ASK RAID ON LONDON

Hokitika Guardian, 15 June 1917, Page 2

ASK RAID ON LONDON

HEAVY CASUALTY LIST

NO MILITARY DAMAGE.

LONDON, June 13 - Official: The casualties from the air raid now total 55 mon 16 women and 26 children killed and 223 men, 122 women and children injured. There was no naval or military damage. SCHOOL BLOWN TO PIECES. LONDON, Juno 14. Eight raiders wero dearly soon following the Thames three flying on the south side. The majority of deaths in the East End of London were children including two mutilated babies which have not been indentified. A bomb killed an entire family. The father was nursing a baby three days old „.e the convalescent mother when .so was wrecked.

Another story of tho school catastrophe says tkat terrible scenes were witnessed. The teacher was about to uismiss the children for lunch when the bomb foil squarely on the roof. It made only a small hole but the full explosion ocurred within the room. Tho children screamed and fainted. The teacher strove to pacify the little charge. One teacher was badly woundo dbut the remainder stuck to their posts, some rendering first aid and the injured .children to safety. Soldiers assisted in removing those injured to the hospital in waggons.

writhing with pain and moaning piteously while many died in their desks. Tho dead suffered terrible wounds. Mr. Will Cooke was a hundred yards from the schools when it was bombed. He throwed him self on the ground and escaped injury. Mr. Crooks is astonished that any children survived. The four walls were blown out and tho desks and scats' were smashed to atoms

A train was bombed when arriving at a station. It quickly caught alight and there were many casualties. The station was barricaded and the work of rescue and the removal of the dead was carried out rapidly. Several of the dead could not bo recognised The suburban trains resumed within an hour.

Several aerial torpedoes were discharged. One crashed in to a Tea blending" store, killing six girls and seriously injuring sixteen-

FURTHER PARTICULARS. LONDON, June 13. Official.—Bombs were first dropped in tho outskirts in tho East End of London, At 11.30 a.m., numerous bombs fell in rapid succession jn the East End. One fell at a railway station hitting an incoming train. Seven people were killed and seventeen injured here. Another fell on a school, killing ten children and injuring 60. A number of warehouses wero damaged and fires wero caused. The /casualties so far reported in the London area are 41 killed and 121 injured, The final figures may bo greater, A few bombs were also dropped near tho North Foreland and opposite the hank of the Thames, where four were injuredthe raid lasting fifteen minutes over London. .

The guns engaged the raiders and many aeroplanes, naval and military, mounted as soon as the enemy was reported off the coast. Several engagements occurred but the results are at present uncertain.

A german dream

AMSTERDAM, Juno 13

The “Berliner Morgen Post” in a heavy type headline, announces the flight of the English Government from London

THE RAIDERS

LONDON, Ju n o 13.

Apparently only five raiders reached London. One group determinedly returned after being chased off.

FURTHER DETAILS

EAGER SPECTATORS. LONDON, \Ju n e 13. Twelve or thirteen aeroplanes reached the coast of North Foreland and crossed Essex. Thirteen bombs fell in the City. All the anti-air craft guna and defences in the areas affected wore brought into action, hut the gunners at first had difficulty in locating the raiders, who were very high owing to the mist. The low-ly-ing clouds and brilliant sunshine also made markmanship difficult, but afterwards they got in good work. Tho first intimation of the raid in tho City was the noise oT" the guns and dense masses of smoke rising from various points where bombs had fallen. The streets were soon densely crowded with onlookers. Some women were inclined to be hysterical, and there was a local panic for a few moments, Ifni tho majority of the pooplo showed splendid spirit. The polico and soldiers handled the situation with commendable promptitudo. The King immediately he heard of tho raid visited the affected areas by motor car and the wounded in tho hospital. Tho raiders never descended below 17,000 or 18,000 feet- - Besides hitting an East 'End school where ten children were killed, bombs fell within twenty yards of a' school whore there were 1000 children. They had been drilled to meet an emergency and all got under the desks and remained there while the teacher' read a story.

After tho raid tho raiders were seen passing the Coast going towards Germany. They wero chased but clouds assisted them to escape. In the House of Commons Mr. Sonar Law stated that the casualties were •istimatod at between 80 and 90 killed and 400 injured. He also announced a serious munition explosion at Ashton under Lyne wherea number were killed or injured.

REPRISALS FAVOURED. NEW YORK, June 14. The New York Sun in an editorial says—. “'We are able to crush the Genman air forces, and suggest raids against Germany for the London attacks.

further details. • (Australia & N.Z, Cable Association.) LONDON, June ' - | There was-hot hazy weather, perfect .'conditions for aeroplaning. The bomba wore dropped promiscuously in different areas. One***set an empty train. afire. . j

There was intense excitement, particularly in south London, where the spectators witnessed the aerial combats. Finally the raiders were driven off.

FURTHER PARTICULARS

THE LOSS OF LIFE. WELLINGTON, This Dav. The High Commissioner reports from London on June 13th at 3.20 p.m.: Official repoflb.—Killed in the air raid: 41; injured 121. The lists are incomplete. A bomb fell on a railway station, hitting an incoming train. Seven persons were killed and 17 injured here. Another bomb fell on a school, killing 10 and injuring 50 children.

MORE DESTRUCTION

KILLED WITH BOMBS.

(Received This Dav at 12.25. p.m.) LONDON, June 14.

A bomb demolished a block of offices. All the floors were wrecked and a dozen persons were killed, including two who were ordered to go to tho basement and wont to the street. One lost an arm and other both legs, both died in a few moments. Several wore buried in the Upper floors. A bomb fallng on a workshop killed 'three and injured Thirty.

KINO GEORGE’S ANGER.

“IT MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL.”{

(United Service Telegrams.)

(Received June 7th, at 12.20 a.m.) LONDON, June 14.

Viewing tho dead bodies of women aid children in tho mortuary, King Georgo bitterly exclaimed—“lt makes my blood boil. They will do anything.” The bombs missed two historic London buildings by few yards.

LONDON CASUALTY TOTAL. WELLINGTON, This Day. Tho High Commissioner reports from London June 14th. at 12.15. a.m. Tho latest police reports regarding the air read to-day gives the casualties as follows: Men killed 35 Womten Killed 16 Children killed 26 Total 96 WOUNDED. Men 223 Women 122 Children 94 Total I^9 There was no military or naval damage Efone.

THE TOTAL DEAD. (Received June 15th at ILSQ p.m.) LONDON, Juno 14. Further deaths by the air raid bring thojtotal to 105. There were pathetic scenes at the hospitals. ] Throughout the toight many waited long hours for news of missing relatives. The newspapers comment that tho raiders "were not vigorously attacked before reaching London, and also ask why a warning was not given when tlie authorities knew of their arrival on the coast, fifty minutes before reaching LondonSome newspapers call for the sternest reprisals.

AWFUL HAPPENINGS

SHOCKING DETAILS

(Received This Day at 9.30. a.m.) LONDON, June*, 14.

Harrowing scenes occurred at tic East End school, whore a bomb penetrated the roof and killed a girl on the top floor and several boys in a senior class on 'the next floor. It exploded in the infants’ room on the ground floor, scattering sixty four infants. Tho teachers were uninjured, but were covered with bloou. They worked heroically.

Solders and Bliio Jackets wept when removing tho marimed bodies. Exercise books and shattered slates wore clasped in the little hands. Portions of nino boys and girls wero carried joujt and laid on the roadslide.

Others were terribly mutilated, their hands or feet boing blown off Anguished mothers flocked to the school, and being debarred from aamission, frantically scaled tho walls.

AGEIRMAN CLAIM

[ADMIRALTY —PER WIRELESS PRESS.]

(Received. This Day at 8.50. a.m.) LONDON, June 14. Gorman official.— Our airmen bombed tho port of London-