London, Aug. 16.
a day of unprecedentedly fierce air battles, Royal Air Force fighters and anti-aircraft batteries achieved yet further distinction yesterday by destroying no less than 167 German aircraft, the largest number downed since the Battle of Britain started.
British losses, according to an Air Ministry communique, were 34 fighters, but the pilots of 17 of these were saved.
The Germans, in a further intensification of their aerial Blitzkrieg against British aerodromes, used more than 1,000 bombers and fighters yesterday.
One hundred and fifty-three of these were destroyed by British fighters, 11 by anti-aircraft fire, two by infantry soldiers, and one by the crew of a Lewis gun.
Little success, says the Air Ministry, was achieved by the Germans In most cases the raiders turned tai when tackled by Spitfires and Hurricanes, but between 30 and 40 reached Croydon aerodrome, on the outskirts of London, and, after diving, released their bombs and fed. This was the first attack on the aerodrome, which suffered some damage.
Bombers also crossed the north.cast coast, and several people were killed fud injured in the industrial area, where a stationary train was prayed by bomb splinters.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.