GERMAN NIGHT RAIDERS

Evening Star, Issue 23833, 13 March 1941, Page 9

GERMAN NIGHT RAIDERS

PENETRATION TO MIDLANDS AND NORTH-WEST ATTACKS HOT HEAVY AND CASUALTIES FEW Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright * LONDON, March 12. (Received .March 13, at 8 a.m.) The Air Ministry states: Enemy planes last night penetrated in fair numbers to the Midlands ami the northwestern counties. They set lire to some buildings and caused a certain amount of other damage. The work of the fire parties throughout the West Midlands was said to bo particularly good. Tho attacks wore nowhere very heavy, and tho casualties throughout the country were few. An earlier message stated: Night raiders bombed 34 localities, the chief targets being towns in the West Midlands and East Midlands. Some enemy’ planes were observed in the vicinity of Liverpool. There was minor activity off tho coasts of North-east Scotland and West of England. A town in the north-west experienced its heaviest and most sustained raid for some mouths. The raid ended before midnight. DESTROYED DN GROUND R.A.F. PILOT BOMBS LOADED PLANE (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 12, (Received March 13, at 9.10 a.m.) One enemy aircraft ready to take off on a raid last night was destroyed before it left the ground, the Air Ministry news service states. An R.A.F. pilot, who has already won the D.F.C. for night exploits, flew to an aerodrome in France and stayed there 25 minutes, then dropped bombs and hit a plane on the edge of the aerodrome. It buret into flames. Ammunition and Yerey lights flew out, and the petrol tank exploded. HEINKELS DESTRDYED VICTIMS OF COASTAL COMMAND (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 12. (Received March 13, at 12.20 p.m.) While making out reports of an action with a Heinkel which was engaged when it was endeavouring to attack a convoy, the crew of a Coastal Command bomber learned that the enemy machine, which they last saw making off into the darkness after the rear gunner had sent a stream into the fuselage, had crashed into tho sea. Flares and a distress signal were seen, and a naval vessel found the wrecked enemy aircraft when they went out to investigate, A Heinkel 59 seaplane was also' destroyed off the Danish coast by a Hudson Coastal Command machine, which closed tho range to 100yds before forcing the enemy clown. The Heinkel landed in the sea and sank quickly, while the Hudson circled overhead looking for the survivors. LITTLE DAYLIGHT ACTIVITY (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 12. (Received March 13, at 1 p.m.) An official communique issued on Wednesday evening stated that there had been few enemy aircraft over England on that day. The only bombs reported to have been dropped were in east Kent. There were no casualties and little-damage. BUCKINGHAM PALACE MORE BOMB DAMAGE LONDON, March 11. It is now revealed that more damage was done to Buckingham Palace in a recent raid. Bombs fell in a line across the forecourt, where the historic ceremony of the Changing of the Guard is held, and a heavy bomb also struck the north lodge, killing a young policeman who was on fire duty. HIT BY FIVE HIGH EXPLOSIVES THREE PEOPLE KILLED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 12. (Received March 13, at 9.15 a.m.) Three high explosive bombs fell and damaged the north gate lodge, shattered several big stone pillars, killed a policeman and two others, and caused craters in, the palace forecourt. The lodgekeeper and his wife were taking refuge in a shelter when a bomb wrecked their home near the garden gate at the bottom of Constitution Hill. The Cardiff Catholic cathedral was recently bombed. NAZI DEMANDS REJECTED FLIGHTS ACROSS SPAIN LONDON, March 12. The ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ understands that General Franco rejected Germany’s demand for facilities to fly military aeroplanes across Spain to Africa.