AIR RAID ON PARIS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 158, 4 June 1940, Page 7

AIR RAID ON PARIS

WAVES OF NAZI BOMBERS AMERICAN ENVOY’S ESCAPE (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph— Copyrignt.) Received June 4, 9.30 a.m. PARIS, June 3. Six waves of German air raiders attacked Paris this afternoon! The. air raid alarms were sounded at F. 30 p.m. Several bombs struck houses far from military objectives. A number of« civilians were killed, including an American and a two-year-old girl, and many were injured. The raiders caught Paris after lunch. of German ’planes circled over the city. Explosions on the outskirts, shook windows in the centre of the city. Red Cross and police cars dashed through the streets. • .Scores of French fighters took off and engaged in combats high over Paris, and anti-aircraft guns went into action. The raiders are reported to have dropped a considerable number of high-explosive and incendiary bombs. The raiders also aised whistling bombs. ,

OFFICIAL RETICENCE. , Some flew to a height of 30.000 ft, sacrificing accuracy for safety from the anti-aircraft guns. The all-clear signal was given at 2.1 S p.m. The French radio announced that for strategic reasons it was impossible to give results of the efficacious defence by the fighters and anti-aircraft batteries during, the raid or the nature of the French reply. M. Laurent-Eynac (French Air Minister) was entertaining the American Ambassador (Mr W. C. Bullitt) and others at lunch when a bomb crashed through the ceiling and fell within 10ft of Mr Bullitt; wlio was not hurt. Ten minutes after the last explosion municipal lorries appeared and patched the holes in the streets. The whole neighbourhood went into action to repair the damage. Soldiers took charge of the traffic and wounded. The Berlin spokesman stated that German bombers this afternoon attacked the Paris aerodrome at Issyles Moulinaux and other aerodromes, and the establishments of the French Air Force in the environs of Paris. DETAILS OF CASUALTIES. A Paris communique (according to a later message) states that oyer a thousand bombs were dropped in the, raid on the Paris region and there were 200 casualties, including 45 killed. It is officially stated that 16 of the raiders are known to have been brought down. It is stated that between 240 and 300 ’pianos participated in the raid. Several schools were hit, and many children were killed. Fifteen bombs hit one school which had been converted into a hospital. Two orderlies were killed. Eight were killed and 48 wounded in central Paris. The remainder of the casualties occurred in the outskirts. . WEEK-END RAIDS. An earlier message stated that, German raids in South-Eastern France over the” week-end were concentrated on tile Marseilles region, behind the Riviera, at Lyons, and five.towns, in the vicinity. Military circles in Paris said the ’planes attacking. Marseilles flew down the Rhone valley and made a. halfcircle over the sea with the idea of giving the impression that they came from the sea in order to cause confusion. . BOMBS IN SUSSEX; NO CASUALTIES OCCUR. , LONDON, June 3, Some damage was done when two bombs were dropped in Sussex early this morning, but there were no casualties. Two bombs were dropped in Sussex in the Ashdown Forest, but anti-air-craft guns were not heard. Local residents-believe that a raider lost its way and jettisoned its bombs in order to lighten the load.