ALLIES MASTERS OF THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3111, 15 June 1917, Page 5

ALLIES MASTERS OF THE SITUATION

The enemy has again directed a n aeroplane attack on London, this time with results which have brought misery and grief to hundreds of homes. No damage to naval or military property was done, and the raid in this respect, liko all its predecessors, was a failure. Flying at an immense lieight the enemy's raiders were assisted by .bright sunlight, light clouds in minimising their visibility, thus rendering them a difficult mark for the gunners. One, at least, has been brought down. In point of casualties to human life the raid was tho most serious yet reported. The raiders were engaged immediately they approached the coast, by aeroplanes and anti-aircraft suns, and immediately after the alarm was given tho streets were filled with curious crowds. A pathetic incident of the raid was tho cold murder of somo school children. There is no news at time of writin « concerning the major operations on tho great war fronts. Sir Douglas Haig to-day publishes a report on tho number of prisoners, guns, machine guns captured in tho recent battle. It was a big haul. Tho Russian situation remains about the same. Later details of tho Allies' political coup in Greece show that King Constantino made no trouble or fuss, and is now, it is said, about to leave for Switzerland, with his German wife.

AIR BATTLE OVER LONDON SCHOOL CHILDREN KILLED BY HUN ASSASSINS EAST END OF LONDON ATTACKED Tho High Commissioner reports:— London, Juno 13, 1.10 p.m. A British official message slates: ".fifteen hostile aeroplanes crossed tho Essex coast in tho vicinity of the Norc at JI o'clock this morning, .and proceeded towards London, separatiaug half way. Tho East Bud of London was bombed. There aro no-reports as to casualties or damage. The anti-aircraft defences of London wore in action. A largo number of aeroplanes'aro sitll in pursuit." OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF THE CASUALTIES. Tho High Commissioner reports:— London, June J.'i, 5.20 p.m. Official.—"Killed in (ho air raid, II; injured. 121. Tho lists aro incomplete. Ono bomb fell on a railway station, hitting an incoming train; 7 killed and 17 injured here. Another fell on a school, killing 10 children and injuring 50." (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright). (tiec. Juno 11, 5.1,") p.m.) v London, Juno 13. Official— "Tho bombs wore first dropped on tho outskirts of East London at 11.30 a.m. Numerous bombs were dropped in rapid succession over tho East End. Ono fell upon a railway station, hitting an in-coming train, seveu peoplo being killed and seventeen injured here. Another fell on a school, killing ton children and injuring fifty. A number of warehouses wero damaged, and fires wero caused. Tho casualties so far reported in tho London area are 41 killed ana 121 injured. Tho final figures may bo greater. A few bombs wore also dropped near the North foreland and on tho opposite bank of tho Thames, whero four people wero injured. Tho raid lasted fifteen minutes. In London the guns engaged tho raiders, and many aeroplanes, both naval and military, mounted to engago in action as soon as the enemy was roported off the coast. Several ongagemonts occurred, but the results at present are uncertain."—Aus.-N.Z.. Cable Assn.-Eeutcr. THE LATEST CASUALTY LIST. The High Commissioner reports:— „„ , , , ~ , v ~ . London, Juno 14, 12.15 a.m. Jho latest police reports regarding (ho air raid yesterday-givo casualties as follow:— Men. Women. Children. Tl. Killed 55 lli 26 97 Wounded ... 223 122 M .jg>j No military or naval damage was done. STATEMENT BY MR; BONAR LAW London, June 13. Sir. Bonar Law, in the House of Commons, stated, in connection with the raid on London, that one enemy machine had already been brought down. A bomb struck a County Council School, and ten children were killed and fifty in-jured.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Roc. Juno 11, 5.15 p.m.) \, London, June 13. Mr. Bonar Law slated that the casualties from the raid were estimated at between eighty and ninety killed and 100 injured. Hoinlso announced that a serious explosion had occurred at a munitions factory at Ashton-under-Lyne, a number of people being killed or injured.— Ans.-N.Z" Cable. Assn.

TERRIBLE SCENES WITNESSED THE DASTARDLY ATTACK ON THE CHILDREN. (Kee. Jii.no 11, 10.10 p.m.) London, Juno 13. Eight raiders were clearly seen, following the Thames. Three were Hying on. the south side. The majority of the deaths in the East ,End of London wero children, including two mutilated babies who have not been identified. Ono bomb killed an entire family—tho father, who was nursing a baby three days old beside its convalescent mother. Tho house was wrecked. Another story of tho school catastrophe, says that terrible scenes were witnessed. The teachers were about, to dismiss the children for hiiieh when tho bomb fell squarely on tho roof. It was only a small hole, but tho full explosion cauio within the room. Children screamed and fainted, whilo the teachers bravely strove to yaciVy their little charges. One teacher was badly wounded. The remainder stuck to their posts, some giving iirst aid. and others' taking the uninjured children to safety. Soldiers assisted to remove the injured ones in wagons to the hosiplal. They were writhing with pain and moaning piteously. Many of the children were dying at their desks or dead of terrible wounds. Mr. Will Crooks. M.l'., was within a hundred ' vards when (ho school was bombed, lie threw himself on the ground and escaped injury. Mr. Crooks savs he is astonished that any child survived |1 10 explosion. Tho four walls were blown out and the desks and seats blown ( 0 atoms. A. train that was bombed on arrivingat a station quickly caught alight, and there were many casualties. The station was barricaded, and the work of rescue and tho removal of the dead carried out rapidly. Several were unrecognisable. The suburban trains were resumed within tho hour. Several aerial torpedoes were discharged. One crashed into a tea-blendin" store, killing six girls and seriously injuring sixteen.—A us.-N.Z. Cable Assn. LIKE SMALL SPECKS IN THE SKY \ RAIDERS ATTACK FROM A GREAT HEIGHT. (Ece. Juno 11, 5.15 p.m.) ! ~, , ~ . , , , London. June 1.1: twelve or thirteen aeroplanes reached tho coast of tho North Foreland and crossed Essex. Thirteen bombs fell in the city. All tho anti-aircraft guns and deiences in tho areas affected were in action. The gunners' first difficultvwas in locatint' the raiders, who were flying hjjfh, owing to the mist and low-lying clouds. Tho brilliant sunshine also made marksmanship difficult, but ' the gunners aitorwards got in good work. The first intimation of the raid on the city was the noise ol the guns and denso masses of smilro rising at various points where the bombs had fallen. The streets wero. soon densely'crowded with onlookers. Some women were inclined to ], e hysterical. There was a local panic for a few moments, but the mainly of tho people showed a splendid spirit. whilst the police and Uio soldiers handled the sitinitiim with ei nendahle promptitudo. His Majesty the King, immediately he heard of tho raid, visited the affected areas by motor-car. and also visited the wounded in hospital. The raiders never descended lieiow seventeen or eighteen thousand feet. Besides hitting an Ea«t End School, where ten children were killed, tho bombs fell within twenty yards of a school where a thousand children, were in attendance. They had been drilled to meet such an emergency, ami all got: under the desks and remained thero whilo tho teacher read a story. After the raid the enemy's 'planes were seen •passins tho coast going towards Oermanv. Thev wero cha*cil, lilt the clouds assisted them io escape—Aus.-N./<. Cable Assn.