Daily Post - 15.08.1940, Page 3

DAILY POST
3
British bombers have flown over the Jura
mountains to northern Italy and raided Italy’s
largest aircraft fagtories at Milan and Turin.
London, August 14th.
British bombers flew over the Jura
mountains fast night on their way to
northern Italy, raided Italy’s largest
aircraft factories; the Caponi factories
in Milan and the Fiat factories in Tu-
rin. The distance flown is about 1600
miles, the attitude over the Alps 2
miles. The raid was very effective.
One plane circled over the Fiat fac-
tories frorn 12,30 to 1,45 A. M. and
bombed both ends. Explosions occured
and fire broke out. Railroads, hangars
and other buildings were also damag-
ed. Incendiary bombs were dropped
on the Caponi factories, from one end
to the other, and on hangars in the
vicinity. Fire broke out in several of
the places raided. A raid was also
made on an important railway bridge.
The raids appear to have taken the
Italians by surprise. Anti aircraft guns
were brought into action, but energy
and precision were apparently lacking.
All the British planes, but one, re-
turned safely, it made a forced landing
near the British coast, the crew was
saved.
GERMAN AIR RAID REPULSED.
FOLLOWING A FAIRLY QUIET
MORNING AIR RAIDS ON ENG-
LAND RECOMMENCED THIS
AFTERNOON.
London, August 14th.
Early this afternoon many enemy
planes flew over the south-eastern coast
of England and a big air fight, over a
city on the coast, ensued. Official reports
have not been received, but it is conject-
ured that about 150 German planes parti-
cipated in the raid. The Germans succeed-
ed in destroying a few barage baloons.
The Germans were repulsed, and the da-
mage done was negligible.
GERMAN LOSSES EXCESSIVE.
London, August 14th.
German areoplane losses in raids on
England the last three days are as follows:
Bombers Fighters
Sunday 22 44
Monday 30 32
Tuesday 64 14
From the 18th. of June 1940, when Ger-
man air raids on England began in earnest,
till yeseterday evening, 527 German
planes have been shot down, the British
losses totaling only 16 planes. Thus 543
German planes have been shot down and
over 500 German pilots killed or taken
prisoner in 56 days. At the same time 127
British planes have been lost and 99 pilots
killed.
BRITISH WARSHIPS HAVE ROUT-
ED ITALIAN MECHANIZED FOR-
CES, WHICH were advancing
FROM THE COASTAL TOWN
ZEILA, IN BRITISH SOMALI-
LAND, TO BERBERA.
London, August 14th.
In a report from Cairo, the Italians are
said to be making little progress in British
Somaliland. They have attempted to ad-
vance, along the coast, from Zeile in the
direction of Berbera, but British war-
ships opened fire on the Italian mechaniz-
ed troops and routed them.