TERROR TACTICS

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1940, Page 7

TERROR TACTICS

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

WIDESPREAD NIGHT RAID CIYILIANS SUFFER MOST

Received 1.10 a.m. London, September 19. £)NEMY bombers ranged over England from London to Lancashire during the night, dropping bombs indiscriminately. Liverpool experienced its fiercest attack since the outbreak of the war. Bombs were rained at random, indicating that the raiders' chief object was a wai- of terror. It is feared that the death roll is nearly 100. Three raiding planes were brought down. "Enemy raids on this country, particularly on London, continued during the night," said this morning's Air Ministry communique. "Following the same tactics as of late, the enemy scattered bombs blindly on the capital from aircraft which were flying singly or in small formations. Heavy damage was done in many districts by high explosive bombs, often of heavy calibre. "The main subject of this wanton attack has been small dwelling houses around central London and in the suburbs on the south side of the river. Many of these houses were hit, and a number were demolished. A number of fires were caused by high explosive bombs, but by this morning all were extinguished or under control as a result of prompt action by householders and air raid precaution personnel. It is feared from preliminary reports that the number of casualties has been heavy, and it is provisionally estimated that about 90 persons were killed and about 380 seriously injured. "Outside London enemy activity was widespread, but by comparison slight. Bombs were dropped on a Merseyside town and on a number of towns in Lancashire. Houses and commercial buildings were hit and a number of persons were killed and injured. The people of Lancashire have met this most recent attack. on them with their characteristic courage and resource. "Bombs were also dropped on towns in Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, Berkshire and Sussex, in the Midlands, and in the northeast and south-west of England. Though damage has been done, there was only a small number of killed and injured."

The sirens which eounded London's eighth warning yesterday had hardly died away before anti-aircraft guns opened up with a protecting curtain oi shrapnel against the raiders, who seemed to come singly from several directions, The explosion of bombs mingled with the sharper sound of the guns. For the third successive night heavy bombs crashed in the West End area. The raiders tried for three hours to reach central London over the southwest suburbs, but they were repelled by fierce gunfire time after time and were finally forced to seek other inlete, through which some broke. Single planes which were heard over the heart of the metropolis met terrific gunfire. The raiders did not neglect the outer areas and many bombs were dropped in the suburbs at every point of the compass. Two high explosive bombs in the north of London demolished five houses. Numerous bombs that fell nearby did extensive damage to property. Tube Shelter Problem. Although the Ministry of Home Security appealed to the public, especially able-bodied men, not to use tube stations as shelters, hundreds of thousands last night swarmed the underground platforms before the sirens sounded. The stations present one of the capital's strangest spectacles now that Londoners have overcome their earlier diffidence arising from notices at the entrances that state: "This station is not to be used as a shelter." Thousands of residents of the East End arrive at West End stations before dusk equipped with blankets and baskets of food and buy a penny ticket in order to pass the barriers. Once inside they make up their beds two or three deep. Police last night strolled up and down while newsvendors sold the latest editions of the evening papers. Dozens of babies slept peacefully beside their parents, for many of whom the stations provide their only roof since the destruction of their homes. A Merseyside town had its worst raid of the war, l?sting for several hours. It was obvious that the attack was designed to terrerise the working class population. More than 100 high explosive bombs and many incendiary bombs were dropped and damage was done to many houses and other buildings. Hits were scored on schools, churches, hotels and a soap works. One of three enemy bombers was brought down in this district during the night. The second was brought down in the north of London and the third crashed in Bermondsey with a full load of bombs. It is feared that the casualties caused here were heavy.