GREAT DEVASTATION IN LONDON

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21228, 26 September 1940, Page 7

GREAT DEVASTATION IN LONDON

HUNDREDS OF INCENDIARY BOMBS DROPPED CHURCH, BANK AND BUSINESS PREMISES WRECKED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 26, 11 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 25 Soon after midnight Goering launched one of the most frenzied attacks yet on London. Sections of raiders sought out an important part of Central London, also a famous shopping area. They first rained hundreds of incendiary bombs, circled round the targets, and then dive-bombed. Swooping recklessly under the balloon barrage they joined in a series of furious attacks. Valuable stained glass windows were blown in at an historic Central London church. A bomb blew out the interior of a bank a few yards from the church. Fire bombs in Central London started a ring of fires within a radius ol a quarter of a mile, six of which were blazing simultaneously, enveloping a college, business premises and furniture depositories in which there were highly inflammable goods. Many nearby buildings were evacuated. The firefighters worked on through a hail of shrapnel. Daylight found only the shells of buildings standing. In one well-known street the walls continued to collapse, with clouds of dust, debris and smoke. In a south-west suburb a line of three shops was wrecked, adjoining three which were wrecked a few nights ago. A particularly heavy high explosive bomb caused great damage, also many casualties, in one of London's most popular centres, while residential areas elsewhere were again damaged.