BRISTOL BLITZ

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20507, 18 March 1941, Page 7

BRISTOL BLITZ

SEVERE DAMAGE SHELTER DIRECTLY HIT MANY HOUSES WRECKED GUNNERS SHOOT FLARES (Klttc. Tel. Copyiigkt—United Press Assn.) (Reed. March 18, 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, March 17. A communique, issued by the Air Ministry states: “Enemy aircraft attacked Bristol last night for some hours. Considerable damage was caused by explosive bombs and also by fire, but all the fires were under control by early morning. The casualties included some killed.

“Bombs were also dropped in other districts, causing slight damage and casualties.”

Several houses were destroyed in the blitz on Bristol. Four persons were buried, but all were extricated and sent to hospital. The raiders dropped frequent flares, many of which the ground machine-gunners extinguished in mid-air by finding aim by tracer bullets.

German bombers heavily attacked Bristol last night and inflicted serious damage. The raid started in a deceptively quiet manner, but the dropping of fire and explosive bombs steadily increased. Most of the futilities were believed to have occurred when a public shelter containing 100 was directly hit. The majority escaped. Heroic Vicar A vicar, who is also a warden, worked heroically when a bomb penetrated the roof of a church and exploded in the crypt where many were sheltering, killing and injuring several people. A married couple, three young children, the wife’s sister and mother were all in the basement when their house was hit by a bomb. The husband and a baby were killed and the wife was trapped under a pile of debris. A doctor sat at her side throughout the night administering morphia until she was freed.

A newspaper office suffered severely from a blast, but the paper was published as usual.

The inhabitants to-day were busy cleaning up. They were as cheerful as ever, but were not disguising that the raid was serious.

An official communique states there was little enemy daylight activity over Britain to-day. No bombs were reported. One enemy aircraft is known to have been destroyed last night.

A German communique claims that in addition to Bristol and Avonmouth the harbour establishments at Portsmouth were hit by heavy bombs.