“HUSH HUSH” GUNS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 July 1942, Page 4

“HUSH HUSH” GUNS

USED IN THE DEFENCE OF LONDON NAZI RAIDERS GET WARM RECEPTION. THE ATTACK ON BIRMINGHAM. - 1 (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) .(Received This Day, Noon.) LONDON, July 28. As London’s anti-aircraft guns went into action in the early hours of the morning it was quickly realised that the latest secret type was bei.ng used. The people soon noticed a new noise as shells screamed into the sky. The Home Guard manned some of these “hush hush” batteries, which scattered shrapnel on the city’s streets. The raiders formed part of a force which attacked widely-separated districts, including towns in the Midlands, East Anglia, the West Country and the north-west and south coasts. This was the largest force sent over Britain for months. Fire-bombs dropped on London’s semi-rural outskirts. Despite the German claim, that 200 planes attacked Birmingham, it is esthat only 50 to 70 were over Britain. The raiders spread, out to such an extent that the attacks seemed to be designed for internal consumption in Germany, as a reprisal! for Hamburg, rather than as a deliberate attempt to interfere with Britain’s war effort. Although eight raiders were destroyed during the night and a ninth off the south-west coast in the morning, the Air Ministry says many more were damaged. Aided by a brilliant moon, waves of planes showered incendiaries in the Birmingham area and many fires broke out. These were mostly small and were quickly doused. The damage was mostly confined to houses and shops. A few high-explosives were dropped, apparently indiscriminately, because of the fierceness of the ground defences. Night fighters chased the raiders over the area and the situation on the ground was always under control. Several persons were buried in one shelter. Fires completely ringed a market area, but the market was untouched.