Evening star., 1940-08-16

exploding German heavy explosive,
incendiary and whistling bombs.
Sixteen German bombers attacked
shipping In the southeast area In
a raid quickly broken up by fierce
anti-aircraft fire and swarming
British Spitf1res.
Night Raids Over Wide Area.
The air and home security COM
munique said that last nights at
tacks, although not on large scale,
were spread over a wide area.
Heavy explosions were heard in
the southwest - some residents
thought they might be from naval
gunfire in the English Channel.
A German plane was reported to
have fallen into the sea of a north
east coast town after being Grip
Piled by anti-aircraft fire.
The nation, declared to be pre-
pared for a German attempt at
actual invasion and anticipating
even greater air raids than those
of the last five days, took stock this
morning after yesterdays attack,
which was the greatest air onslaught
in history and brought to Greater
London itself the first raid Of the
war.
The official government summary
as published in a communique this
morning was that little success was
achieved" by the Germans "at
high cost"
1t was reported unofficially ap-
caused at Londons Southern SUD-
urb of Croydon, lying only miles
from the heart of the capital, when
between 20 and 30 of the dread
Stuka dive-bombers made a three
mile dive attack upon the word
famed airdrome there.
I'm the Croydon area a number
Of buildings were damaged. includ-
ing a scene (perfume) factory, and
fires were caused which were soon
brought under control" while on the
airdrome itself mo serious damage
was done" the government said.
High explosive bombs blasted the
chalk from the soil and covered
buildings with a white mantle.
Rescue workers with picks and
shovels searched through the night
for possible further victims in the
ruins of one building hit by a dive
bomber. Volunteers went to hos
pitals to offer their blood for trans
fusions.
There was sudden swelling of
voluntary contributions to fund to
buy more fighting planes for Britain.
Hundreds Watch Fight.
Despite the terrifying whistling
bombs, hundreds stood in the streets
to watch the aerial dogfghts. At
least three German planes were
brought down over and around
Croydon and others were destroyed
trying to get back to their bases.
The raid brought an alarm to
London, where the citizens gen.
orally took to cover. slowing the
tempo of the metropolis for a short
ward for supper.
Pubs closed down but restaurants
continued to serve meals. Life quick
ly returned to wartime norm.
and by night the theater district was
packed.
Although the attack on Croydon
seemed the most sensa tional be-
cause of the use of the dread dive
bombers and It's proximity to Lon
don itself. other sections of the
country bore their share of the as
sault, late reports showed.
One Down a Minute.
Throughout the country r. A. F.
fighters were in the air for long
periods during the day-"often land
ing just to rearm and refuel." the
Air Ministry said. In one battle
German planes were shot down at
the rate of one a minute, the Air
Ministry news service said.
Twenty German planes were shot
down in one fight alone over a
southwest English town when 80
Spitfire and Hurricane fighters en-
gagged an attacking force of 200
Messerschmitt fighters and Dornier
bombers.
An express train was struck by
machine-gun fire from German
raider in a northeast town, several
persons were killed and a number
injured by bombers in another
northeast town, and Wales, South