KEPT CIRCLING

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 94, 17 October 1940, Page 12

KEPT CIRCLING

GERMAN RAIDERS

INTENSE BARRAGE

COMMUNAL SHELTER HIT

LONDON, October 16. Three enemy bombers are reported to have been shot down tonight in raids over Britain. Bad weather and j low, flying clouds hid London from the first of the raiders, who began to drop their bombs indiscriminately almost before the sirens had ceased sounding. To begin with the raiders i remained above the clouds and itj seemed impossible for them to aim their bombs. Every now and then they dived beneath the clouds and caught lightning glimpses of the targets. But the clouds gave them little shelter and salvos of shells from the anti-aircraft guns followed ; them wherever they turned. ; The clouds cleared later and the Ger- : mans could be seen racing through ■ patches of moonlight. The barrage became even more intense and a constant hail of shells kept the enemy : circling high and vainly over London. There were casualties when a communal shelter in a working class street was hit by a heavy-calibre bomb. A bomb also fell on a mental hospital, , but fortunately there were no casualties. Between October 7 and 14 the German air force lost 71 aircraft, compris- ' ing 46 fighters, 22 bombers, and three seaplanes. The Royal Air Force in the same week lost 45 fighters and eight bombers, but 27 of the fighter pilots are safe. The Russian radio draws attention to the attacks which British planes are making on German air bases from Antwerp to Le Havre, and also notes that German ports and industrial centres are visited regularly. Discussing the efforts of the Luftwaffe, the Russian radio said that the German attacks had had no appreciable results. The British Fleet had not left any of its bases; not even those on the south-east coast of England. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright.) (Received October 17, 2 p.m.) LONDON, October 16. A heavy death-roll and many casual- ! ties are feared as a result of the bombing of a London school during Tuesday night's raid About forty persons have been rescued from the debris. Troops reached some by means of tunnelling four shafts under the wreckage. Doctors attended serious cases by torchlight. Fleets of ambulances were busy all night.