FEWER CASUALTIES

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1940, Page 7

FEWER CASUALTIES

TWO RAIDS DURING NIGHT Rec. 7.30 p.m. London, Sept. 21. The Germans inflicted fewer casualties in last night's two and four-hour raids than on previous nights. It is reported that a church, a hall, and a factory in central London were set on fire. Ten fires were observed in a south of London district, but all were extinguished. Not a glimmer of light was left to guide the Germans when they returned after midnight. Eight bombs fell in residential districts in the north of London, and almost a whole street was wrecked in the southwest of London. Rescuers were still working at dawn, when they extricated 10 persons from the debris of one building. Two persons were killed and eight seriously injured. Bombs in the East End this morning killed a number of persons going to work. Agency reports of the night's raids on the south-east of England and London agree in describing the activity as on a considerably reduced scale. This impression was borne out by the terms of the next morning's joint communique, which stated:— "London was again the objective of last night's air raid, and very little activity has been reported from other parts of the country. Attacks were mainly concentrated on the districts in the east and south of London in the neighbourhood of the river. Some fires were started, but were quickly brought under control. Some damage was caused to dwelling houses and industrial premises. Reports so far received show that casualties were rather fewer than on previous nights." According to Press reports raiders again came in over the north-west suburbs, and more than one unofficial report refex-s to the dropping of bombs in central London, soon after the first alarm of the night was sounded, by aircraft which glided in with engines shut off. Reports once more stress the violence of th'e anti-aircraft fire which greeted the raiders. There are claims in agency reports that two enemy aircraft were blown up in mid-air by anti-aircraft fire. but so far there has been no official confirma- j tion.