WORST IN THREE WEEKS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 156, 30 December 1940, Page 8

WORST IN THREE WEEKS

CAPITAL'S "BLITZ"

SHELTER BECOMES A TRAP

LONDON, December 28.

The all-clear was sounded in London late last night after the worst raid on ihe capital since December 8, and after a record spell of freedom from air attack of 89 hours 18 minutes.

Scores of high-explosive and hundreds of incendiary bombs were scattered over a wide area, and the attack had all the features of the worst "blitz." In spite of the bursting bombs and the heavy barrage, Londoners carried on as usual. Buses and trains

ran uninterrupted and the main thoroughfares were never completely deserted.

A communique states: "Many bombs j were dropped on London in a raid which began soon after dark and lasted lor about four hours. A few bombs were also dropped in East Anglia and the south-east of England and on one point on the south coast. A number of people were killed, others injured, and many dwelling houses were destroyed or damaged. There were several fires, but all were quickly and effectively dealt with and many were extinguished while the raid was still in progress." A London parish church was gutted as the result of being hit by a number of incendiary bombs. The church seated 100 people. In an adjacent thoroughfare a heavy bomb destroyed a hotel, and a number of houses nearby were wrecked. TRAGIC INCIDENT. A number of persons were trapped in the underground shelter of a large block of workers' flats. Eleven were ; rescued after two hours. A middle-1 aged woman who is an invalid is be-, lieved to be still under tons of debris. Her husband was killed and their daughter admitted to hospital. , Most of those rescued were injured. A woman in an adjoining shelter said: "We could hear screams for help, but though only a single wall divided us we were powerless. Some of the men tried to hack their way through, and they were using picks when a member of the A.R.P. advised them to cease because of the danger of the collapse of both shelters. We were unable to leave ours till the debris was dug from the entrance." During the day yesterday the only enemy activity was by one raider on a town in the south-east of England, causing some damage and a few minor casualties. Today Southampton was visited by German bombers, according to a communique, which states: "There was very little enemy air activity over Britain today, but bombs were dropped by enemy aircraft over Southampton in the afternoon, causing a little damage and a few casualties."

ally remodelled and redecorated, and the frontage, too, was altered. An ornamental addition to the Boulcott Street frontage of 58 feet was the erection of four large Doric pillars with appropriate capitols, with flights of steps on either side. In the original, building a considerable amount of kauri timber was used, but in the alterations other timbers found a place. The renovated hall was a great success on the score of space, and the main hall was always in great demand for other than Masonic functions, but in the matter of ventilation it left something to be desired. However, it served its purpose until the new Masonic Hall on The Terrace was opened in 1926. A GAS EXPLOSION. In June, 1908, the old hall narrowly escaped the fate which overtook it this morning. A gas explosion under the stairs started a fire which, given a few more minutes of freedom, would have wiped out the whole building, so it was stated at the time. The prompt efforts of the Fire Brigade, however, 1 prevented this disaster, although a considerable amount of damage was done.