SYSTEMATIC RAIDS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 253, 23 September 1940, Page 8

SYSTEMATIC RAIDS

ON CHANNEL HARBOURS

SETBACK TO ENEMY

(United Tress Association—Copyright.) (ltec. 1 p.rn.) LONDON, Sept. 22. Methodically, hour after hour, R.A.F. bombers continued their work of destruction at Boulogne. A’A great lire on the quayside tended, to. dwarf many others around the harbour. Big explosions were observed at;-intervals, and barges were flaming throughout the night. ' : ’>> • There were also numerous, barge fires at Dunkirk after repeated bigv explosions. . . A blazing warehouse illuminated Ostend harbour, but vast columns oi smoke from another fire north-west-wards of the main basin hindered the bomb aimers. The R.A.F. dive-bombed Calais harbour and set fire to the whole of the target area. Direct hits on four large ships resulted in dense clouds of white vapour. Other .salvoes extinguished ■earchlights.

TOLL OF GERMANS.

ENEMY MORALE LOWERED.

Received September 23, 1.35 p.m. STOCKHOLM, Sept. 22. British submarines are taking toll of the German experimental exercises at embarkation, and have been responsible for many German bodies being washed up on the beaches. The R.A.F. bombing of heavily-laden craft assembled for the invasion has ceitainly claimed many lives. Travellers and seamen arriving from Germany increasingly and persistently report the effects of the R.A.F. night raids, especially on the temper of the Germans, who arc increasingly impatient. Enthusiasm is said to be declining, even among the troops in Belgium and Holland. The belief is growing that the German army has bitten off more than it can chew.

ISOLATED RAIDERS.

ATTACKS ON SUNDAY

(British Official Wireless.) (Bee. L. 25 p.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 22. An Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security communique states: There was no enemy air activity on' a large scale on Sunday morning, although isolated aircraft crossed the East and South Coasts from time to tiniie. Some of these penetrated inland over East Anglia and a few reached London.

Bombs were dropped in country districts in East Anglia, Hampshire and Kent. In two towns in Sussex and in the north-west and, south-east districts of London a number of houses were hit and some damaged. Damage was caused to gas and water mains. A small number of people have been reported killed and injured. One enemy bomber was shot down during the day.

FRIDAY NIGHT’S RAIDS.

LONDON HOMES WRECKED.

LONDON, Sept. 21. The Germans inflicted fewer casualties in Friday night’s two four-hour raids than on previous nights. It is reported that a church* hall and a factory in Central London were set on fire. Ten fires' were observed in a South London district. All. were extinguished and not a glimmer, of light was left to guide the Germans when they returned after . .-midnight. Eight bombs fell in residential districts of North London. Almost a whole street was wrecked in SouthWest London. Rescuers were still working at dawn, when they extricated 10 persons from the debris of one building. Two were killed and eight seriously injured. Bombs in the East End on Saturday morning killed a number going to work. Agency reports of Friday night’s enemy raids on ■ South-East England and London agree in describing the activity {is on a considerably reduced scale.

This impression is borne out by the terms of Saturday iriorning’s joint communique, which states: “London was again the objective of last night’s air raid and very little activity has been reported from other parts of the country. Attacks were mainly concentrated on districts in East and South London in the neighbourhood of the river. Some fires were started, but were quickly brought under control. Some damage was caused to dwellinghouses and industrial premises. Reports so far received show that casualties were rather less than on previous nights.” _ According to Press reports the raiders again came in ovffi- the northwest suburbs, and more than one tinofficial report refers to the dropping of bombs in Central London soon after the first alarm of the night was sounded by aircraft which glided in with engines shut off. Bursting shells marked the paths of the lone raiders. A high-explosive bomb missed a block of wooden flats by 50 yards. The. residents had taken shelter, and there were no casualties. A gas main was fractured in one street by a high-explosive bomb, and a water main was broken.

Reports once more stress tlie violence of the anti-aircraft fire which greeted the raiders. There are claims in agency reports that two enemy aircraft were blown up in mid-air by anti-aircraft fire, but so far there has been no official confirmation.