ENEMY AIR RAIDS

Grey River Argus, 18 December 1940, Page 5

ENEMY AIR RAIDS

SHEFFIELD HARD HIT Many Homeless [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON, December 16 Sheffield’s raid on Sunday night was heavy, but caused fewer casualties than expected. The Chief Constable has asked people to refrain from visiting the city to see what happened, thus interfering with traffic control. The Lord Mayor said that Sheffield was standing up to the bombing, and it would take a lot more to break the spirit of the people. The fires might have been more serious, but for the A.R.P. Incendiaries were followed by high-ex-plosive bombs, which damaged shops and houses. Many people were rendered homeless. Mobile canteens are supplying 500 meals per hour. Two, possibly three, enemy aeroplanes’were destroyed. It is believed that seven enemy airmen baled out, on the outskirts of Sheffield. Berlin circles stated aeroplanes carried out a “highly successful” raid on an important town in the Midlands. They claimed that the returning aeroplanes saw 30 large fires-

Monday Raids

ON EAST AND WEST OF ENGLAND. RUGBY, December 16. An Air Ministry and Home Security communique says: “Eneffiy activity during to-day has been confined to a small number of single aircraft. Some of these penetrated East Anglia and south-east England. A few bombs were reported in these areas, but they caused little damage and few casualties.”

Enemy planes are believed to have been in the vicinity of Liverpool and East Anglia this afternoon. MONDAY 7 NIGHT RAIDS On Several Cities NUMEROUS CASUALTIES INDICATED. r Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Received December 17, 11.15 p.m.) LONDON, December 16. Four bombs fell from a lone raider and startled Londoners on Monday night. The first two landed on a crossroad and blew a bus across the street, interlocking it with another bus. The third bomb landed in a street and blew in the windows of shops, and a nurses’ home. 'The fourth bomb hit a public house from which a number of people have been taken to hospital. German raiders on Monday night bombed several towns in the Midlands, and also bombed-the.; city pt Liverpool and another north-west town, as well as Northern and East Anglian towns. Incendiary bombs were rained down, and then high explosive bombs.

German raiders were over one north-west of England town for an hour. One bomb hit a cinema, where* a number were killed and injuredOFFICIAL REPORT [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Received December 18, 1.55 a.m.) LONDON, December 17. The Air Ministry, in a communique, states: “Enemy air raids on -Monday night wer e on a small scale. They ceased at an early hour. Bombs were dropped on several different parts of the country. They damaged houses and shops in some of the north-west districts and the 'Midlands, where a small number were killed, and others were injured. There were a few bombs in the London area, which caused a small number of casualties, and damaged houses and other buildings. There was little damage and casualties elsewhere.

ENEMY LOSSES.

LONDON December 16.

During the week ended midnight on Saturday, no British aircraft was lost over and around the coasts of Britain. The German air force lost twelve planes in this area during the same period. Mr. Lawrence Tweedy, President of the American Club in London, which was recently bombed, has cabled to America as follows: “Picture us, as optimistic as ever. We do not agree with an ex-resident’s alleged statement, that England is virtually defeated. That’s not off the record, either.”

The King, in a message of thanks to the Lord Mayor of London, tor the good wishes on his birthday, said: “J would like the people of London to know how proud I felt of their magnificent courage during the ordeals of recent weeks. I congratulate them on the example they set. They have shown the world that terrorisation of women and children, and destruction of their houses, will never break the spirit of a stout-hearted people, but only strengthen their will to win through to better days.”

Raid on Naples RUGBY, November 16. Further information regarding Saturday night’s R.A.F. attack on Naples is given in an R.A.F. Middle East communique this afternoon. It states: A very heavy successful raid was carried out .by long-range bombers, on Naples, during the night of December 14/15. Bombs burst on the jetty to which two battleships were moored, causing fires which burnt for a considerable time. Five direct hits were made on a concentration of cruisers and destroyers, resulting in four large explosions. One of our aircraft dropped an entire bomb load close to a battleship. At the same time the aerodrome was raided and fires started. ine railway station and junctions ' were atacked, resulting in three large explosions, followed by a number of fires The Danish newspaper. “Berlingsketencle’s” Rome correspondent describes the British raid on Naples as the most violent, thus far, against any Italian city.