Evening star., 1940-08-08
Nozis Claim "a British Planes,
Il Ships in Big Air Bottle;
9 Germans Lost, Says London
Mony Croft Involved
In Engagement Over
Southeast England
ey the Associated Press.


ey the Associated Press.
LONDON, Aug. 8.-At least nine
German planes--six dive bombers
and three f1ghters-were shot down
In a huge air battle, which ragged
along Englands southeastern coast
this morning, an official announce
ment said.
Two British fighter pilots were
missing after the battle, which fol-
lowed a German bombing attack on
shipping in the narrow waters of
the English Channel.
(The German high command
announced in special bulletin
issued in Berlin that "a British
planes had been shot down and
II ships totaling $1,000 tons had
been sunk in today's engagement.
In addition, the high command
said, tanker of 5000 tons and
two steamers totaling 5000 tons
were sunk by speedboats last
night.)
1t was estimated that some so
bombers and large escort of fight
ing planes were engaged in the bat
tie, which spread inland over the
coastal area.
In one town, where the Germans
and low-f1ying British Spitfires
dived at full throttle with machine
guns blazing, a local court con-
tinued to hear cases while the win
dows of the courtroom ratified to
the bursts of gunf1re.
The air battle ragged far over the
Channel, with planes darting in and
out of the clouds, sometimes fighting
in formation, sometimes in indi-
vidual dog fights.
Plane PIunges Into Channel.
One of the German planes shot
down was Messerschmitt 109,
forming part of the fighter escort
of the heavy bombers. 1t plunged
into the Channel in flames.
The battle, which grew out of the
second raid along the southeast
coast during the morning, lasted ex-
actly an hour. An hour and half
after it was over an Air Ministry
communique put the German plane
losses at nine.
During the battle planes often
swooped within 1000 feet of roof
tops and Channel, but no bombs
were dropped. Large clouds of
smoke were seen near two ports
where 1t was believed two raiders
crashed.
The air was split with almost con-
tinuous cannon fire from the Mes
serschmitts, the sharp crackle of
answering machine-gun fire from
the British Spitflres and an unusu-
ally heavy barrage of anti-aircraft
fire.
Observers said Nazi fighters could
be seen speeding out to sea as Spit
fires dived on their tails from the
clouds above.
One Messerschmitt, tackled by
6pitfires, dived down toward the sea,
righting itself at a height of only
few hundred feet. Then it streaked
of toward France-still pursued.
Official sources said later there
were only IL British fighters, one
squadron, in the fight against at
least so German bombers and large
escort of fighting planes.
The Nazi bombers were Junkers
BIS and 88s, while the fighters we're
mostly Messerschmitt 109s, although
some of Germany's new Heinkel lib
fighters were in action.
Most of the British planes were
Hurricanes.
Meanwhile in the House of Com
mons it was reported that 258 ci-
villains were killed and 321 injured
seriously during air raids on Britain
during the month of July, in writ
ten answer to question.
War Carried to Norway.
An Admiralty announcement said
British planes had carried the war
to the German occupied coast of
Norway, with units of the fleet air
arm successfully attacking a gaso-
line storage depot miles south of
Bergen.
Reports from the attacking Skuas
British bombers) indicated that the
entire gasoline depot had been de-
stroyed.
Describing the channel air battle,
the Air Ministry said "a number of
engagements took place" and "the
destruction" of several other Ger
man planes had been reported with
out full confirmation.
Earlier a German bomber attack
on small shipping convoy off Eng
lands southeastern coast had been
reported, with indications that the
Nazi raids were increasing in in
tensity with particular attention to
that area.
Watchers on the shore saw a
number of bombs drop in the sea
and heard heavy gunfire before
British pursuit planes drove off the
bombers.
Attacks Limited in Scope.
Attacks, however, appeared to be
= limited in scope, and most of the
invaders flew at high attitudes, ap-
fighters went up to intercept them,
then began a continuous patrol.
Bombs were dropped over other
sections, apparently by lone planes.
No particular damage was reported.
The days activity followed a
night of raids on English, Welsh
and Scottish points. Leaflets con-
tanning excerpts from Adolf Hitlers
peace or Destruction ultimatum
also were dropped again.
In the night raids, the government
announced, casualties were sverv
few" though some women walking
on country road were seriously
injured. Damage was slight except
In one town in the Northeast Eng
land where "a sanatorium and shop
property suffered considerably.