Evening star., 1940-07-11

British warplanes during heavy
attacks today around the coast
of England, the Air Ministry
announced.
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, July 1l.-Germany's
bombers, in unrelenting raids, blast
ed England from coast to coast with
bombs today and turned machine
guns on civilians in the streets of
towns, but England's defenses took
O steady toll.
The government reported "a few"
deaths.
At least eight German raiders
were reported shot down-three in
the southwest, five from one south
coast port-by British fighters and
co-ordinated anti-aircraft fire,
which kept the attackers high in
the sky.
British war planes. striking again
at Italy, were reported by the Ad-
miralty to have sunk an Italian de-
stroyer and depot or store ship
in Sicilian harbor.
Two Killed in Town.
In a southeastern town a German
raider killed two persons. but British
fighter planes chased the plane out
to sea and were believed to have
shot it down.
The British Ministry of Home Sc
eurity issued communique saying:
During the night bombs were
dropped in a number of scattered
points in the eastern and south
eastern counties and in the MD
lands. No casualties were reported
except small number in two east
coast towns of which few were
fatal.
Slight damage of no military i'm
portance was caused"
Enemy planes were reported over
the southwest district also and in
the southeastern town where two
deaths were reported it was said
q Nazi invader machine-g -gunned
civilians and a fire engine crew in
q street and bombed and machine
gunned cattle in a marsh.
An Air Ministry communique an
nounced that Royal Air Force
fighters shot down German
bomber over the Channel this
morning.
The British said German losses
during three weeks of air raiding
against the British Isles totaled at
least IS planes, plus about the same
number damaged and possibly forced
down before reaching home. The
total of German raiders shot down
since the war started was placed
ct lat. and this weeks figure at 38.
Another Nazi plane dropped two
bombs on northeastern town.
badly damaging many houses and
scoring several casualties.
Defenses Keyed High.
Meanwhile, Great Britain's de-
fenses against a German invasion
from the east were keyed to a high
pitch under a new warning such
an attack may be imminent.
While feeling secure against a
smash from the east, however, new
fears arose of a German invasion
of ireland and consequent block
ade of England on the west.
The nations confidence in its
defenses was strengthened by yes
terday's greatest air battles of the
war over England, in which British
fighter planes beat off massed Ger
man bomber and fighter raids,
shooting down IA and damaging %
so severely that they were un-
likely to reach home"
After this intensified attack, Sir
% Edward Grigg, War Undersecretary,
told Commons last night:
Tonight thousands of our soldiers
will be on the alert, waiting for an
attack which may come in several
places at dawn.
Most members of Parliament in
terpreted this remark as intended
to emphasize that Britain's defense
forces always are ready nowadays.
Dawn came without any indication
of German attempt at invasion.
Britain's concern over the Situa-
ton of Ireland has increased greatly.
The government. it is reported,
practically has abandoned hope now
of an agreement between the Irish
Republic (Eire) and Northern Ire
land a part of the United Kingdom,
on a plan for common defense of
their island.
Britain fears Ireland may be in
vaded and a blockade of England
then attempted. With Germans
already controlling the continental
channel coasts. their presence at
England's back door would be ex-
tremely menacing.
It is only % miles across the North
Channel from Donaghadee, near
Belfast, to Portpatrick, Scotland; 81
miles across the Irish Sea from
Dublin to Holyhead, England, and
81 miles across ST. Georges Chan
mel from Rosslare to Goodwick,
Wales.
Only Tuesday night Irelands min
lster of supply. Sean Lemass, warned
Sac LONDON page A-31