Another Severe Raid on London

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 62, 16 March 1944, Page 5

Another Severe Raid on London

Received Wednesday, 7.55 p.m. LONDON, March 15. More enemy raiders than usual at tacked London last night. The raiders taking advantage of the darkness before the moon rose flew above lowlying clouds. The raid was comparable with the heaviest of the recent German series and appeared to be largely a fireraising attempt though high explosives were also dropped. Incendiaries rained down like hailstones on one London area. Some fell on a children’s hospital and others on a large factory building which was completely gutted. Two of the largest fires occurred in two squares in a London area. The houses on both sides of one square burnt fiercely. One just completed was being opened next week as a club. Many houses and flats in neighbouring streets were also burnt. A famous London church, the scene of many fashionable weddings, was destroyed. Many othei fires occurred in shops and office buildings but they were mostly quickly extinguished. Casualties were caused when a high explosive demolished a row of work-ing-class houses in one area. Rescue squads dug all night for entrapped persons. Phosphorus bombs were dropped in some areas. At least nine raiders were destroyed. Night fighters shot down three of them and intruders bagged two over Holland.