HAIL OF BOMBS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 November 1940, Page 6

HAIL OF BOMBS

HAVOC IN MERSEYSIDE CASUALTIES REMARKABLY FEW. BIG TASK FOR RESCUERS. ißy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright i (Received This Day, 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, November 29. The Merseyside raid is now described as the worst in that region throughout the war, but the casualties were remarkably few in view of the magnitude and duration of the attack. Wave after wave of bombers came from over the Irish Sea and used very heavy-calibre bombs. Many people were rendered homeless and hardly a window is left in countless streets. Cinemas, police stations, shelters and banks are among the damagea buildings. 1

It is estimated that between 200 and 300 planes crossed the coast from aerodromes in Northern France and Belgium last night and circled the outskirts of London before heading north. This involved a return journey of from 1200 to 1400 miles,., necessitating., the use of long-range, heavy bombers, which dropped their bombs on Liverpool quickly, amid a hail of shells, after which they returned to their base at top speed. By the light of hurricane lamps, rescue squads worked feverishly for most of the night to extricate a number of patients buried when bombs hit a hospital in North-West England. Those dug out were carried to a neighbouring town, which also was subjected to a severe raid. Tunnelling continues. Doctors and nurses remain at the head ■of each party of burrowers to give injections to the injured. Eight persons pulled out this morning included a male patient whose death had been awaited daily before the bombing. The rescuers located him by the sound of his vociferous curses on Hitler. A large area of South-Eastern England is being combed for the crew of a German plane shot down at Godstone on November 28. Villagers and air raid wardens are helping to beat the fields and heathlands. Farmers arid others are alert, in view of the likelihood that the missing men may soon be obliged to seek food.

OFFICIAL REPORT MANY HOUSES DAMAGED. (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) RUGBY, November 29. A communique states: “Later reports of last night’s attack on Britain by enemy aircraft, while confirming the widespread nature of the raids, show that in two towns in the south-west the damage to residential property was somewhat more extensive than was at first indicated, but the casualties were not heavy, although they include a small number of persons killed.”