FLYING BOMB ATTACKS

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24365, 18 September 1944, Page 4

FLYING BOMB ATTACKS

HEAVY DAMAGE TO HOUSES FIGURES FOR LONDON AREA (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 15. The extent of the damage to London’s houses in flying bomb attacks was disclosed by the Minister of Reconstruction (Lord Woolton) when he announced that Sir Malcolm Trustram Eve had been appointed to lead a drive to provide shelter for hundreds of thousands of Londoners before the winter. Many houses will be repaired and 10,000 requisitioned huts will be provided. Lord Woolton giving the figures said that 23,000 houses and flats were destroyed in flying bomb attacks and 1,104,000 damaged. In raids from 1940 to the spring of 1944, 84,000 houses were destroyed and 142,000 had still to be repaired, of which 42,000 were unfit for occupation. Lord Woolton said that the total of 107,000 houses destroyed in the London area by air raids and flying bombs at an average of 4.5 persons to a home represented accommodation for 500,000 people. There were 170,000 houses seriously damaged, and as many in need of repair. Seven hundred thousand which had received “firstaid” repairs needed further work to make them reasonably comfortable. There were 83,000 men engaged on repairs and demolitions in London, ot whom 21,000 had been brought specially to London. More were needed. MORE ATTACKS REPORTED DISCHARGE FROM PLANES LIKELY (Ree. 9 p.m.) ' LONDON, Sept. 18. Flying bombs, apparently discharged from aircraft, fell in various parts ol southern England, including the London area, this morning. This broke the flying bomb lull which had lasted since August 3L Defending fighters scored successes early to-day when flying bombs were launched against London and southern England. One pilot shot down two in one short patrol.