ENEMY AIR RAIDS

Grey River Argus, 15 January 1941, Page 5

ENEMY AIR RAIDS

SUNDAY NIGHT ATTEMPT To Set Thames Estuary Towns Afire [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.J LONDON, January 13. Fire-watchers, wardens and householders co-operated'with the fire services to defeat a big attempt to sei fire to towns in the Thames Estuary area last night. Incendiary bombshowered down for hours, uut most of the fires were extinguished before damage was done. Explosive bomos followed the fire-bombs, considerably damaging residential property. A bomb penetrated a ventilator in a suburban shelter, killing nine, including two mothers and five chi.dren.

In the London area ?i bomb directly hit a bus, killing the driver and one soldier, and seriously injuring three other soldiers.

Explosives fell between a hostel and houses, killing four and injuring a ' number. A search continues under the rums of a London subway, which was directly hit by a bomb on Sunday. Thousands viewed the immense crater, in which 100 engineers and members of demolition squads appeared like pigmies. Hope has practically been abandoned for tho e entombed. All motor-buses operating in the Medway and mid-Kant area will become mobil e fire-fighting units from to-day. Sandbag's are carrien tn every bus, and drivers and conductors are instructed to stop, if they see tires, and to deal with them. Till' a late hour on Monday night, no “alert” was sounded in th e London area. A number of bombs are reported to have been dropped on a south-west coast town during I.he evening, and iwo hospitals were b.it.

An Air Ministry and Home Security communique slates: Nothing to report during daylight to-day. 8.8. C. EMPLOYEE ARRESTED LONDON, January 13. Gaorge Edward Young was remanded for an alleged attempt to set fire to the 8.8. C., where he was employed as a fire-watcher. GERMAN PLANE LOSSES RUGBY, January 13. During the week ended at midnight on January 11, seven German aircraft were confirmed as shot down in air battles over Britain, for the loss of only one British fighter. The detailed figures are as follows: January 5, two German and orte British; January 7, one German; January 9, two German; January 10, two German. It may be noted that the Cormans admit the loss of six plane s on the night, of January 10. when Portsmouth was attacked, the remaining four presumably being destroyed without direct observation

Monday Night Raid ON SOUTH-WEST ENGLISH CENTRE (Received January 15, 1.25 a.m.) LONDON, January 14. The Air Ministry m a report states: An attack lasting for from two to three hours was macle on a town in the south-west of England on Monday night. Several fires were, started. These were quickly controlled, but there was damage done to a number of buildings. New incidents were reported from widely points in '.Vales, but there were no serious casualties and little damage. LONDON AIR RAID DISTRESS FUND RUGBY, January 13. The Union of South Africa defence force in East Africa sent £1412 to th e Lord Mayor of London’s National Air-raid Distress Fund, which now stands at £1,963,000. Other gifts include £2OOO from a Spaniard who desires to remain anonymous.

ULSTER WOMEN’S AUXILIARY. TO BE FORMED. (Received January 15, 12.5 a.m.) RUGBY, January 13. Women’s organisations in Ulster are to be mobilised for war purposes. A women's auxiliary service for civil defence is being formed under the presidency of the Duchess of Abercorn, wife of the Governor. To assist in the initial arrangements, Mrs Huxley, regional administrator in Britain, will visit Ulster next week. Financial assistance is to be given by the Ulster Government. The organisation will be run on the same basis as in Britain.