HEAVY DAMAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 October 1940, Page 5

HEAVY DAMAGE

DONE ON TUESDAY NIGHT IN LONDON ENEMY LOSE 18 PLANES. . DURING DAY. AND ANOTHER TWO DURING NIGHT. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, October 16. After a day in which numerous German attacks, causing seven short daylight alerts, were regularly repulsed yesterday, the night raid began a few minutes later than usual. This slight relief had not deceived Londoners, thousands of whom had already taken up their position in subterranean shelters. From these safety points only an occasional dull rumble betokened the activity above ground, where raiders, flying high, passed over, constantly dropping flares, followed by explosives. Machine-guns, fired with remarkable accuracy, shot down the flares. The sky was rarely clear. The damage done was heavy though it is stated it was not as great as in the raids early in September. The attack on London was the nearest thing to a mass raid by night the enemy has yet attempted. Eighteen enemy aircraft were shot down during yesterday. Fifteen British fighters are missing, but nine of the pilots are safe. Two enemy bombers are known to have been brought down during the night. Within an hour of the alert an oil bomb and a high-explosive bomb crashed together in one district, causing casualties. Another bomb struck the lounge of a public-house, injured several and damaged adjoining houses. A salvo of bombs traced a straight line along a street, damaging a number of houses and shops. Several enemy planes flew low, some just over the balloon barrage. A Molotov breadbasket fell near a famous railway terminus, but the resultant fire was quickly controlled. Two highexplosives and two oil bombs fell on the outskirts of London, demolishing two houses. The manager of an electric light company was killed in his home when a high-explosive bomb dropped in an East Anglian town. An historic church, parts of which date back several centuries, was damaged by a bomb in a South of England town. A town in the Midlands was attacked and attacks were also made over other parts of England, Scotland and Wales. The Germans appeared to be operating in groups and the majority seemed to come from the east and south-east. RAID SOON AFTER DAWN. The first raid yesterday came soon after dawn, but all efforts to reach the capital in formation were frustrated. Two of these attempts were made by way of the Thames Estuary, but the German formations were dispersed by gunfire and then driven off by fighters. Most of the dog-fights were screened from observers on the ground by lowlying clouds, but at one point on the south-east coast a battle at about 20.000 feet could be seen through gaps in the clouds. The battle ended like all others in the rout of the German machines. A few raiders, however sneaked through to the London area. Six bombs in one district killed eight persons, and three bombs hit a confectionery factory, killing several workers and injuring others. Two Anderson shelters behind a block of flats were hit. and three women were killed. Yesterday’s attacks followed unusually heavy night raids on many parts of the country, in which damage to buildings of a non-military charac-

ter was done. The chief buildings hit included a church and rectory, a convent, two restaurants, a cinema, and a home for cripples. The first phase of the previous night’s attacks on London was particularly severe. Flares and fire bombs were showered down on many parts of the capital and were followed by explosive bombs. At one time the glow of several fires could be seen in the moonlit sky.■ SHELTER FLOODED. During the raids a bomb pierced a roadway near a London suburb and broke the roof of a shelter. Unfortunately, some water mains were broken and flooding resulted. The occupants, men, women and children, displayed remarkable calm. There were few casualties, though a heavy death roll seemed certain. The lights of the shelter went out and the occupants formed a human chain and waded out, holding one another. Several children were slightly injured while scrambling out. In connection with the recent bombing of “The Times” newspaper office in London, the German news agency stated: “For some time past‘The Times’ and other London newspapers have been published in the provinces.” This statement is quite untrue, as the Germans could discover from any neutral journalist working in London. No single London newspaper has moved to the provinces since the war began. ENEMY TESTIMONY EFFICIENCY OF LONDON DEFENCES. LONDON, October 15. Contrasting with reports of German news agencies and radio stations, which boast of British air losses, and damage to London, German pilots testify to the efficiency of London’s defences. One pilot described how the anti-air-craft shellbursts drew nearer, till one of his engines was put out of action and he was compelled to dash for safety. SCOTTISH AIRMEN REPEATEDLY IN ACTION OVER LONDON. TWO SQUADRONS BAG NEARLY 150 NAZI PLANES. LONDON, October 15. Two of the best known Scottish auxiliary squadrons, City of Edinburgh and City of Glasgow, participating in the defence of London, have repeatedly been in action for several weeks in the south-east area. Their combined bag is nearly 150 planes. In addition there are many unconfirmed victories and planes damaged. Several of these pilots engaged in their first battle over Britain when Germans last year attempted to raid the Firth of Forth. The Edinburgh squadron recently shot down 14 planes in one day, a record few squadrons have equalled. GERMAN REPORT LONDON. October 15. A German communique says: “The enemy, as usual, flew over Germany and occupied territories after nightfall and met effective defences. The bombs dropped caused slight material damage to non-military objects and buildings. Losses were only among civilians. A high-explosive bomb again hit the Rudolph Virlchow Hospital. Berlin, which is marked with the Red Cross and is easily distinguishable. Destruction caused in Le Havre in the last few days and also in Dutch territory is particularly heavy. Numerous buildings have been destroyed by fire, so part of the population is without a roof over ils head. • The Luftwaffe dropped 147 tons j of bombs on London yesterday.