THE PALACE DAMAGED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 244, 12 September 1940, Page 7

THE PALACE DAMAGED

AFTER TERRIFIC EXPLOSION DELAYED-ACTION BOMB (United Press Association.—Copyright.—ltec. 9.50 a.m.) (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Sept. 11. A delayed-action bomb which fell in the grounds of Buckingham Palace exploded in the early hours of Tuesday. Considerable damage, including hundreds oh broken windows, was done to the Palace by the force of the explosion. The bomb fell in the-Palace gardens close to the garden entrance and the Belgian suite, and buried itself in the ground while last night’s raid was in progress. The bomb exploded with terrific force, wrecking the steps and stone balustrades on the north side of the Palace. Among the hundreds of windows shattered, were those of the King s and Queen’s private apartments.

MASONRY SCATTERED. Pieces of masonry were thrown completely over the top of the Palace and fell in the inner quadrangle, while other pieces smashed the glass roof of the entrance to the Grand Hall. The Belgian suite was occupied by King Haakon .'of Norway. The bomb, believed to have been a 250-pound one, made a crater 10ft deep by 20ft wide, forcing up stone slabs on the terrace. It broke huge columns in the swimming pool building and masonry was sent flying into the air. Splintered glass fell over the wide green lawns, and small pieces of masonry fell on the roofs. Broken glass showered the picture gallery and the Chinese Room was slightly damaged. The King and Queen were spending the week-end at Windsor when the bomb fell, but when the King 'return•ed to London yesterday morning he was told of the occurrence, and this morning he and the Queen, with Mr Churchill, inspected the crater and also the damaged part of the palace. Workmen were to-day busy clearing up the debris. ROYAL TOUR. The King and Queen took sheltei under a police station this morning during an air raid warning while Their Majesties were on a tour of the bombed areas in South-East London.

Their Majesties first visited a block of flats where a direct hit had been scored by a German bomb and a number of people had been killed, and were deeply moved by what they saw They then conversed with the bereaved persons. They watched A.lt.P. workers clearing the wreckage and expressed warm appreciation of their work.

As Their Majesties walked from the scene, the Queen conversed with a group of women, many of whom had lost relatives in the raids. As Their Majesties entered their car, this group sang “There’ll Always Be An England.”

Proceeding to another place where a heavy-calibre bomb had completely demolished twelve houses on one side of a road and wrecked twelve others opposite, 'the Queen again spoke _to a number of women, one of whom said: “Hitler knocked our house down, but ho ain’t got us down!” PEOPLE’S APPRECIATION. Their Majesties both climbed over the debris to look into the huge crater which the bomb caused.

As they walked down the streets between wrecked or badly damaged houses, both the King and Queen frequently stopped and spoke to people, who told them their visit had cheered everyone up . wonderfully. One of the women said to Their Majesties: “Hitler has to have a bodyguard wherever he goes, but you come down 'here just like, this. God bless you and keep you.”

Their Majesties in another borough saw a church which had been wrecked by German bombs, also a block of flats damaged on Monday night. Everywhere throughout their three hours’ tour the sympathy shown by Their Majesties was deeply appreciated. The King and Queen were much impressed by the wonderful spirit of the P r e Churchill to-day applauded the new system which factories, newspaper offices. and other establishments are adopting to prevent a disruption of work during an raids Watchers are being posted on roofs to warn when danger is imminent. Sirens will be regarded as an alert not an alarm signal. RANDOM bombing. Bombs fell at random on many places in the suburbs and surrounding districts Preliminary reports indicate ttot iho damage a„d casualties were considerably lighter than on the pre ceding nights. A large maternity lios nit-1 111 the London area was hit but all the patients had previously been CV The ate raiders flew over North-West England the Midlands, the south-east, and the’Bristol Channel where eight bombs were dropped in the cen fro of a town, demolishing a riumbu If buildings. Wales was subjected to a heavy raid for severs 1 hours. Bomb fell in the centre of a town, a number of 20,000 civil deBetween 18,UUU ana ... • fence members working in shifts addition to »!]Vf‘"i,i“‘ s p«d in an ployees, are toil o an( j restore effort to clear the debns d normal conditions in London s bomoeu

arLaS FIRE-FIGHTERS KILLED. so 0 ;if;-c'rr?ine S d, h inc : lud a h crushed under ZZ&vrisrliSi dating 25,000 people. Tendon Bombs fell near three famous Lo do museums, but the exhibits were little damaged.

The underground railway senices are now- almost normal o t ] K ’ except one or two sections where the services have been tempo y pended.