HEAVY ANTI-AIRCRAFT BARRAGE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21229, 27 September 1940, Page 7

HEAVY ANTI-AIRCRAFT BARRAGE

CHURCHES, HOSPITAL AND CONVENT HIT BRITISH CASUALTIES FAMILY OF FIVE KILLED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. 27, 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 26 While Central London was relatively quieter last night, outlying suburbs experienced the heaviest anti aircraft barrage thus far. The crash of firing guns shook buildings twelve miles out. Churches were again hit by bombs. One hundred and forty people were taking refuge in the crypt of one southeast church when the walls crumbled down. The people came to the surface unhurt. Incendiary and high-explosive bombs gave one southwest district the worst night yet. A hospital and a convent were among the sufferers. The convent students had been evacuated. Two wings were gutted. A direct hit tore away the seats of an underground trench shelter and an entire family of five was killed and there were a few other casualties among the hundred other people in the shelter.

Famous Buildings Hit Amongst the famous buildings hit in the • recent indiscriminate Nazi raids on London is the Inner Temple, which is one of the four inns of the Court. Besides the Middle and Inner Temple, halls, libraries and church, , the Temple contains many buildings 1 which house barristers’ chambers and form a self-contained centre. It was this ancient settlement which inspired the plan of the famous Karl Marx Hoff in Vienna, and it is an outstanding example of community settlement. Perhaps this is the reason the Nazis included the Temple in their programme of London’s “military objectives.” 31 Nazi Planes Destroyed The Air Ministry announced tonight that at least 31 enemy planes were destroyed in the raids on Britain to-day, including at least 16 bombEight of our fighters are missing but the pilots pf three are safe. The majority of the German machines were destroyed in a halfhour battle off the Isle of Wight.

The German raids on London commenced about the usual hour tonight. A number of bombs was dropped, but the fierce barrage prevented many machines from reaching the Central London area. It is reported that two old-estab-lished shops were among the buildings damaged.