The Wilmington morning star., 1940-06-22
BOMBS START FIRES
Civilian Population Crouch
es In Shelters During
Extensive Attack
A. F. PLANES ACTIVE


LONDON, June 21-(Saturday)-
R-Wave upon wage of German
bombers blasted at southern and
eastern England with heavy demo-
lition and incendiary bombs early
today in the most violent attack
so far of the battle of England.
Roaring across the coast for the
third big attack of the week, the
Nazis rent the early morning air
with thunderous explosins n d
started numerous fires which cast
a crimson glow over the country
side.
British Reply
(The British apparently replied
in kind with a raid on Berlin,
where an alarm vas in effect for
364minutes and anti-aircraft guns
around the capital fired at invad-
ing craft. No bomb explosions were
heard in Berlin.)
The bark of anti-aircraft guns,
the chatter of machine guns and
the challenging whine of. British
fighter planes made an ear-split
ting overtone to the sound of the
raiding planes and the intermit-
tent thud f the exploding bombs.
Air raid alarms shrilled with the
approach of the first attackers and
the civilian population crouched in
shelters while the battle ragged on.
One salvo of high explosive
bombs struck a lumber yard in an
,ndisclosed eastern area, shatter-
ing windows in the immediate vi
cinity and shaking buildings as far
as three miles away.
Reports from the attacked areas
said that as soon as the ominous
drone of the Nazi craft became
audible, their motors were drown
ed out. by speedy British fighters
darting into the skies to the attack.
Attack in Relays
The Germans attacked m north
eastern locality in relays for more
than two hurs, dripping bmbs.
In one area the bombs fell SO
wide of any mark that they were
believed to have been jettisoned
by an nemy plane seeking to out
run tn hot British pursuit. d,
Some bombs in an eastern To-
cality fell into fields. .
Explosions occurred intermittent
ly for more than an hour in n
northeastern inland area Search
lights probed the sky for a high
flying raider which later headed
out to sea.
Flashes we're seen out at sea.
from one northeast coast district.
Searchlights picked up two Brit
ish planes, flying low, apparently
having chased the raiders seward.
Planes cad midland
Little British spitfires climbed in
to the pre-dawn dark t meet the
invaders in the air. The repeated
drone of motors indicated wave
after wave of Nazi squadrons, fly
ing high and fast, crossed the east
ern and southern coast. All headed
inland.
The shock of explosions was felt
in some parts of a widespread
area even before the first shrek
of the air raid sirens.
Censorship did not permit dis
clsure of the specific area raided
except that it was eastern and
southern England.
Flares were dropped at intervals
for more than an hour in one south
eastern section as the invading
planes CROPPED toward their tar.
gets.
Searchlight beams cut patterns
into the darkness wherever the
drone of motors was heard.
came repeatedly.
Raj Active
In ne area in the east of Eng.
land where heavy detonations we're
heard residents who ventured out
for the chance of a glimpse of an
air battle reported t fighter
planes of the Raj YER very &C.
tive"
The German planes apparently
famed out before reaching the
English coast and spread over an
extensive area