100 RAIDERS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21227, 25 September 1940, Page 7

100 RAIDERS

| BLITZKRIEG RESUMED j DESTRUCTION IN LONDON PLANES DRIVEN BACK (United Press Asn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) '(Received Sept. 25, 11.35 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 24 After a break of only a few hours Germany resumed the blitzkrieg against England this morning, when 100 bombers and fighters crossed the Kent coast. Later a large formation of German planes was seen proceeding up the Thames Estuary. They met a terrific barrage, dogfights occurring as the raiders retreated, one fighter plunging into the sea; A British communique states: Enemy planes bombed London at several places, hitting and damaging houses and several industrial premises in London, causing some deaths. Houses were also demolished in the south-eastern and north-western districts. A high explosive bomb scored a direct hit on a London office buildings and wrecked the upper floors. The south-east coastal area had the longest night raid since the outbreak of the war. Two bombs landed on a famous cricket ground, damaging two paviliohs. 22 Bombs on Hospital Twenty-one Dorniers appeared over the Kent coast in a second daylight mass attack on London. Waves of Messerschmitts circled around the bombers, which encountered fierce anti-aircraft fire and were driven back after ten minutes. A bomb falling on to a hospital in the south-east was the 22nd one to fall on or near the building since the Blitzkreig began. Worker’s Heroism Choked, blinded and endangered by falling earth and concrete, Mr Maurice Vent, a member of the air raid service, flung himself down the escape shaft of an East London shelter in an attempt to save those trapped. He handed fourteen people through the shaft to safety. A bomb ploughed a ten-foot crater in the earth beside the shelter, throwing down a section of a wall on families sleeping under it.- Several people were killed, including a father, mother and three children. Reports to 10 p.m. show that eight German planes were shot down. We lost four planes. One pilot is safe.

GALLANT WORK

BALLOON BARRAGE > TRIBUTE TO CREWS SIR C. NEWALL’S MESSAGE (Official Wireless) m (Received Sept. 29. ii a.m.) XtUGBY, Sept. 24 The gallantry and devotion to duty of the balloon crews was warmly praised in the following message from Sir Cyril Newall to Air-Vice-Marshal Boyd, air officer commanding the Balloon Command: “At the conclusion of a year of war I must convey to you my admiration for the splendid way in which the balloon crews in your colhmand have performed their duties. They have throughout beeriT called upon to work long hours, often in conditions of much discomfort, exposed to all weathers. “Until recently your command had few opportunities of service of a spectacular nature. On the other hand, their success cannot be measured by the number of enemy aircraft they bring down, but by the general efficiency with which they play their part in air defence. “By keeping enemy bombers and fighters at a height where they can be effectively engaged by our fighters or anti-aircraft fire they have been invaluable members of a team upon the success of whose whole operations the safety of the Empire country depends. “With the opening up of air warfare over this country on a large scale during the past month many balloon crews have carried out duties of a most spectacular and successful nature, often under heavy attack from the enemy.”

BUSINESS AS USUAL

OXFORD STREET SHOPS SALES ON PAVEMENT (United Press Asn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 24 Slightly bewildered for several days after the Luftwaffe’s vicious bombing and blasting, Oxford Street, world-famous among women, has j partially recovered its old allure, j Several of the large stores are un- | able to reopen, but one has put two* l ! girls at a pavement desk in a side ' street to deal with inquiries, i Many people who came to see the ! j damage in Oxford Street remained 1 i to shop. Women do not have to go 1 into shops nowadays to finger mater- j ials appraisingly. j When one big store in Oxford ; Street reopened, the windows were elegantly dressed, but customers pointing out models were surprised to iinu tiiat tne usual glass barrier was ! 1 not there. j j It is believed that Argentina has j replied favourably to a British proposal that the Argentine should grant Britain 500.000,000 pesos (about Xu0,h00 r 000) credit for food supplies.