Evening star., 1940-09-12
British
British
LONDON, Sept. ~ OP.-The
British government issued the
tollotDing communiQues today:

| JottOWtHy tOHtWuttfbco touog.
Severe losses were inflicted on the
enemy in yesterdays air battles, and
the attacks which followed during
the night were less effective than
any Of those since Saturday.
The London area was again the
subject of the majority of the at
tacks and although, as is his GUS
tom, many bombs were scattered at
random by the enemy over widely
separated districts in the capital,
the main force of his offensive was
directed against South London and
It's suburbs.
Shortly after darkness fell forma-
tions of enemy bombers approached
the London area, and these were
followed throughout the night by
waves Of further aircraft. Our anti
aircraft batteries have been con-
| stantly in action, and the heavy bar
RACES put up prevented many enemy
bombers from reaching their OBJ
jectives.
Reports at present available show
| two bombers were shot down by
anti-aircraft fire.
High explosive and incendiary
bombs have started fires and fallen
on many buildings, two hospitals,
many houses and some small fac
tories have been hit. A marked
feature of the raid was the number
of incendiary bombs which were
extinguished by air raid wardens
before being allowed to develop into
fires.
1t is not yet possible to give a
figure of casualties, and although
there were a number Of persons
killed and injured, 1t is probable
the number is less than on any of
the previous four nights.
Outside the London area enemy
activity though widespread has been
relatively slight. Bombs were
dropped in town In South Wales
and in towns in the northwestern
area. Some damage has been done
in each Of these areas, but there
the number OF casualties Is small.
1t Is now confirmed that in yes
terday's air battle 80 enemy aircraft
were destroyed, 80 of these being
shot down by our fighters and nine
by anti-aircraft fire. Twenty-four
of our fighters are missing, but the
pilots Of seven of these are safe.
Berlin was raided against last
night by aircraft of the bomber COM
mand. Heavy damage was inflicted
on a railway station in the heart of
the German capital.
The Berlin raiders arrived over the
city soon after 11:30 pm. and within
minutes of midnight the first
bombs were falling on the city. A
large railway yard south of Pots
dam station was straddled by stick
of heavy caliber bombs followed by
a sslvo of incendiary bombs.
At minutes past midnight an
other raider, evading searchlights
and the anti-aircraft barrage, cur
tanning the city, attacked the An
halter station near PotSdam station.
In series Of runs over the target
this raider bombed the station build
ings and tracks.
The following raiders pressed
home the attack. BY the light of
parachute flares dropped from high
above the citys center repeatedly
salvoes of bombs were seen to strike
the goods yards of two stations.
An anti-aircraft battery in the
Tiergarten, Berlin's Hyde Park, was
bombed and another raider turned
south and dropped high explosive
and incendiary bombs on the Tenn
pelhof Airdrome, Berlin's main air.
port and former military parade
ground.
One Of our aircraft, flying 5000
feet above the city, was hit by
shell fragment which pierced the
cowling of one engine and narrowly
missed the oil tank, but all the air
craft engaged in the attack on
Berlin returned safely to their bases.
Cairo Command
CAIRO, Sept. ~ Op).-The Brit
iSh command issued the tollolD-
ing communique today:
In the course of a series of raids
on objectives In Eastern Libya
yesterday, Royal Air Force bombers
attacked Amseat, just over the
Egyptian border, where four fires
were started; the Derna landing
ground, where bombs fell among air.
craft, and Bardia, where several fires
were started.
Two large fires broke out on jetties
in Derna Harbor.
Enemy bombers again attempted
to bomb MerSa Matruh yesterday,
but were intercepted by our fighters
and suffered heavy proportion of
casualties.
Four S79s Gtalian tri-motored
bombers) were shot down at sea and
destroyed.
On September 9 South African
Air Force bomberS raided Scia
Sciamanna, in Central Ethiopia, and
one Savoia aircraft on the ground
WAS burned ont apd four otberc ay