BLIND BOMBING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24406, 18 September 1940, Page 7

BLIND BOMBING

FIERCE RAID ON LONDON CENTRAL AREA ATTACKED RELAYS OF MACHINES |' (United Press Association) . (By' Electric Telegraph—CopyrightV LONDON, Sept. 17. (deceived Sept. 17, at 9.30 p.m.) Last night's raid was the fiercest Central London has yet experienced. The Germans came over non-stop, flying among the clouds and regularly dropping high-explosive bombs. The anti-aircraft barrage was of terrific intensity, but did not prevent the raiders diving to the very limits of the balloon barrage. Thousands during the night indulged in the new night-time pastime of door hopping to escape flying shrapnel as they scurried homewards. The use of the underground stations for shelters has been discouraged, but to-night thousands of people stayed on the platforms when shrapnel made the streets death traps. Many snatched a few hours' sleep despite the clattering of trains. The first air raid warning to-day was sounded shortly before 3 a.m. Bombs were dropped in the Central London area, where the raiders concentrated. Intensive gunfire was heard. The "All clear" signal was given after 94 minutes. -. The Official Air. Communique issued at 9 a.m. to-day stated that the enemy attacks had been resumed at dusk and had been spread over a large area although, as before, the main attacks were concentrated on London by successive relays of small groups of planes. Bombs fell chiefly on the suburbs, and fires were started, but these are under' control. Houses, commercial premises and another hospital were damaged. No damage has been reported from the raids on rural areas. Attacks were also carried out in the Midlands and in the north-east of England. There was some damage in the industrial areas, with a few casualties, but apparently these have not been heavy. Agency reports state that the enemy took advantage of the heavy clouds and dodged about among them, dropping their bombs ; at random. . ,

MIDLANDS RAID \ .'•■■'. MANY AREAS PEPPERED ENEMY PLANE CRASHES BALLOON CABLE FOULED LONDON, Sept. 17. (Received Sept. 17, at 11.30 p.m.) A fireman who was dealing with an incendiary bomb in an upper room in the London area was killed when the raider returned and dropped a high-explosive bomb. During the Midlands raid, in whicn high-explosive and incendiary bombs were scattered over widely-separated areas, an enemy bomber fouled a balloon cable and crashed. One member of the crew was captured. Bombs were dropped in a denselypopulated area of a town in Northwest England, also near a Welsh town. New Zealand House Staff The message from the New Zealand Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser), appreciating their steadfastness in the "airblitz," has greatly encouraged the New Zealand High Commissioner's staff. The time bomb which caused the evacuation of New Zealand House on September 12 was discovered early in the morning by a young member of the staff, who hastily collected the cyphers and secret codes. The entire staff next day worked at the New Zealand Forces Club, formerly an Italian building. Thus hospitality was returned. New Zealand House was slightly damaged when the bomb exploded. Although the roar was heard miles away, the explosion merely shattered some windows and damaged wooden palings and brickwork. The total damage amounts to only a few pounds. All members of the staff of New Zealand House were uninjured. An air liaison officer had a remarkable escape, "due to a hunch." He evacuated his wife and two children from a flat and slept the next night in a shelter. Returning in the morning, he found the building demolished by a direct hit. An incendiary bomb fell in the Strand during a recent daylight raid. A New Zealand soldier who was leaning against a wall nonchalantly rubbed out the bomb with his foot.

GREAT TRIUMPH FIGHTER COMMAND SUNDAY'S SUCCESSES ALL RECORDS ECLIPSED . ?»» -..„ . '-■ v"',' (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Sept. 16. Mr Churchill has sent a message to the R.A.F. Fighter Command on yesterday's great triumph. He says yesterday eclipsed all previous records of the tighter Command. Aided by a squadron of their Czech and Polish comrades, using only a small proportion of their total strength, and under cloud conditions of some difficulty, they cut to rags and tatters three separate waves oi a murderous assault upon the civiJ population of their native land, inflicting a certain loss of 125 bombers and 60 fighters upon the enemy, tc say nothing of the " probables," those damaged, while themselves suffering only a loss of 12 pilots and 25 machines. These results exceed ah expectations, and give just and sobei confidence in the approaching struggle. A Smashing Defeat It was the most smashing defeat the Luftwaffe has ever received. Over one-third or the German bombers and fighteri massed for what was to have been the enemy's heaviest attack on London were destroyed and at least 450 of his trained crews lost. At least 7 jf the total of 185 aircraft destroyed were shot down by anti-aircraft guns, and it is expected that when a fuller investigation has been made the total bag of the anti-aircraft guns will be found to be larger.

The R.A.F. losses were but a seventh of the enemy's. When R.A.F. pilots raced to the attack they saw 400 enemy aircraft in little groups of nine arranged three by three like a sergeant's stripes. Each group of nine bombers had nine Messerschmitt 110 fighter-bombers between them and a little arrowhead flight of single-seater Messerschmitt 109's circling ybove them as high as 35,000 ft.

There vere r.o very large bags of enemy aircraft by single squadrons, though some who went up twice reached double figures. Spitfires and Hurricanes kept wearing the enemy down, attacking and attacking, bringing down Dorniers, Heinkels, and Messerschmitts by ones, twos, and threes.

AIR RAID SHELTERS CONSTRUCTION IN BRITAIN A LACK OF FORESIGHT LONDON, Sept. 17. (Received Sept. 17, at 10 p.m.) The Daily Mail asks editorially whether the Government is doing all it can for civilians, whether proper shelters are provided and complete arrangements have been made to house those rendered homeless " The outcome of the battle largely depends on the people's courage and endurance. Sir John Anderson should immediately ordei the construction of deep bomb-proof shelters in every available open space The lessons of the war elsewhere have not been learnt. The outstanding fact is that the ' dispersal' policy on which Sir John Anderson based his plans has failed, and public money is being wasted more and more on surface shelters, revealing a lack of foresight, because surface shelters do not withstand continuous air attack."

USE OF PUBLIC SHELTERS THE EFFECT ON HEALTH LONDON, Sept. 17. (Received Sept. 18, at 0.30 a.m.) The Times says that Lord Horder has been appointed chairman of a Government committee to investigate the effect on health o* the present use of public shelters, where there is much overcrowding because of their increasing use as dormitories. The Home Secretary (Sir John Anderson) is investigating the possibility of using the tube railways as shelters, provided that the movement of trains is not hindered. People are beginning to resort to the underground railways as shelters after buying tickets. Steps are being taken to discourage the movement of people from communal and garden' shelters to larger shelters elsewhere, while smaller shelters are left? almost empty. The Government is also giving attention to the problem of housing the large number of homeless people.