Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-05

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Oct. 5.-MaSSed Ger
man bombers, squirrel by innumer-
able fighting planes, ushered in the
fifth week of the air siege of Lon
don today and Spanned England
with their bombs but, according to
the Air Ministry, lost 20 planes to
the fierce fire of Britains ground
and aerial defenSes.
The thruStS at London were par
RED in a three-hour battle over the
coast of Kent, where at least eight
attackers were reported shot down
The British Press Association said
about 70 bombers and fighters
crossed the Kent coast this morn
ing
The few planes that broke
through the coastal front, with its
smoking batteries of ground guns
and its interceptor patrols, met an
other screen of air and ground fire
over London. One plunged to de-
struction and the others scattered
after dropping few bombs.
ide-ranging Assaults.
It was a day of Wlde-ranglng as
saults for the Nazis. Aside from
London and the southeast coastal
region, invading planes were re-
ported over northeast and south
west England and the industrial
Midlands.
In the great battle over Kent and
the Channel waters three of the
eight German planes were seen to
dive into the sea, the British Press
Association reported, while three
others were reported turned to hurt
ling, burning wreckage over the
town of Ashford.
One flight of bombers, accom-
panied by about 40 fighting planes,
came in from the southeast, only to
be split up by fast-diving r. A. F
patrols. One machine burst in mid
air and two German crewmen were
killed.
Gunfire was heard in Central
London this afternoon as raiders
broke through the coastal screen
of fighter planes and anti aircraft
guns to reach the capital.
Planes Meet Fierce Barrage.
A half-dozen German planes were
sighted from the Associated Press
rooftop observation post. They
droned toward Central London in
the clear blue sky, splotched here
and there by clouds, and were met
by a fierce barrage which turned
the leaders back just as two British
fighters roared into view.
Dizzy aerobatics followed and one
of the Germans made sickenlng
dive The others vanished into pro-
tective clouds.
The people OF the Kent town re-
manned on the streets to watch the
battle and cheered as the bomberE
were brought down in swift sue
cession
In East London, three bombs fell
shortly before Minister of Home Sc
curity Herbert Morrison and Shell
ter Director Admiral Edward R. G
r. Evans toured battered areas there
One bomb dropped 100 yards from
the mayor of the borough who was
setting out to welcome the two Of
ficials. Another blasted a hole in
cemetery, throwing fragments o.
tombstones over nearby housetops
Until a British fighter patro
cleared the skies, Mr.. Morrison ane
Admiral Evans kept to refuge in g
shelter crowded with 1000 Lon
doners.
Night Raiding Light.
The new attacks came after The
capitals second successive night Of
lighter usual bombardment.
The embattled capital was heart
ened particularly by indications the
gathering winter barrier of storm!
and clouds would hamper the raid
ers as much as it would the city
defenders.
AS on Friday morning, the Ger
man flyers who struck through
murky skies left the city severa
hours before dawn. They came
earlier than usual the evening be-
fore. but an all-clear signal short
" after midnight separated the
nights two attacks.
For the first time in many night
the Royal Air Force APPARENT,
eased up on its counter blows a
Germany and German-held bases
The British Press Association salt
it was learned that "our bomber
have not carried out any operation
during the night" because OF "ex