MOSCOW STRONG

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 173, 24 July 1941, Page 7

MOSCOW STRONG

MORE NIGHT RAIDS British Praise AJfcP. And Fire Fighters Dotted Press Association.—OcmUifat. Rec. 1 pjn. LONDON, July 23. Members of the British mission in Moscow, advising on fire-fighting praise the conduct of the Russian firemen and A.R.P. members during the raids on Moscow. It is claimed that they compared favourably with London's. The British United Press correspondent says a nonstop barrage kept the raiders in the second raid high. Tons of bombs were jettisoned in the woods outside the capital.

The Berlin radio declared that Moscow was a vast flaming sea after last night's raid, and the Kremlin was hit several times, as well as administrative buildings.

Moscow suffered two raids last night, when 15 enemy aeroplanes were shot down by Russian night fighters and anti-aircraft devices.

The Moscow radio this morning stated that about 150 raiders approached the capital, but only single bombers were able to penetrate the defences.

Soviet aeroplanes and anti-aircraft batteries prevented large enemy forces from reaching the city, and although dozens of persons were killed or injured no military target was hit. The fire brigades and public extinguished fires in dwelling houses. A hospital and a nursing home were seriously damaged. The alarm lasted for five hours.

Stalin, in an order of the day states that it has been ascertained that 22 raiders were shot down in the first raid on Monday night The raiders were spotted immediately and as a result over 200 were dispersed and only isolated aeroplanes penetrated to the capital. Some fires occurred, but they were energetically extinguished. Good order prevailed.