HT This Day: April 6, 1942 -- Colombo bombed: 30 planes shot down

Ceylon’s first air-raid came early on Easter Sunday morning under the cover of low clouds when the shrieking of alarms was followed by the sound of anti-aircraft artillery, pompoms, machine-guns and roar of defending planes taking off to intercept tile enemy. The extent of casualties and losses is not known yet. The public went promptly to shelters and all air-raid precautions services worked with complete efficiency.

The air-raid alarm on Sunday morning was the longest thus far. Sound of gunfire was heard, and people sheltering in open sat-trenches could see at least 25 planes in the air at once. Shells were bursting around them. According to reports, bombs fell at one or two points. Our planes were aloft in formation.

A communique states: “Colombo was attacked by a large force of Japanese aircraft at 8 a.m. (local time) this morning (Sunday). Dive-bombing and low-flying machinegun attacks were made on the harbour and the Ratnamala area. British fighters intercepted the raiders and destroyed a number of aircraft.

“Twenty-five enemy aircraft were shot down for certain by our fighters, while five more were probably shot down, and 25 more were damaged. Anti-aircraft fire accounted for two more in the low-flying attack. Our losses were slight.”

A later ‘communique’ says that the damage done during the morning’s raid was comparatively light, though a small number of civilians were killed and wounded.

Unofficial reports show that Sunday morning’s raids were carried out by a fairly large number of Japanese planes, mostly fighters, who were kept at height by anti-aircraft fire. A few bombs dropped damaged some dwelling houses, while one enemy plane machinegunned the streets. Some casualties have been reported. Enemy action appears to have been confined to a limited area in the city, adjoining the harbor.