GRIM ENDURANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 September 1940, Page 5

GRIM ENDURANCE

SHOWN BY THE PEOPLE OF LONDON SERVICES FUNCTIONING WELL. MR CHURCHILL VISITS EAST END. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, September 9. In last night’s raid German aircraft, sometimes flying very low, cruised in wide circles round the London area in addition to traversing it. There was simply no respite from the loud explosions and reverberant blasts, for hour upon hour, and every now and again bombs crashed more frequently and more loudly. In one district showers of burning debris were thrown toward the sky. A civil defence official said: "The raiders are not operating in mass formations, but their intention is still obviously to wipe us off the map. Our services are functioning marvellously under the stress.” Raiders machine-gunned a Spitfire pilot who baled out over London. The pilot landed unconscious on a barrage balloon, which had to be hauled down. He died en route to hospital. Other raiders were over two northeastern towns during the night as well as the Midlands. Londoners, sleepy-eyed, but stouthearted, went to work today determinedly. Nevertheless, many were late because of traffic difficulties in some areas and people living in districts which were not bombed quickly realised the happenings elsewhere when they saw the unfamiliar buses which have been rerouted to avoid craters and debris littered on the roads, though the fires are already extinguished. Some workers were obliged to change buses three and four times. The proximity of bombers forced newspaper stall's to abandon work, and consequently the printing was extremely late, and the distribution also was delayed by interruptions of some of the usual routes. The Prime Minister. Mr Churchill, toured the East End late yesterday afternoon and talked with homeless people and viewed the damage. He said he wanted first-hand news of the happenings. Hundreds cheered him in spite of their own troubles.