Evening star., 1939-09-06
No oBombsFaII:
Terrific Firiinq
Lasts y Hours
Sky Full Of Smoke;
Witness Tells of s.
Hit on One Attucker
BY the Associated Press.


enemy air force to invade England
since the war started was fought of
today by British aircraft guns
and defending planes in an early
morning combat which halted nor
NAL activity in the worlds largest
city for 21a hours.
No bombs were dropped, and the
ministry of information said the in
vaders apparently did not 'pene-
trate our defenses at any point"
They were attempting to raid the
east coast, but anti-aircraft bat
teries stationed there opened up
with terrific din. Puffs Of smoke
filled the sky.
squadrons of British fighters went
aloft and the sound of machine
gun fire could be heard.
No aerial combats could be seen
from the ground. however.
The air raid attempt on Britain
came at about $40 am. Q2:40
am, E. S. t., but the German
bombers were driven of, it was an
nounced, before any bombs could
be dropped.
The "all clear" signal was sounded
at sos am. C3:05 am, E. S. T).
Apparently no raiders came the
Essex side of the Thames River.
Gunf1re was heard in the distance
up to $40 am. (2:10 am, E. S. IT,.
Shortly after the alarm terrific
anti-aircraft firing started along the
east coast and it was presumed that
an enemy raid was being made.
Flights Of Planes Seen.
Squadrons of British fighters
passed over the towns, and the sound
of machine-gun fire could be plainly
heard. No raiding planes could be
seen here, but the sky was filled
with smoke from bursting shells.
The alarm was the third in Lon
don since war was declared. When
the sirens shrieked a warning all
busses and surface cars stopped, but
underground and other trains con-
tinued.
There was no sign of panic as pas
Sengers, with gas masks slung over
their shoulders, left the busses and
cars in orderly fashion and went to
places of safety. Inside the raid
shelters the crowd chatted cheer
fully and discussed the war news Of
the day.
Several flights of planes were
seen making for London, but their
dentity-whether attackers or de-
fenders-was not determined.
The crowds who had calmly gone
to shelters gazed at the clear sky
while anti-aircraft batteries were
heard distinctly.
Hit on One Plane Seen.
Many LondQners seemed more in
terested in watching the shells burst
than in seeking safety. Air wardens
in many places reported they had
some difficulty in persuading the
people 10 nunt shelter.
William Ferry, watching from his
garden shelter, said he saw about a
dozen shells burst around a plane
and added neighbor told me that
he saw the tail part of a plane fall
away"
"We saw plane circling around, !"
another witness said. Then there
was gunfire and a shell seemed to
burst near the tail of the machine.
can't say whether it was brought
down but it dived straight toward
the ground"
Official Announcement.
The ministry announced:
I'VE are officially informed that
enemy aircraft were reported near
the east coast of England this morn
Ing. So far as is known, they did
not penetrate our defenses at any
point, and no damage has been re-
ported"
The ministry of information an
nounced that further reconnais-
sance was carried out by aircraft of
the Royal Air Force over Germany
last night. The planes, in their thkd
flight over Germany, dropped "a
note to the German people" In two
previous mass flights British planes
showered Germany with millions of
copies OF messages to the German
people.
All Returned Safely,
"Our aircraft was not engaged by
enemy fighters and, as on two previ-
GUS occasions, they all returned
safely" the ministry said. Copies
of note to the German people were
again distributed over wide area"
r. A. Butler, undersecretary for
foreign affairs, said in the House
of Commons that German bombinps
IN Poland have been generally d.
rected against objectives serving
some military purpose and not in
discriminatory against the civil pop-
ulation."
He said there had been many
civilian casualties, nevertheless.
Mr.. Butler also said the govern
ment had no of1icial reports that
the Germans were using gas, but
we have read in the press that gas
bombs have been used"
Mr.. Butler told questioners that
no official declarations Of neutrality
had been received from Soviet Rus
sia, Italy, Spain or Japan, but
Italy, Spain and Japan have is
sued notifications to this effect"