650 Raiding Aircraft Driven Back It was officially announced at midnight that 42 out of a total of 650 raiding aircraft were destroyed during attacks on this country yesterday. Thirteen of our fighters were lost, but the pilots of seven are safe. The raids were made in the morning, at noon, and in the evening, and the objectives were the Kent and Thames Estuary aerodromes. The attacks were unsuccessful, and all the forma- tions were broken up and driven back across the Channel. Fierce fighting had been seen near London during the day,. and at 10.34 p.m. the Metropolitan area had its third warning which lasted till 2.58 a.m. ATTACK IN THREE WAVES ALL BEATEN BACK At midnight the Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security issued the following comnmiuniqu :- Enemy aircraft launched a further attack on South-East England this afternoon, A con- siderable number crossed the coast df Kent simultaneously, in three waves. While one of these approached soutil London the other two massed in the Thames Estuary and flew northwards. All the enemy formations were engaged and driven back by our fighters. A Thames-side town was bombed and some buildings damaged. Some damage was also done to a town in Essex, but no casualties have been reported from this quarter. At one town in Kent some buildings were hit and some people received injuries, a small ntimber being fatal. Reports so far indicate that no serious damage was caused elsewiere as the result of this attack. It is now known that in the earlier attacks to- day bombs caused damage to houses in several towns in Kent and Essex and to a hospital. Casualties were caused in each area, a small number being fatal. Reports tip to 10 p.m. show that 42 enemy air- craft have been shot down in to-day's actions; 38 by our fighters and four by anti- aircraft gunls. Thirteen of our fighters have been lost but the pilots of seven are safe. Full reports of the air battles over this country during the week-end show that three more enemy aircraft were destroyed by our fighters on Saturday, making a total of 88 enemy aircraft destroyed on that day. One R.A.F. pilot previously reported missing on Saturday is now known to be safe. HOUSES DAMAGED The Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security issued the following conmitiniqui eariy last evening:- Early this morning cnemy aircraft were engaged by Royaf Air Force fightcrs and anti-aircraft guns near the Thames Estuary. Bombs were dropped at several places in Kent in the course of these engagements. At about mid-day further attacks were made in the same area. In one town a garage was hit and set on fire, and in another several houses were seriously damaged. Reports indicate that casualties have been slight, but they include several fatal injuries in one town. MASS RAIDS FAIL ENGAGEMENTS OVER THAMES ESTUARY Yesterdav. the last of the first year of the war, the German Air Force made three un- successful mass attacks on Kent and Thames Estuary aerodromes. An Air Ministry bulletin states that Fighter Command pilots up to 6.30 p.m. had shot down 22 enemy bombers and fighters, bringing their total of German raiders destroyed during the 12 months to 1,752. Anti-aircraft gunners celebrated the day by adding another four to their total, shooting down their 196th raider. After their breakfast-time fights over thc Thames Estuary and Kcnt in the morning, when they shot down nine of the enemy, the fighter pilots went up to meet the second mass raid of the day soon after midday. This time the German Air Force put over about 250 bombers and fighter cscorts. Seventeen of them did not go home. Four of these raiders were destroyed by the Thames Estuary gunners. Spitfire pilots of an Auxiliary Squadron who shot down three raiders in the early morning attack, destroyed inotlier threce this time. Flying at 20,OOOft. over Chatiham the Spitfire pilots saw 50 Dornier 17 bombers with 80 Messerschmitt fighters above them. While the dog fights were going on, three more squadrons of Messerschmitts arrived on the scene. One Spitfire pilot attacked the last Messerschmitt 109 of the squadrons and said afterwards that the rest did not try to attack him, though they must have seen him. A crack Huirricane squadron found them- selves flying 5,000ft. above 50 Messerschmitt 109s returning home in a long series of small V-shape formations. The Hurricane pilots stirprised the Mcsserschmitts by diving in line astern out of the sun, shooting down two and probably destroying a third. 300 IN ATTACK ON AERODROMES HEAVY A.A. BARRAGE In the third and biggest attack of the day the German air force used another 300 bombers and fighters. It started about 4 p.m. and went on for two hours. The main attack (says an Air Ministry bulletin issued this morning) was again aimed at aerodromes on the north and south sides of the Thames Estuary, and once again the raiding bombers were grected by a terrific barrage of anti-air- craft fire from the Thames-side gunners, who prevented most of the bombers getting anywnere near their targets. During this attack Fighter Command pilots destroyed 16 more bombers and fighters. Tcn Hurricane pilots flying over. Gravesend met a force of German bombers and escorting ightlers covering an area of three to four square miles. There were 20 Dornier bombers flying at 15,0.00ft., with ~.bot 100 Messer- <chmitt fighters massed up behind in tiers to no oooft. The Hurricane pilots attacked the bombcrs from below. Tlle Messerschniitts then attacked the lHurricanes, and in the dog fights which followed threc of the Messer- schmitts were destroyed and a fourth damaged. The Polish fighter squadron was also in action during this raid. While flying over Dover 10 Messerschmitt 109 fighters tried to suirprise them by attacking out of the sun, but the Polish pilots avoided destruction and then clhased the Messerschmitts across the Channel. A sergeant-pilot shot down one into the sea 10 miles from the French coast. Another sergeant pursued a second Messerschmitt over the French coast and left the German fighter losing height with clouds of black smoke pour- ing from its fuselage. A flying officer chased another Messerschmitt over the French coast. He fired bursts of machine-gun bullets into the figiter at from 150 yards to 20 yards range. When the Polish pilot last saw the German fighter it was losing height with its engine on fire. Th^ squadron leader of a famous Spitfire squadron broke up the largest formation of Messersclmitt fighters the British pilots had ever scen. By weaving in and out the squadron leader was able to entice several of the Messer- schmitts away from the main formation. The other British Spitfire pilots dived down and attacked anything within range. Two of the Messerschmitts were destroyed, one going down in flames. A Dornier bomber was also shot down in flames, the pilot baling out. Another Dornier was badly damaged. THIRD LONDON WARNING London had its third raid warning at 10.34 p.m. When concentrations of search- lights wvere seen in one direction. Two " screaming " bombs fell in gardens in one r esidential district in the London area shortly after midnight. Houses were damaged, but there were no casualties. All householders were in shelters. Late last night enemy aircraft were also reported over cight towns in addition to the London area-two in the South-East, one in the South-West, two in'the North-West, one in the North-East, one in the Midlands, and onc in Wales. 650 RAIDING AIRCRAFT DRIVEN BACK MORNING, NOON AND EVENING ATTACKS 42 GERMAN MACHINES DOWN LONDON WARNING LAST NIGTHT