TRAIL OF DEATH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24399, 10 September 1940, Page 7

TRAIL OF DEATH

SATURDAY'S RAIDS WIDESPREAD BOMBING COURAGE OF THE PEOPLE (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright); RUGBY, Sept. 8 An Air Ministry and Home Security communique states: Further particulars are now being given of the heavy attacks directed on London by the enemy yesterday evening and continued on a smaller scale throughout the night. ' , The bombing was widespread and in the later part of the attack appeared to be indiscriminate. The damage was severe, but, judged against the background of the war, not serious. Many bombs were dropped in the docks of the Port of London Authority. A large fire was caused in the docks south of the river! Elsewhere some warehouses were damaged and several barges set on fire. The attacks on other.' parts of London were not camparable in magnitude, but many bombs were dropped. In South London two schools were seriously damaged. A fire was caused in Centra] London and houses demolished in various districts. Throughout all the areas the civil defence services speedily and successfully dealt with the tasks imposed, on them, which included the evacuation of several hundred children from art area rendered dangerous by fire, and assisting to restore rail communications, which suffered considerable interruption—although trunk lines were not seriously affected—and, more particularly, fire fighting, which imposed a very heavy task upon the fire services, many of which carried on their work under bombardment. Outside the London area the only report of.' major damage comes from an oil installation on the lower Thames, where a large fire was caused. These attacks much exceeded in scale any that preceded them, and heavy casualties have been incurred. As was expected, there is evidence from' all areas of the high courage and resolution with which the civil population accepted the challenge In the docks area whole streets are to-day a scene of destruction. One bomb completely demolished a theatre. Many women and children were killed and injured outside the theatre. A message from Berlin while the raiders were doing their worst said: " Military observers here agree that this is the beginning of the reprisals announced in Hitler's speech." The enemy's second raid caught thousands of people helpless. Ordered from their homes when the sirens wailed again they dropped bundles and belongings as they rushed to shelter amid screaming bombs The shelters in one district could not cope with the rush. A reporter saw women clutching babies and hiding them with their bodies on the pavement and hugging buildings for the slightest shelter. Families evacuated under orders of the police were housed in schools, institutes and other public buildings. Work was suspended in some factories until the early hours, but was resumed to-day, so output was not diminished. The Transport Board announced some dislocation in the eastern portion of the district railway and East London line.