BRISTOL’S BLITZ

Grey River Argus, 19 March 1941, Page 6

BRISTOL’S BLITZ

On Sunday Night SERIOUS DAMAGE CAUSED [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON, March 17. Bristol was raided for several hours on Sunday night. _ _ An Air Ministry and Ministry Oi Home Security communique says that hundreds of fire-bombs were dropped on Bristol, followed y showers of high explosives. There were a number of casualties, some occurring when a public shelter re ceived a direct hit. Industrial and business premises were damaged, including a newspaper office, which nevertheless published as usual this morning. Private houses and a public hall were also damaged. Because of the efficient action of the fire services, the fires started in Bristol did not provide targets for the bombers which followed. One enemy aircraft is known to have been destroyed. Other reports show that in a heavy, attack the German bombers on Sunday night inflicted serious damage in Bristol. The raid started in deceptively quiet manner, but the dropping of tire and explosive bombs steadily increased. Most of the fatalities are believed to have occurred when a public shelter containing one hundred was directly hit. The majority eseaped. A vicar, who is also a warden, worked heroically when a bomb penetrated the roof of a church and exploded in the crypt where many were sheltering, killing and injuring several. A married couple, three young children, the wife’s sister and mother were all in the basement when their house was hit by a bomb. The husband and a baby were killed. The wife was trapped under a pile of debris. A doctor sat by her side throughout the night, administering morphia until she was freed. A newspaper office suffered severely from a' blast, but the paper published as usual. Inhabitants today were busy cleaning up, cheerful as ever, but not disguising the raid was serious. AT OTHER PLACES SUNDAY NIGHT RAIDS LONDON, March 17. On Sunday night, enemy aircraft in addition to the blitz against Bristol, made raids against London, the east coast of Scotland, and a number of other districts. The Air Ministry says that the London raid was without incident. In other parts of the country, the casualties were few and the damage was slight. In one London suburb, between 60 and 70 families were lefthomeless. The mayor of the borough and other helpers manned a mobile canteen to distribute cocoa and biscuits to the homeless.

A German communique claims that in addition to Bristol, Avonmouth and harbour establishments at Portsmouth were hit by heavy bombs on Sunday night. The chief Salvation Army officer for the Clydebank area of Glasgow. Adjutant Russell Thomas, 37, was killed in the district air-raid on March 14. He is the seventh Salvation Army officer killed in raids in the past three months. One enemy aircraft is known to have heen destroyed on Sunday night MONDAY REPORT RUGBY, March 17. An official communique states: There was little daylight activity over Britain to-day. No bombs are reported to have been dropped. Little Raiding ON MONDAY NIGHT. (Received March 19. 1.50 a.m.), LONDON, March 18. The Air Ministry, In a communique, reports: During the greater part of Monday night there' was nothing to report. There was some enemv activity soon after dark and shortly before daylight, over widelyseparated districts near the east coast of Scotland. A few b'jmhs wer e dropped, but there was little damage, and no ‘.casualties were caused. Baby Rescued FROM BENEATH DEBRIS. (Received March 19 12.10 a.m >. LONDON, March 18. After three days’ tunnelling in the debris of a bombed hous P on the Merseyside, rescuers heard a cry. They found a babv girl lying m nn old-fashioned wooden cradle, which was almost undamaged, lire baby’s parents were killed by a bomb.