RAIDERS DOWNED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 182, 16 May 1941, Page 5

RAIDERS DOWNED

FOUR NAZIS OVER BRITAIN. MUCH DAMAGE NOW REVEALED. • ' ri 1 ... • • , ; i ARCHBISHOP’S ESCAPE. ‘United Press Association—Copyright) (Itec. 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, May 15.. An official l communique states : “There has been some activity by enemy aircraft over the coastal areas to-day, Bombs were dropped on several points, ; but caused little damage and no casualties.

“One enemy bomber was shot down by our fighters over Britain.to-day.” Two enemy aircraft have been shot down by British fighters to-day. It is now known that ,one. enemy aircraft was destroyed off the cOast“last night.

Regarding enemy activity over Britain last night, an official communique states that there is nothing to report. —British Official Wireless.

The Church of St. Clement Danes, which was damaged in previous raids, is now completely gutted. Tho wallsand tower are all that remain. An oil'; bomb hit Queen’s Hall, which , was burnt out. The roof has fallen in and' the building completely wrecked. The damage to the British Museum necessitated closing the reading rooms. Stone’s Chop House, which was started in 1770, has been demolished by bombs. The Czech Red Cross building and the Sliaftsbury Theatre have also been wrecked, . -

The Archbishop of Canterbury (the Most Rev. Dr. Cosmo G. : Lang) was sleeping at Lambeth Palace when incendiaries fell on tho palace. Neai'ly all were extinguished, but the roof of tho chapel was set on fii-o and burUed oiVt.' Thousands of books in the palace ecclesiastical library were destroyed. The Archbishop was not injured.