FURIOUS OPENING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 April 1941, Page 5

FURIOUS OPENING

ANOTHER NAZI RAID ON LONDON SPASMODIC ACTION AFTER EARLY LULL. FINE WORK OF DEFENCE SERVICES. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, April 20. Londoners expected a (repetition of Wednesday night’s ordeal when the Luftwaffe furiously attacked soon after dark last night. A large force of bombers swept up the Thames Estuary and across the capital, leaving a trail of explosive bombs, incendiaries and flares. The estuary’s barrage resounded deafeningly and the night-fighters roared up. Showers of fire-bombs caused many fires throughout London and sticks of heavy-calibre explosives followed.

But the lull came early and 'afterward activity was spasmodic. Toward dawn only single hit-and-run raiders were coming in. Fire-bombs damaged one of London’s largest and most beautiful churches, and one church was gutted. Though Wednesday night’s raid on London was the heaviest so far experienced and the total number of fires exceeded those during the blitz last month, the number of more serious fires was actually fewer in proportion than on the night of March 19. This is because many minor fires were prevented from becoming serious and this in turn was largely due to the gallant and untiring efforts of London's firewatchers, who are now well organised and, like the auxiliary fire service, are rapidly becoming veterans. The control system, though intricate, functioned like clockwork during Wednesday night. Hundreds of reports were transmitted with astonishing rapidity and accuracy. The close liaison with the fire services permitted immediate co-operation in the boroughs where the need was urgent.

Fifty mobile canteens were dispatched for the relief of the firemen, of whom no fewer than 20,000 were engaged. The fire parties moved within the London region area for reinforcement purposes numbered 200. The competence of London’s defence services has given confidence in the capital’s ability to stand up to whatever tests the coming months bring.

MUCH DAMAGE DONE AND CASUALTIES FAIRLY HEAVY. HEAVY BOMBS FALL IN WORKERS’ AREA.

LONDON. April 20.

An Air Ministry communique stales: “London was again attacked last night on a heavy scale. Much damage was done, and the casualties are expected to be fairly heavy. Bombs were also dropped in places outside London, mainly in the eastern and southeastern counties, causing damage at several points, but there casualties as a whole were' not heavy. Two enemy bombers are known to have been destroyed.

The general impression is that the raid was not so heavy as that of Wednesday night, but the attack for a period was furious though later intermittent. Bad visibility ruled out the possibility of discriminate bombing. Four heavy bombs fell in a workers’ area, where it is feared a number of families are buried beneath the wreckage of their homes. A bomb damaged a row of 12 houses and the casualties included some killed. Four houses were demolished in another road. When one bomber crashed its bombs exploded and killed the crew and blew the machine to pieces.