The frst formation of bombers was led by four machines in diamond shape, the rest. following in. threes. Halt an hour later, the raiders turned and scattered all over sky as British fighters engaged them, In the ensuing battle at least three, possibly four, raiders are believed to have been brought down. One twin-engined bomber crashed on and. The crew. of three baled out and were captured.
One German plane which dived out of the clouds in London's third Yald of today dropped bombs ona town fu the London area. The streets were crowded with shoppers at the time, and the sirens lad not been sounded when the explosions occur~ red. Women and children rushed for shelter, and fire brigade and ARP. seviees' immediately turned out.
'The plane zoomed away after the rst explosion, and then ether explosions-—four' or five—followed. Seven. minutes after the last bom' was dropped, the alarm went 'A heavy cloud of dust swept across the town, Buildings in the contre of the town were shaken, and. glasses fon hotel tables were upset, A fierce air battle developed over the south-east area during the warn: ing. Within ten minutes, a large formation of German bombers was smashed up by gunfire and British fighters, It is believed that several German planes were brought dow Others, with their formation broken, scattered. "Five parachutes were seen descending.
Speed boats went to the rescue of three Germans who baled out of one German bomber which well into the German bombers crossed over three coast towns in formation at a great height to avoid the anti-aircraft barrage. Fighter escorts followed in a straight me behind and above.
The air-raid alarm was sounded in London four times altogether yesterday~including one lasting si hours and 39° minutes—and_ it "is estimated that at least 1,000 German planes were over the outlying areas of the capital at various periods.
Country Strewn with Wreckage The raiders rained heavy bombs after dropping parachute flares ight up their objective, but were made to pay dearly. The countryside around London was strewn last night with the wreckage of various types of German planes Tawn today showed once again that German raiders had done surprisingly little damage, and caused only. a few casualties, in their OS hour Visit to the London area last night, which followed the shattering of mass attacks during the day, when 62 German aircraft were destroyed.
Of those, 58 were destroyed by British fighters and four by antl-aircraft gunfire. The British lost 25 fighters, but 15 pilots were saved.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.