RAIDS ON MOSCOW

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 August 1941, Page 5

RAIDS ON MOSCOW

CITV DEFENDED STOUTLY

AGAINST LUFTWAFFE ATTACKS.

BRITISH PROFESSOR'S REPORT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Dav, 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY. August 22. Evidence by a British visitor, of the stoutness of the defence of Moscow .against the German air raids has been brought back to Britain by Professor W. N. Thomas, of the Research and Experiments Division of the Air Ministry. “The German air attacks,” states Professor Thomas, "have been on a small scale and at any rate few enemy aircraft have reached the centre of the city.

“During one raid, which lasted from 11 p.m. to 2.30 a.m.,'' he added, •■raiders, arrived singly, at five-minute intervals. Only five got over the city. On another occasion, when the Germans stated that 500 aircraft attacked Moscow, not a single raider appeared. During one raid, when the Russians reported the bringing down of fifteen aircraft, members of the British Air Mission actually saw five, falling, and as they had only a very restricted view of the operation, they considered that fifteen was probably a'conservative figure for the total actually destroyed. They saw a German aircraft caught in searchlight beams and the Russian anti-aircraft fire was very intense. On the warning sounding, everyone, except the fire watchers, police, etc., had to go to shelters. There were plenty of people at hand to deal with fires, and incendiary bombs were treated with sand.” LIFE IN KIEV REPORTED STILL NORMAL. NEW VARIETY THEATRE OPENED. (Received This Day. 10.25 a.m.) LONDON. August 22. Moscows reports, as evidence that life is normal in Kiev, that a new variety theatre has been opened there and is giving two performances daily.