SCENES IN DOCKLAND

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 249, 18 September 1940, Page 8

SCENES IN DOCKLAND

INDOMITABLE SPIRIT

RESISTS NAZI FOULNESS,

(United Press Association —Copyright.') (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 1.5 p.m.) ItUGBV, Sept. 17. Tia Minister of Shipping (Mr ii, 11. Cross), in a broadcast, dei-cribed a visit to the London docks and paid a tribute to the dwellers in Dockland. ‘*A few days ago I niade a. tour of tho Port of London, which has beeu a main target tor the German raiders,” he said. “You will have read about the terrible onslaughts. Hundrews of German aeroplanes have rained high-explosive and incendiary bombs on the docks. A good deal of damage has been done and great fires have lit up the skies at night. We have wondered whether anything could possibly survive them. AVhat was the true extent of the damage the Germans are no doubt wondering, too, and you will not expect me to satisfy their curiosity.

SPLENDID SPIRIT

“Our fire fighting men have been quite wonderful. 1 have seen them tired out but still working on thenhoses. I have seen them going home in their tenders, utterly worn, filthy, dirty, and sleepily seeming to prop each other lip, but still full of grim cheerfulness and ready to crack a joke with the passengers of any car that might overtake them, and more than ready to start off again the moment they are needed.

“After days and nights of horror and bombs and flames, thanks to the wonderful air raid shelter organisation of the Port of London Authority there was only one man killed by enemy action within the limit of the docks, and be was in a tin cabin which bj sheer bad luck got a direct hit. But outside the docks the story is . very different, and there is' the strange eight of miles of firemen’s hoses running the length of street after street. HUNS’ FOUL HAVOC.

“London’s docks are siirroundcd by a densely crowded area. There are many miles of small streets where hundreds of thousands of London’s poorest people live in tiny houses, mostly ucakiv built. “To" their everlasting shame the linns have poured a deluge of destruo. tion on these unlucky toik. I saw their wicked havoc. 1 saw the mangled wreckages of these little homes, hundreds upon hundreds of them. I saw sights to bring tears to your eyes.

“1 came back home wondering how man could bo so foul, and also how man could be so brave, but knowing well that here in London, here in England, here in our Empire, is the spirit that must_ and shall conquer the powers of evil.”