"HUSH-HUSH" GUNS IN ACTION AT LONDON

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 177, 29 July 1942, Page 5

"HUSH-HUSH" GUNS IN ACTION AT LONDON

NEW TYPE IN USE Scattered Nazi Raids For Home Consumption United Press Association.—Copyright Rec. 11 a.m. LONDON, July 28. As London's anti-aircraft guns went into action in the early hours of the morning, it was quickly realised that the latest secret type was being used. People soon noticed the new noise as shells screamed to the sky. Home Guard units manned some of these "hush-hush" batteries, which scattered shrapnel in the city's streets. The raiders on London formed part of the force which attacked widely separated Mistricts, including towns in the Midlands, East Anglia, the West Country, north-west and south coasts. This was the largest force sent over Britain for months. Fire bombs were dropped in London's semi-rural outskirts. Despite the German claim that 200 planes attacked Birmingham, it is estimated that only 50 to 70 were over Britain. The raiders spread out to such an extent that the attacks seemed designed for internal consumption in Germany as a reprisal fqr Hamburg rather than as a deliberate attempt to interfere with Britain's war effort. Although eight raiders were destroyed during the night and a ninth off the south-west coast in the morning, the Air Ministry says that many more were damaged. Aided by a brilliant moon, waves of planes showered incendiaries on the Birmingham area. Many fires broke out, mostly small, and they were quickly doused. The damage was mostly confined to houses and shops. A few high explosives were dropped, apparently indiscriminately because of the fierceness of the ground defences. Night fighters chased raiders over an area, and the situation on the § round was always under control. everal persons were buried in one shelter, and fires completely ringed the market area, but the market was untouched.