ANOTHER BIG RAID

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21209, 4 September 1940, Page 7

ANOTHER BIG RAID

300 PLANES PARTICIPATE BOMBS OUTSIDE LONDON HOUSES AND SHOPS DAMAGED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 3 Enemy activity was widespread over many parts of Britain last night, but reports indicate that the general damage and casualties were slight, states a communique issued this morning. Bombs were dropped in the outskirts of London and in three south coast towns, and in widely-scattered parts of the south-east, east and north-east coast. In a north-west town there was damage to houses and shops. In the London area very little damage is reported. Shops and houses in a south coast town were damaged. London’s third air raid warning began at 10.41 p.m. and lasted until 3.03 a.m. today. It was the biggest raid of the day, 300 bombers and fighters taking part. The Germans lost 16 bombers and fighters within two hours.

The German attacks were chiefly aimed at aerodromes on the north and south sides of the Thames Estuary. The / heavy and intermittent drone of enemy bombers was distinctly heard over London, but no bombs were dropped. The alarm lasted four hours and 22 minutes. Fire Chief’s Resignation Even firemen’s uniforms, if worn by parachuters or Fifth Columnists, would not avail the enemy in one part of Monmouthshire. When an air-raid alarm sounded in the Tredegar district the volunteer firemen set out for the fire station, but Home Guards stopped them and asked to see their identity cards. The firemen could not produce the cards, because they had overlooked them when changing into uniform; so the Home Guards turned them back and caused a delay of threequarters of an hour in the manning of the engine. The fire chief thereupon resigned as a protest against the “indignity to which the firemen’s uniform had been subjected.” He said; “I should have thought that the uniform would be good enough to pass my men through.”