I.R.A. TERRORISM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 84, 11 April 1939, Page 9

I.R.A. TERRORISM.

VILLAGES ALARMED.

ALL-NIGHT GUARD ON

CHURCHES.

OLDEST CfHABITAHT &£AX>T.

(Special. —By Air Mam LONDON, March 18.

Suffolk villagers, alarmed and indignant at a supposed threat by the Irish Republican Army to destroy eight Suffolk churches, this -week took ancient and rusty flintlock guns oat of cupboards and maintained mji all-night guard on their place* of worship.

The alarm arose from a letter signed "I.R.A-," with a London postmark, received by Prebendary W. Fountain Page, rector of the noted church at Lavenham, near Ipswich. It ran: "We give fair warning. We are now concentrating on churches and cathedrals. Scotland Yard is futile."

It added that there would be a "big boom** at Lavenham and ■"mighty" would be the fall of the tower. It suggested that attempts would be made on churches at Lavenham and seven neighbouring villages.

The oldest inhabitant of Lavenham, •0-year-old John Partridge, is ready to mount guard if there are not enough volunteers.

"My sight and hearing are good and lam prettv nimble on my feet. It would be a tragic thing to me if our church was spoiled because I am never tired of looking at it," said old John.