BRITISH DEFENCES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 September 1940, Page 5

BRITISH DEFENCES

tried & not Found WANTING CONFIDENCE AFTER YEAR OF WAR. HOME SECURITY MINISTRY STATEMENT. (By Telegraph—Press,Association—Copyright) LONDON, September 4. The Ministry of Home Security, in a statement at the end of the first year of war, finds the country’s civil defence such as to give full satisfaction and confidence. The damage caused to property by bombs, while occasionally severe locally, was inconsiderable if the country were taken as a whole. The civilian casualties would be far greater but for the shelters. The impairment of the country’s industrial war effort was negligible. It is officially stated that in last night's air raids towns in the northwest and Bristol Channel area were attacked with high-explosive and incendiary bombs and a number of dwellings were damaged, some of them seriously. The casualties were not numerous in the north-west and northeast, but some casualties, of which a few were fatal, were caused in the Bristol Channel area. Bombs were dropped in a few other parts of Eng-, land.

Waves of bombers raided a town on the north-west coast and some houses were demolished, with fatal casualties. One crude-oil bomb fell in a northwest town, slightly damaging a warehouse and smothering its walls with oil.

An incendiary bomb struck a nursing home and a high-explosive bomb damaged several houses in a row. Rescuers found a baby whimpering but unhurt under debris. More than 50 bombs fell in a southeast coastal town early this morning. Several fell near the Town Hall, and a number of houses were set afire, but there were no casualties.

A north-east town was twice raided but no bombs were dropped, though the raiders hovered about for some time.

Raiders were also active this morning over Wales, where odd bombs were dropped.

MORNING RAIDS ENEMY ENGAGED & DRIVEN BACK. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.7 a.m.) RUGBY, September 4. An Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security communique states: “In the ,morning, two forces of enemy aircraft crossed the south-east coast. One attempted to bomb aerodromes in Kent and the other, after crossing the Thames Estuary, made a similar attempt against aerodromes in Essex. The enemy were promptly engaged by our fighters and anti-aircraft guns and only a few succeeded in penetrating the defences .It is reported that some bombs were dropped, but, as far as is known at present, no serious damage nor casualties occurred.”