FIERCE AIR RAID

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24187, 21 February 1944, Page 5

FIERCE AIR RAID

German Attack On London CASUALTIES AND DAMAGE (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Fab. 19. The Germans last night failed in their greatest bid since the big raids of 1940 and 1941 to set London ablaze. It was the fiercest “scalded cat” raid the capital has yet experienced and was carried out by more aeroplanes than usual. Masses of incendiary bombs and some high explosives were dropped in many districts in the London area, damaging hospitals, churches, schools, shops and houses. The capital at one time was ringed by fires, but the firefighting organisation rose splendidly to the occasion and within a short time after the attack, practically every fire was under control. Casualties, a number of which were fatal, were reported. Rescue parties to-day were still searching for those trapped in the ruins. Guns right round the London area sent up a thunderous barrage. The raiders attempted to smash through the shell packed sky fjom all points of the compass. Guns roared incessantly and the raiders dropped their loads over widely scattered districts as they ran into the barrage. Numerous flares turned night into day us three waves of raiders came in just after midnight. Our night fighters also went into action. One of London’s most popular shopping centres was hit when high explosives fell in the mews at the rear of ttie shops. The mews contain several garages which caught fire and blazed furiously. A search is going on for persons who it is feared were trapped in the wreckage of the mews. Little hope is held for five persons who were trapped when high explosive wrecked two houses and extensively damaged many others. A high explosive shell which fell in the roadway hit a gas main from which flames spouted like an erupting volcano, Time bombs also dropped in the same area. Three were killed and others buried when high explosives demolished a number of houses. Seven are believed to have been trapped in the wreckage of flats above a block of shops which were destroyed. High explosive landed directly on a home for the aged, killing and injuring several of the inmates. Rescue squads are still trying to reach a number of inmates of a fourstorey hostel which was demolished by a direct hit. Rescue crews worked all night clearing away the debris. Patients, including mothers and babies, were evacuated from a hospital which caught fire. The nursing home at the hospital was burnt out. A labour exchange was completely demolished by a direct hit in the same district. The Berlin radio says that thousands of high explosive bombs were dropped on London, and German reconnaissance aeroplanes early to-day observed large fires from afar which were still out of control. Seven aeroplanes failed to return from the raid. Early on Saturday morning there was enemy activity over East Anglia, southeast England, and the London area. Bombs were dropped in several places and damage was caused. Casualties were reported, chiefly in London. At least three enemy bombers were destroyed over their bases on the Continent by our intruders. The raid was rather heavier than usual, with more, aeroplanes reaching the London area. According to press reports between 50 and 60 raiders crossed the coast.

LIQUIDATION OF KANEV POCKET GERMAN COMMANDER AMONG DEAD ENEMY CLAIMS “ CONTACT REESTABLISHED ” {Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 13. A special Soviet communique says that during the liquidation of the encircled German army group in the region of Korsun (in the Kanev pocket), the body of Artillery General Wilhelm Stemmermann, commander of the group, was found among the dead. Enemy sources maintain that the Germans escaped from the Kanev pocket, in the north of the Dnieper bend. To-day's German communique claims that contact has been reestablished with the German forces in the pocket, "most of whom are once more within, the new German front.” The Official German News Agency commentator (von Hallensleben) declares that German rectifications of the front lines have so worn down the enemy that stabilisation of the entire German front is imminent. On the other hand, the Moscow radio hourly to-day broadcast detailed reports in German to Germany giving (he names and numbers of the regiments destroyed at Kanev. The radio said that the Red Army, penetrating the circle from all sides, found freshly dug graves filled with Gormans w'ho had obeyed Hitler's mad order to commit suicide rather than surrender.

Describing the scenes in the Kanev pocket, Reuter’s correspondent in Moscow says: "The last 48 hours saw (he bloodiest of the whole fortnight's fighting. The Germans, fortified by a triple issue of schnapps, tried under a heavy snowstorm to fight their way out in groups. They met a withering fire and were mowed down in thousands. Eight thousand wore killed in the last 48 hours,” The correspondent of the British United Press says: “The end came suddenly in the Kanev pocket. The enemy did not know (hat the Russians were upon them until the last, moment, because a roaring wind drowned the Cossacks' battle cries. A charge by Cossacks who battered the Germans with their rifle butts was the final blow.” "The final erasure of the Kanev trap is believed to have released 25 Russian divisions which wdll be wheeled southward against Marshal von Mannstein’s already disconcerted forces which were compelled to retreat from Nikopol,” says the Associated Press of Great Britain. "The Russian High Command probably wailed fur the extermination of the Germans in the irap before launching a full-scale assault, against Krivoi Rog." The Berlin radio .to-day admitted that the Russians had breached points imlhe main German battle area southwest of Krivoi Rog. The radio added: "The Russians in the last few days have concentrated numerous tank and ride detachments in the Krivoi Rog area. revealing their intention of annihilating the "Germans by a major pinners movement. The Germans, after prolonged and bitter fighting, beat back those attacks.” Reuter says that the men and machines sacrificed in the Kanev pocket wmuld be invaluable for the enemy's defence of the Odessa-Lwow railway, which is now exposed to fullscale attacks. Router adds that Generals Vatutin, Konicv. Tolbukhin. and Malinovsky are now tree to torn their full attention to Kherson and Nikolaev.