HEAVIER NIGHT RAIDS

Grey River Argus, 13 December 1940, Page 7

HEAVIER NIGHT RAIDS

Midlands Industrial Area ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Received December 12, 7.55 p.m.) BERLIN. December 11. It is announced that squadrons of German bombers are to-night (Wednesday) . carrying out the "heaviest kind of attacks” on military objectives in Britain’s industrial ‘area in the Midlands. Smashing Attack ON WEST MIDLANDS CITY. (Received December 12, 8.50 p.m.) LONDON, December 12. On Wednesday night a town in the West Midlands was subjected by German raiders to a smashing attack. By midnight, however, all of the fires that were caused had been quelled. One district has suffered severely. It is reported that one shelter was directly hit. The casualties, however, throughout the. city are not believed to have been heavy. LONDON GETS OFF LiGH’i WEST MIDLAND CITY DAMAGE (Received December 12, 8.4’0 p.m.) LONDON, December 11 The German raiders over London on ’ Wednesday night provided little incident. Apparently the enemy planes concentrated against the Midlands town, on which the attack began with the customary dropping of incendiary bombs

A bus was hit by fa high explosive bomb. Other explosive bombs also damaged a church, and some school's, a sports pavilion, and house property. The casualties are not believed to have been numerous, although some people were killed. FIVE OTHER AREAS RAIDED ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT (Received December 12, 7.55 p.m > LONDON. December 11. On Wednesday night, German raiderq were also reported over Liverpool, Wales, and the north-west, the south-west, and the south-east of England. THE OFFICIAL ACCOUNT (Received December 13, 1.40 a.m.) LONDON. December 12. The Air Ministry in its communique says: “The enemy’s air attacks on Wednesday night in Britain were on a fairly heavy scale. They were mainly concentrated upon a town in the Midlands, but elsewher e the activity was less, although a certain amount of damage was done. “The main attack lasted all night long. There were a number of fires caused. All were quickly got under control.”

21 COVENTRY CHURCHES DAMAGED. LONDON, December 11. Only nine of Coventry’s 30 churches remain undamaged. PROPERTY INSURANCE. RUGBY, December 11. Details of the Government’s legislature proposals for insurance against war damage are issued. The Bill comprises three schemes. Firstly a compulsory contributory scheme of compensation for damage to buildings and other immovable property. Secondly, a compulsory scheme of insurance for all movable assets of business undertakings, such as plant and machinery, and office and shop equipment. Thirdly, a voluntary scheme of insurance for all personal chattels, such as furniture. In the case! of buildings and immovable property, the compulsory contribution will be equal to 2s in the £ on the rateable value of the property each year, 'over a period of five years. For agricultural property and land used for recreational purposes, the rate will be Is 6d in the £. In the case of movable assets of business undertakings, the premium will be 30s per cent, for the period from September 3, 1939, to the end of September, 1941. In the case of business other than agricultural, the scheme requires the insurance of all assets exceeding £l,OOO. Under the compulsory scheme provision is made for compensation respecting possible war damage for many millions, the value of bujldings alone being variously estimated at between *6,000 and 8,000 million pounds sterling.