CHURCH DEMOLISHED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 September 1940, Page 6

CHURCH DEMOLISHED

IN THE LONDON AREA INCENDIARY BOMBS ALSO CAUSE DAMAGE. BIG ENEMY FORMATIONS BROKEN UP. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, September 5. Sirens sounded in London this afternoon, shortly after the House of Commons had reassembled. The Speaker said he understood arrangements had been made to inform him when the raid was more imminent. The House carried on normally, but the galleries were cleared. Ten minutes later the Speaker suddenly interrupted questions and announced that a raid was imminent. The House adjourned and resumed at 4 p.m. The Speaker said: “The warning is still on. We are still alert.” The all clear was given at 4.56 p.m. Anti-aircraft defences broke up big formations of raiders over the Thames Estuary during the London warning this morning. Fighters pursued and scattered the Germans. Waves of raiders crossed the south-east coast this afternoon, heading for London and an air battle followed. During last night’s raids, a bomb directly hit and completely demolished a church in the London area. A number of incendiary bombs dropped in London set' fire to works, causing severe damage. Several flat-dwellers were killed when the first bomb of the war fell in a north-western town and two houses were demolished. Anti-aircraft fire in Wales continued last night incessantly for several hours. Many crude oil bombs were dropped.

Four members of the crew from a Heinkel shot down in a south-east area today were armed with automatic rifles. Three members of the crew were killed and the fourth was taken prisoner.