FAMILY KILLED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21231, 30 September 1940, Page 7

FAMILY KILLED

ONE SHELL A SECOND

RAIDS ON LONDON BLOWN FROM BEDS HOUSES & HALL WRECKED (United Pre.ss Assn.—Elec. Tel, Copyright) (Received Sept 30, 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 29 Two people were killed and five injured last night by a bomb falling in the middle of a road in a southwestern suburb, wrecking two buses and two houses. A family of four, sheltering on the ground floor, were killed when a bomb hit a house in a north-western suburb. Several air raid precaution workers were killed when a hall in South London was demolished! and the wardens were buried under the debris. A warehouse in a neighbouring street was hit by bombs. The fire lasted three hours, involving three working-class tenements the occupants of which were safely evacuated. Many people were hurt when were blown from their beds. SEVERAL FIRES STARTED London, south-east England, the Merseyside and the Midlands were attacked by enemy bombers during the night. A few bombs were dropped at isolated points, but a Ministry of Home Security communique states: Reports indicate that no damage or casualties were caused. In the south-east the attacks were mainly concentrated on south and west London and districts in the home counties on the southern and western outskirts of the capital. Several fires were started, which were soon under control. The damage was mainly confined to dwellinghouses and shops. There were some casualties. On the Merseyside the attacks were less severe than of late, and though some houses were damaged no casualties are reported. In the East Midlands high explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped in rural areas but the damage was slight and there were no casualties. Crashed Into Sea A Ministry of Home Security communique states: Three enemy aircraft, all bombers, have been destroyed over this country since midnight. One brought down during the night fouled a balloon cable and crashed in the sea off the south coast. A second was shot down in the Thames Valley by fighters this morning. Later another was shot down into the sea off the south-east coast by anti-aircraft guns. Enemy activities over Britain this morning consisted of a few attacks by single aircraft. Some bombs were dropped at points on the Thames Estuary, two towns and villages on the south coast, and a village in the home counties.

Little damage was done in any of these attacks and there was a very small number of casualties.

ANTI-AIRCRAFT BARRAGE DEFENCE OF LONDON (United Press Asn.—Elec. Tel. copyrijnt) LONDON, Sept. 29 Greater London’s anti-aircraft guns are now able to fire an average of more than one shell a second throughout the night. The antiaircraft guns of Britain could fire in less than a month the entire output of 1918. Gunfire is chiefly of two classes. Firstly, groups of batteries put up a •‘pattern” of fire, forcing the bombers to sheer off to avoid destruction, thus preventing accurate bombing. Secondly, other batteries try to hit single machines or formations. This fire is designed to “bracket” the enemy with groups of shells, in front and behind, and then to plaster the correct area. Germany Loses 4604 Planes Germany's three weeks of “ blitz ” bombing has cost her over 1000 aeroplanes, compared with 283 British machines. Her losses of airmen are many times the British total. Germany’s total loss of aeroplanes to midnignt on Friday was 4604. Britain’s losses were 1381 machines.