SEVEN WARNINGS
ALARMS IN LONDON GERMANS DRIVEN OFF ONE HUNDREDTH RAID (United Press Asn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 19, 11 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 18 The air raid warning has sounded seven times in the London area since dawn. Most of the warnings were in operation only a few minutes, an exception being one after mid-day, which lasted one and three-quarter hours. In all cases the raiders were driven off before reaching the outskirts. 100th Warning of War The seventh air-raid warning in London today and, incidentally, the 100th since the outbreak of war, was given at 5.58 p.m. About 300 raiders crossed the south-east coast in an endless stream for 15 minutes during the afternoon, when eight fighters escorted each bomber. The sirens sounded for the eighth time at 7.58 p.m. The night raiders’ bombs hit three well-known Oxford Street stores, namely John Lewis, BourneHollingsworth and D. H. Evans. Hundreds of people sheltering under the stores were unhurt. A large bomb uprooted trees and tombstones in a central graveyard. Bank Building On Fire Five bombs falling near a building adjoining the Bank of New South Wales set fire to the bank, but it was extinguished after the premises had been damaged by fire and. water. An incendiary bomb slightly damaged the Spanish Embassy. During the third warning in the morning the roar of battle was heard over the Thames Estuary. Numerous high explosives considerably damaged one estuary town, where there were eight casualties. A Junkers plane, shot down by anti-aircraft fire at Maidstone last night, crashed on two houses. Four of the crew and one elderly invalid were killed. Few Casualties Reported A joint Ministry of Air and Home Security communique states: Enemy air activity to-day has been mainly confined to the south-eastern area. Formations of enemy aircraf'; crossed the coast of Kent on several occasions during the day and spread inland towards London and the Thames Estuary. A few of them reached London, but no bombs are reported to have been dropped in this area. Several bombs were dropped, mainly near the Thames EstLiary, but the damage appears to have been caused mainly to dwelling-houses, and the number of casualties reported is small, though it includes some fatally injured. The enemy has been continuously engaged by our fighters and antiaircraft guns throughout the day. One of the 42 enemy aircraft destroyed was brought down by antiaircraft guns. Jewellery Shops Damaged During last night’s raids the windows of jewellers’ shops in Bond Street were blown in. Jewellery had been moved to cellars below for safety. Fashionable dress shops were among other premises damaged. A large building was demolished in Savile Row. A bomb which fell near a large West End hotel broke through the pavement and fell into a subway, causing casualties. During a recent raid a bomb fell on the lawn of Westminster Abbey. It made a small crater, but did no damage to the abbey.
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Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21222, 19 September 1940, Page 7
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487SEVEN WARNINGS Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21222, 19 September 1940, Page 7
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