PRESSED WITH VIGOUR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 May 1941, Page 5

PRESSED WITH VIGOUR

BRITISH AIR OFFENSIVE AGAINST GERMANY Very Heavy Onslaught on Mannheim WHOLE BLOCKS OF BUILDINGS SET ON FIRE LULL IN NAZI ATTACKS ON UNITED KINGDOM I.OXDOX, Jinx 13. The R.A.F. lias attacked industrial and commercial centres in the Rhineland, including Mannheim, Cologne and Coblenz and docks at Ostend and Dunkirk, without losing a single machine. Coastal Command aircraft bombed enemy objectives. One plane is missing. The raid on Mannheim was very heavy. Whole blocks of building's were set on fire in Mannheim. At Cologne big fires occurred in the centre of the targets and railway sheds were set on fire. While on its way home, a British bomber shot down a Messerschmitt 110. One enemy plane was shot down into the sea off Britain today by a fig-liter. There has been slight enemy air activity today in coastal areas, mainly in the south-west. There are no reports of bombs having been dropped. DESTRUCTION OF NAZI RAIDERS More enemy aircraft are now known to have been destroyed in previous day and night raids. On Thursday, May 8, when 14 were reported to have been destroyed, the total is now 15. The additional plane was shot down by ground defences at a searchlight station. On Sunday three more bombers are now known to have been destroyed in addition to the nine already announced. This brings the German losses in the first 12 nights of May to 137 planes.

CALM & DIGNITY I

MAINTAINED IN LONDON UNDER ORDEAL OF NAZI BOMBING. TRIBUTE TO FIRE-FIGHTERS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. May 12. Deeply stirred by the Nazi bombers' wanton destruction, Londoners are, however, accepting the situation calmly and with dignity. The people’s demeanour is reflected in the entire Press. “A further attempt at- terrorisation.” says “The Times,” “was met again with indomitable courage and a resolution which knows no wavering. That resolution is now fed from the deep spring of indignation and the ever-hardening conviction of what is staked upon victory over the enemies of civilisation. “The Times" pays a special tribute to the fire-fighters who, "impervious to fear and inured against weariness, worked with a resolution and will that is a source of unyielding strength. Here was another exhibition of the spirit of national defence—the defence of the people by the people—the defence of the city and the home of freedom.” The "Daily Telegraph” stresses the striking way in which the mechanism of the public services in the whole metropolitan area proved equal to the emergency needs. "Frightfulness will not readily admit defeat and will develop every form of horror it can invent,” the paper says, “but the past assures us that it will always be baffled by the ‘grim and gay' British temper of our national capacity for meeting the need of the hour.” General satisfaction, meanwhile is felt at the destruction of the 33 raiders on Saturday night and it is keenly appreciated that to fly over British cities in moonlight is an increasingly hazardous venture for the enemy. “FRENZY OF AN APE.” The wanton attack on priceless monuments of British history such as Westminster Abbey and Westminster Hall is still the subject of indignant comment and photographs in the press of the damage emphasise one description that the attack on London on Saturday night, was "as indiscriminate as the frenzy 6f an ape.” ENEMY’S HEAVY LOSSES. The moral of the German losses is pointed out by the "Evening Standard,” which says: "It is probable that the Germans reckon. their heavy losses in the night battles throughout this month more in the numbers of airmen killed or lost than in the numbers of machines forfeited. These airmen are specially skilled. Indeed, constantly throughout this war pilots have had to acquire new skill. Most German admen were at first trained for co-opera-tion with the land forces. They have since had to learn an aptitude for air warfare over the sea and by- night. Our own night-fighting pilots have been called upon to bring their prowess to a yet higher pitch. In their hands and brains reside our most precious possessions. , “Victory in the end may be achieved by the side which can mass the greatest number of skilled airmen. If that be the test we should not quarrel. lhe youth of Britain and America can outmatch that of Nazi Germany both in individual comparison and numbers. The democracies have a potential superiority. It is their business by planning training schemes on the largest and swiftest scale to make that superiority decisive."

HAVOC AT WESTMINSTER.' Apart from the graceful outlines of the doorways and windows the House of Commons might be the ruins of a factory, so complete has been the destruction of the woodwork and fabrics. Practically all the windows in the Lords’ Chamber were blown out. It is revealed that Captain Elliott, resident superintendent,. was killed when a 1001 b explosive penetrated the custodians’ quarters in the House of Lords. It did not explode but hit Captain Elliott like a monstrous bullet. Another 1001 b bomb penetrated the roof of the Lords' Chamber and went through the floor of the basement. An explosive bomb hit the clock tower just above the clock, but. contrary to previous reports, it did not interrupt the working of the clock nor the tolling of Big Ben. A very bigbomb hit the Law Lords’ corridor, damaging the Law Lords’ private rooms and rendering subsequent firefighting difficult. The High Altar in Westminster Abbey is intact and fittings are undisturbed. A temporary roof is being immediately constructed over the Lantern Tower to prevent weather damage. "The attack on the Houses of Parliament was obviously deliberate,” said Mr Victor Goodman, head of the Parliamentary A.R.P. unit. “They hit us with seven high-explosive bombs, in addition to a large number of incendiaries, all of which were aimed. “Spotters dealt with all the incendiaries except some which were most .difficult to reach. A gable on Westminster Hall caught fire and subsequently burned through near the apex, but firemen were so prompt that damage was confined to a strip on the apex of the roof. Thus the most ancient part of Parliament remains virtually intact and reparable. “The fire which destroyed the House of Commons Chamber resulted from an oil-bomb hitting the top on the west side. The fire burned for some hours, bringing down the steel-girdered roof. This caused the floor to collapse. “A high-explosive bomb demolished a 20-foot turret on top of a wall at Royal Court, killing two war reserve policemen who were spotting from this vantage point." Further details are now known of the damage to Westminster Abbey. The Lantern Tower is wrecked and a mass of shattered stonework lies in front of the high altar. The pulpit and many of the pews were destroyed. Today is the fourth anniversary of the coronation and the place in Westminster Abbey where the King and Queen sat in their robes is a heap of rubble and broken wood. The tomb of the Unknown Warrior is unscathed and the beautiful King Henrj’ VII. chapel has suffered surface damage.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

CARRYING ON IN TEMPORARY QUARTERS. AN ANSWER TO MR MAXTON. LONDON. May 13. When the House of Commons met in its new quarters, Mr James Maxton, leader of the Independent Labour Party, asked whether arrangements could’ not be made for the House to meet in its usual place. The Prime Minister (Mr Churchill) replied: “The hon. member had better go and have a look for himself.” It was stated that a third meeting place for the House had already been prepared in case the temporary quarters now occupied were bombed. Damage done by the enemy would not be allowed to prevent British representative institutions from functioning.