BOMBING OF LONDON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24416, 30 September 1940, Page 9

BOMBING OF LONDON

ANSWER TO GERMAN CLAIMS FILM RUSHED TO DUNEDIN THEATRES An emohatic answer to the extravagant claims made by the German propaganda machine is contained in a most interesting news reel, which, after a fast journey by air from London to Dunedin, is being shown at the Regent and Empire Theatres for a brief season. The film shows London as il was on August 23 after the German Air Force had made its heavy raids on the Empire capital. It shows it not as a city of ruins, but one in which everydav life goes on smoothly and efficiently and air raid damage is a comDaratively rare sight. A neutral observer buys a newspaper on the morning of August. 23 and reads of the raids on England. In order to inspect the damage done to London he sets out on a comprehensive tour of the capital accomoanied by an efficient news reel man. Views of well-known buildings shopping business, and civic centres, and residential areas are shown, and rarelv is there anv sign of the results of German bombs. Bui (here is plenty of interest in the scenes for London streets have been transformed since the outbreak of war Aids for people in the black-outs are to be seen everywhere and millions of gallons of white paint must have been used on kerbs. Dosts. trees, and railings. Some famous statues and stained glass windows have been removed. But London life goes on unchanged. , _ . The actual film is preceded"by <* series of terrible scenes, with fires lighting the skies and homeless people searching among the ruins of streets of houses. These are the scenes Dr Goebbels has tried to picture for the world, but that there is no truth in the German reports is clearly shown bv the picture. No doubt, further fllrns of this nature will be arriving, in the near future, showing once again how ridiculous are the latest claims of the German radio that London is a smouldering heap of ruins.