MANCHESTER BLITZ

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20571, 3 June 1941, Page 5

MANCHESTER BLITZ

HOSPITALS WRECKED SOME TRAGIC SCENES (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Rec. June 3. noon) LONDON, June 2. Manchester suffered its worst bombing for months last night, when waves of German planes showered incendiary and high-explosive bombs on the city for two hours. Three hospitals and a cinema were among the buildings hit. Members of the A.R.P. struggled to the rescue of nurses who were trapped m the debris ot one hospital. Taint whispers were heard, and it is thought that at least two are alive. Five bodies have already been dug out. One nurse died alter an arm by which she was imprisoned was amputated on the spot. A man, his wife, and 10-year-old daughter were seen crossing a street to a shelter when a bomb fell. No lurther trace of them could be iouna until the wife’s body was discovered lying across a sign suspended from the second storey of an hotel. Later, the husband’s body was found behind a wall a block away. There was no sign of the girl. Record Number Destroyed During May, when a record number of enemy night bombers were destroyed, London experienced the fewest raids since the extensive blitzing began. Warnings were sounded only on 12 occasions, three of which were on one night. There were 21 raidless nights. Since the outbreak of the war London has had 5(10 warnings, totalling 1459 hours.

The alert was sounded in the London area late on Sunday after three weeks of raid-free nights. Intermittent gunfire was heard, being heavy at times.

An Air Ministry communique says that there was considerable enemy activity over Britain last night, mostly in the north-west of England, where there were several incidents. A sharp attack developed in one district. Several fires were started and a number of casualties included some persons killed. Bombs dropped in several widely separated places elsewhere did little damage. It is disclosed that 30 Belfast churches were wrecked or damaged in a recent air raid.