SKIES RENT

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1940, Page 7

SKIES RENT

LONDON GUNFIRE NAZI RAIDERS HELD OFF BOMBS FALL IN SUBURBS

Rec. 11 p.m. London, Sept. 26. London's barrage splashed the sky with metal ceaselessly for hours during the night while raiders were doing their utmost to reach the central area. The wisdom of millions who have readjusted their routine to enable the winding up of the day's doings before dark were justified when the guns blazed almost as soon as daylight left the sky. The raiders opened the nineteenth night's attack with the usual battle with the ground defences. They first attempted to come into central London from the north-west and the south. Single planes, apparently teSting the vigilance of the guns, took no chance with the capital's mammoth battery and flew higher than usual in an effort to evade the terrific response from below. Londoners underground felt the city shaking as the guns gave a hot reception to the early scouts. Suburbs' Noisiest Night. London's suburbs had their noisiest night, but the centre of London was freer from raiders than on recent nights. The Nazis tried a new way of penetrating the fierce barrage and the interlocking beams of searchlight6 which lit great stretches of the sky. They flew higher and faster, dodging in and out on the outskirts in the hope of finding a loophole. When they could not they unloaded bombs indiscriminately on the suburbs. In the south-east of London a parish church was badly damaged apd in an other place a convent was set afire. Night raiders over Wales, the northwest of England and the Midlands dropped many bombs, particularly in a north-west town, which experienced its 121st raid since the outbreak of the war. "The enemy continued his offensive during the night, dropping bombs over many parts of England and Wales, but London and its suburbs and the surrounding district bore the brunt of the attack," said an Air Ministry communique. "Fires were started in several London areas but were soon under control as a result of prompt action by fire fighters and air raid precaution services. Damage «was done by direct hits and the blast of high explosive bombs in many parts of the area, and casualties were reported. some of which were fatal. Elsewhere in England bombs were dropped on towns in the south-east and the north-west and in Wales, causing some material damage but few casualties. As far as is known no one was killed. In several towns in the north-west fires were started, but were quickly got under control." Buildings recently damaged by bombs included Selfridge's store in Oxford Street, the Associated Press of America and Indian students' hostels.