Enemy: by fighters, bombers 57 destroyed, 14 probable, 17 damaged; fighters: 62 destroyed, 20 probable, 23 damaged; unidentified, 34 destroyed, 21 probable, 23 damaged by A.A., unidentified 3 destroyed, 6 probable, totals 161 destroyed, 61 probable, 58 damaged. British: 34 fighters shot doom (18 pilots lost). Two Blenheims, 1 Whitley (in sea) missing. Four damaged on ground during attack on aerodrome . Last night air activity was slight and chiefly confined to single aircraft. Some bombs were dropped in Birmingham district and production at a motor factory has been interrupted probably for ten days. One bomb hit Bristol Aircraft Factory but little damage caused. Considerable air transport activity August 14th from Cologne, Berlin, Leipzig to aerodromes at Paris and Brussels. Recent activities of German Air Force suggests that it is the opening phase in an attempt to gain air superiority by exhausting our fighter defences. On August 12th/13th and August 14th approximately 50% of total first-line strength of dive-bombers and fighters was probably employed. This policy is not proving successful and Germans have suffered heavy casualties. 4. Shipping casualties. Yesterday British ship 1500 tons in convoy carrying coal from Newcastle to Thames rained and sunk off Harwich, all crew saved. |