FIERCE RAID ON CITY’S CENTRE

Southland Times, Issue 24234, 18 September 1940, Page 5

FIERCE RAID ON CITY’S CENTRE

GREAT INTENSITY OF BARRAGE

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received September 17, 8.25 p.m.) LONDON, September 17.

Tonight’s raid was the fiercest Central London has yet experienced. The Germans came over without pause, flving among the clouds and regularly dropping high explosive bombs. The anti-aircraft barrage was of terrific intensity, but did not prevent the raiders from diving to. the very limits of the balloon barrage. Thousands during the night indulged in a new night-time pastime of door hopping to escape flying shrapnel as they scurried homewards. The use of underground stations for Shelters is discouraged, but tonight 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 today sounded shortly before 3 a.m. Bombs were dropped in the central London area, where the raiders concentrated, and intensive gunfire were heard. The “all clear” signal was given after 94 minutes.

The Sunday triumph of the Royal Air Force demonstrated very definitely the failure of the great effort by the German air force to drive Royal Air Force fighters from their bases in the southeastern coastal areas. Not one of these bases has had to be abandoned permanently, although some have suffered severe damage from time to time. efficiency of bases The .number of German machines brought down day after day oyer the south-eastern coastal districts is sufficient evidence of the efficiency of the Royal Air Force bases in that area.

The Prime Minister (Mr Winston Churchill) has sent a message to the Royal Air Force Fighter Command on yesterday’s great triumph. He says:

“Yesterday eclipsed all previous records of the Fighter 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 of murderous assault upon the civil population of their native land, inflicting a certain loss of 131 bombers and 54 fighters upon the enemy, to say nothing of ‘probables’ and damaged, while themselves sustaining only a loss of 12 pilots and 25 machines. These results exceed all They give just and sober confidence in the approaching struggle.” The Secretary of State for Air, Sir Archibald Sinclair, has sent the following message to the Coastal Command: “I have been asked by the War Cabinet to convey to all squadrons of the Coastal Command their admiration of the skill and courage with which they carried out the arduous but often unspectacular tasks allotted to them and of the enterprise and success with which in recent days they have struck at the harbour, shipping and coastal defences of the enemy.”