“RAID ON PARIS”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 March 1942, Page 4

“RAID ON PARIS”

AND SLAUGHTER OF MANY CIVILIANS ALLEGED BY MARSHAL PETAIN. FREE FRENCH REJOINDER. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 4. The latest Vichy estimate is that 650 persons were killed in the R.A.F. raid on Paris last night. British planes were again over Paris in the afternoon, but no bombs were dropped. The planes are believed to have been reconnoitring to see the effects of last night’s raids. Joinville, which is the Hollywood of Paris, is reported to have been hit, also a hospital at Neuilly and a gasworks at Le Vesinet. A statement issued on behalf of Marshal Petain states: “This bloody attack, striking only at the civilian population, will arouse general indignation and assume the character of a national catastrophe.” Marshal Petain has issued a decree for the observance as a national day of mourning of the day when those killed are buried. Bodies have not been removed yet from one shelter which was hit, in which it is believed 180 persons were taking refuge. The Free French National Committee in London stated: “Parisians arriving in London without exception have emphasised that the population of Paris ardently desired R.A.F. raids against factories and other establishments in the Paris zone working for Germany. This opinion is strongly held by workers and their families—namely, those whose lives are exposed to the greatest danger.” NAZIS JOIN IN “SUCCESSFUL MASS BOMBING.” (Received This Day, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON. March 4. The Berlin radio, quoting a Wilhelmstrasse spokesman, said the British two-hour raid on Paris was the heaviest and most successful mass bombing raid the R.A.F. has carried out since the outbreak of war. The Paris radio stated that according to the latest reports at least 1,500 persons were killed and several hundred injured in the raid. Whole streets in complete districts were razed. Official British reports have made it clear that only the Renault works, a large motor manufacturing establishment working for Germany, was bombed by the R.A.F,, that the target was located clearly in excellent visibility and that no bombs were dropped in civilian areas.