Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-24
Massed Aerial Assaults Resumed:
Heavv Guns Duel Across Channel
Berlin Says Weak
English Defense
Is Overcome
BY the Associated Press.

BERLIN, Aug. 24.-Germany
sent measured waves Of bombers
across the narrow straits of
Dover today to pound with me-
chanical fury at British air and
military strength across South
England to the edges Of London.
Nazi sources said weak" Brit
ish fighter forces were almost
all shot down" in morning raids
on the south of England, and
that subsequently the bombers
raiding military detectives in the
London vicinity encountered no
British fighter defense whatso-
ever"
Anti-aircraft fire was declared
light and badly aimed.
The Germans said they believed
British fighter strength had been
considerably weakened" by recent
losses.
Across the British Isles, said other
authorized statements, British ship
ping was damned helplessly in the
west coast harbors, terminals for
trans Atlantic shipments. DNB,
official German news agency, said
Photographic evidence proved that
the first week of Germany's total
blockade" had paralyzed shipping
around the British Isles.
Claim Dozen Planes.
Waves of 20 or more bombers and
10 fighters were declared to have
breasted the British southeast
coastal defenses during the day,
sending a dozen British fighters into
the water after spectacular dog
fights. Then, according to the Ger
man version, the bombers methodi-
cally blasted at airports and other
military objectives in Kent, SOUTH
east of London. Effective hits on
hangers" were reported.
During the previous night, con-
slant, widespread attacks were re-
ported to have fired and damaged
the west coast ports of Bristol and
Monmouth; Davenport, near Plym-
outh and Great Yarmouth, on the
jutting Norfolk coast. Arms fac
tories and troop concentrations also
were blasted Cambridge. the uni
versity town 81 miles north of Lon
don. was specifically mentioned. A
munitions factory at Banbury. north
of oxford, was said to have been
set afire.
Submarines, the high command
reported, sank more than 100000
tons of enemy shipping space in
eight days and a NaZi raider was
declared to have dispatched the
British armed" merchantmen Tu-
rakina in the Tasman Sea. GA New
Zealand announcement yesterday
said the Turakina had not been
heard from since she reported she
was under a raiders fire Tuesday
night)
Terrific Air Fights.
German headquarters on the
Channel coast declared terrific air
fights broke out over the Channel,
numerous foes were shot down and
planes are floating on the surface
in several places. Twelve British
planes were shot down to no losses
OF our own"
German rescue planes were dis
patched to pick up crews shot down.
The raiders flew out across the
narrowest part of the Channel, be-
tween Calais, France. and Dover,
British Channel port frequently
bombed by the Germans.
British planes made their nightly
visits to Western Germany, but
their bombs failed to cause note
worthy damage, the high command
reported. Three British and two
German planes were said to have
been downed in yesterdays fighting.
Mines Are Credited.
In reporting the paralyzation OF
British shipping, DNB gave credit to
German mines laid in the Irish Sea.
1t said a large number OF mine
sweepers had been observed, some OF
which we're made targets OF NaA
air attacks.
DNB said wharfs and docks were
fully engaged and that the aerial
photographs revealed "a surprisingly
large number of smaller warshlps,
especially destroyers, anchored at
places known to be repair quays."
German Raider Hunted