OPENING STAGES

Grey River Argus, 11 September 1940, Page 5

OPENING STAGES

Sunday Night’s Raids LONDON, September 9. Th e first warning on Sunday night, sounded about 30 minutes earlier than that for the raid on Saturday night, and almost simultaneously explosions were heard from many points in the London area. It was scarcely dark when th e raiders were seen to approach from the south-east and north-west. Anti-aircraft guns opened fire in the suburbs, and the barrage was quickly taken uu by guns in th P inner area. The anti-air-craft fire was terrific, ana agency reports say that many of the raiders 'turned back before getting wirhin range. LONDON, September 9. A second attempt was made to reach London 45 minutes later. The anti-aircraft batteries;, which had been quiet for a time, burst »nto action again. In one part of London, persons who had be in listening to an aeroplane overhead, noticed a change in the sound of its motors. They saw the searchlights on the machine follow as it dropped slowly to the horizon, and heard a dull explosion. They gathered that another enemy machin e had been brought down. RAIDERS DOWNED. BEFORE SUNDAY NIGHTS ATTACKS. RUGBY, September 9. Before Sunday Evening’s attacks, five out of eight enemy planes were earlier in the day brought down by fighters, while the other three were all shot down within a minute by the same anti-aircraft battery. This brilliant marksmanship is cred'ted to a 20-year-old gunner. The German leader’s aeroplane was hit directly by the first shot, and the other two were destroyed immediately afterwards. The wreckage of the last two machines was strewn over the same paddocks, and all the occupants were killed. The other machine fell some distance away. When the raiders were hit they released their bombs, which damaged som G cottages. Ah incendiary bomb started a fire in a boys’ school and in the housekeeper’s cottage. All the' boys were in the shelters at th? time. They came out and tackled the fires, under the direction of a master until the village fire brigade arrived. The local Home Guard had just been dismissed after a church parade, but members captured a German from the first machine shot down. Within one hour of the raid a bomb rack from one of the Nazi machines was being exhibited in the local inn in aid of the Spitfire fund

SUNDAY DAMAGE. RUGBY, September 9. Reports of th P damage caused in the attacks on London, on Sunday night, ar e not yet complete, stales an Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security communique. but som-> particulars can now be given. London once again has been th e main objective of the enemy, and its citizens hav e met the blind savagery of these latest night attacks with admirable courage and resource. The attacks were severe, and continued throughout the hours of darkness, Bombing was widespread over the London area, and for the most part was indiscriminate. The damage was heavy, and comprised many targets of a non-military character, including three hospitals and two museums. Docks on both sides of th P river were again subjected to a heavy and repeated bombardment with highexplosive and incendiary bombs. A number of fires broke out. Many of these tires have been extinguished,, and all the remainder are now well in hand Fire brigades and auxiliary lU’e services put out most of the flies quickly, though raiders still hovered overhead and at times dropped bombs in th e fires. Houses were damaged, some serl " iousl,y, 'two 'schools were damaged, hnd two wards of a hospital in the East End were demolished. In t.ne operating theatre, within a few yards of where the bombs fell, nurses and doctors carried on as calmly as ever. Most of the patients and staff were in their shelters. On e nurse, who was buried for three hours under fallen brickwork, insisted on carrying on her work when she was dug out. Many nurses lost all their possessions. A fire which started in th e hospital coal store wag quickly put out by the hospital staff. Women of the Auxiliary Fire Sirvice carried on their work calmly, though shrapnel was flying, and A.RP. workers wer P killed at. their posts, whil e others continued their work. They filled in bomb craters and repaired water, gas and electric mains.

In th P East End on Monday morning peopl P were hard at work repairing the damage. It is stated that the work of the civilian defence organisations, including A.R.P. and Auxiliary Fire Services, was on G of the. finest features of the people’s reaction to the attack. These workers continued their job, ignoring the danger of falling bombs and flying shrapnel.

DOVER SHELLED. LONDON, September 9. Th e Dover area was shelled on Monday evening. Th P enemy’s gunfire was returned. Sunday Casualties OVER 1640. LONDON, September 9. The number of casualties in London in Sunday’s raids cannot at present b ( > assessed, though, so far as information is available, it is not expected that the numbers will exceed Saturday’s figures. The casualties given for attacks on that day are now found to b P rather lower than was announced. According to present information, 306 were killed and 1,337 were seriously Injured. Nearly 1700 Casualties ON SUNDAY NIGHT. (Received Sept. 11. 12.30 a.m.) LONDON. September 10. Casualties that ar P known to have been caused by the enemy’s attacks on London on Sunday night were 286 dead, and approx'aiately fourt:en hundred seriously injured.