WORST OUTRAGE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21215, 11 September 1940, Page 7

WORST OUTRAGE

INDISCRIMINATE BOMBING CASUALTIES IN LONDON SEVERAL HOSPITALS HIT (United Press Asn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 10 For hour after hour on Monday night heavy bombs were dropped at random over London, and thousands of people who had gone into shelters at 8.45 last night found, when they emerged on the all-clear signal at 5.51 this morning, that they could not get even a drink of water owing to damage to the water mains. Hundreds could not go home because of the disorganisation of some of the transport services. During the nine hours and six minutes that the raid lasted—it is described as “the worst outrage yet” —the German airmen threw off all pretence of confining themselves to military targets, and, states the Air Ministry, reports received during the night show that bombs were scattered at random without any distinction of objectives. Fires were started in the vicinity of St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Guildhall. Bombs fell on a large maternity hospital, which was twice attacked, and there were a number of casualties. In a children’s hospital which was hit, six nurses were killed. The roof of another hospital for children was shattered by a bomb, but all the children escaped. Two bombs fell on a nurses’ home.

The fire near St. Paul’s spread during the night. The flames made a good target for the enemy, and it was bombed repeatedly. Showers of sparks were thrown high into the air as each bomb exploded, and fell on and about the dome of the historic cathedral. Fortunately the wind was blowing away from the cathedral and not even a window was cracked. Some of the bombs dropped in this area are believed to have been containers filled with crude oil. Home For Aged Bombed Bombs also struck a poor-law institution for the aged, a London County Council housing estate, and a large number of workers’ cottages, especially in the East End of London, which was heavily and repeatedly attacked. Bombs have also been scattered in the west and north-west of London. A high-explosive bomb which fell in a district in south-east London made a huge crater in the roadway, hurling into the air one of several stationary tramcars. Attempts to rescue five young women trapped 'in a house progressed from 2.30 this morning. Their rescuers said they were wonderfully cheerful. Only one got excited at one stage, and that was when she said gas was choking her. All the fires were under control this morning. Londoners Determined London this morning is calm, quiet and determined. Most people have had little sleep, some have had their houses damaged and some have suffered injuries, but for the most part they were cheerfully finding their way to work this morning. For many it was a problem how to get to work. Thousands were to be seen waiting at suburban stations to find out what transport was running. The carriages of trains were packed. Many had to walk to work and make detours to avoid bomb craters in the streets. Buses and tradesmen’s vans were still carrying on, although transport has been slowed up. The 8.8. C. said this morning found people more contemptuous of the methods adopted by Hitler, than showing fear or alarm. Their spirit could be summoned up in the phrase: “We can take it.” There was little enemy activity last night over the rest of Britain, but some bombs were dropped in a town in the north-west and in a rural district in the south-west. They caused some damage, but no casualties are reported. The number of casualties in London last night is not available. Casualties known to have been caused in Sunday’s attack, the Air Ministry states, are 286 people dead and about 1400 seriously injured. Fifty-two enemy aircraft Avere destroyed on Monday, 49 being shot down by fighters and three by antiaircraft fire. Three British pilots previously reported missing, are now announced to be safe. Thus, only seven British pilots were lost on Monday. London had a short air-raid alarm about mid-day today (Tuesday). Machine-gun fire was heard from the centre of the capital.