 47-year-old ex-soldier and a member of the Home Guard who seized shotgun and raced seress the farm yard in his stockinged feet.
The farmer afterwards A the pilot was "a bit contrary, ig he have him have it not to do it ay righter told The pilot was taken to th farm house, where the farmer's wife bath: ed and bandaged his cuts. Ie was afterwards given tea and cakes, and then the farmer, still armed with his marched him two miles to the Village constable's house—Reuter.
An Air Ministry communique states an enemy fighter was shot down the Channel by a patrol of RAF. fighters yesterday' afternoon.
Later a second enemy fighter was down by British fighters off the ithreast. coast trawlers in successive waves of 30, nking five small" vessels a with of the damaged ships—a $54-ton to be beached subsequently.
These losses were officially leased here today to contradict German communique claiming have sunk I ships totalling 43,000 tons, and to have severely damaged a further 12,000 tons of shipping. The German figures are described as srosely exaggerated.
Shortly after the Gem tacks on the convoy, nine German motor torpedo-boats were sighted proceeding to attack the convoy. Two British destroyers and two motor torpedo-boats at" once _pro-and engage the The Germans are said to have retired behind a smoke-screen imme= el out 15 minutes, to smoke the damage inflicted the Germans could" not be observed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.