"THERE'LL ALWAYS BE AN ENGLAND:

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 217, 12 September 1940, Page 7

"THERE'LL ALWAYS BE AN ENGLAND:

MAJESTIES CHEERED. Tour Of Wrecked Homes And Stricken People. British Official Wireless. (Reed. 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 11. The King and Queen took shelter under a police station this morning' during an air raid warning, while Their Majesties were on a tour of the bombed areas in south-east London. They first visited a block of flats where a direct hit was scored by a German bomb and a number of people were killed. Their Majesties were deeply moved by what they saw and then conversed with bereaved persons. They watched A.R.P. workers clearing the* wreckage and expressed warm appreciation of their work. As the King and Queen walked from the scene the Queen conversed with a group of women, many of whom had lost relatives in the raids. As Their Majesties entered their car. this group sang, "There'll Always Be An England." Proceeding to another place where a heavy calibre bomb had completely demolished 12 houses on one side of the road and wrecked 12 others opposite, the Queen again spoke to a number of women, one of whom said: "Hitler knocked our house down but he ain't got us down." Their Majesties both climbed over the debris to look into a huge crater which a bomb caused. As they walked down streets between wrecked or badly damaged houses, both the King and Queen frequently stopped and spoke to people who told them their visit had cheered everyone up wonderfully. One woman said to Their Majesties: "Hitler has to have a bodyguard wherever he goes, but you come down here just like this. God bless you and keep you." Their Majesties in another borough saw a church which was wrecked by German bombs, also a block of flats damaged on Monday night. Everywhere , throughout their three-hour tour the sympathy shown by Their Majesties was deeply appreciated. They were much impressed by the wonderful spirit of the people. Damage at the Palace. The delayed-action bomb which fell in the grounds of Buckingham Palace 'and exploded in the early hours of yesterday did considerable damage, including hundreds of broken windows. The bomb fell in the Palace gardens close to the garden entrance and the Belgian suite, and buried itself in the ground. While last night's raid was in progress, the bomb exploded with terrific force, wrecking the steps ami the stone balustrades on the north side of the Palace. Among hundreds or" windows shattered were those of the King's private apartments. Pieces of masonry were thrown completely over the top of the Palace and fell in the inner quadrangle, while other pieces, smashed the glass roof of the entrance to the Grand Hall. The King and Queen were spending the week-end at Windsor when the bomb fell, but when the King returned to London yesterday morning he was told of the occurrence, and this morning he and the Queen inspected the crater and also the damaged part of the Palace.

R.A.F. LOSSES. American Factories Replace A Quarter. BRITAIN MAKES UP BEST. WASHINGTON, Sept. 11. The Director-General of the British Purchasing Commission in the United States, Mr. Arthur Purvis, conferred with the United States Secretary for War, Mr. H. L. Stimson. He eaid his visit did not involve an aiipeal for aeroplanes. British sources say that American aircraft factories are turning out aeroplanes for Britain at a rate sufficient to replace a quarter of the Royal Air Force losses. British production is more than making up the remainder of the losses. The Co-ordinator of Defence Production, Mr. W. S. Knudsen, announced that the defence schedule, including aeroplanes for Britain, called for-a ]>eak. production of 3000 aeroplanes monthly by July, 1942. By April, 1942, it was expected that a total of 33,000 aeroplanes would have been completed. Of these, 14,000 would go to Britain, while the remainder would be for American service.