30 DIVE BOMBERS

Grey River Argus, 22 January 1943, Page 5

30 DIVE BOMBERS

In Wednesday’s Raids DETAILS OF LONDON CASUALTIES. '(Rec. 9-402 LONDON, Jan. 20. The Germans have used about one hundred and thirty planes in the day light attacks on London and southcoast area of England on Thursday. One hundred of these were fighters, and the remainder were fighter-bomb-ers. The fighters turned back on reaching the "coast, leaving the others to dash inlland. One group of fighterbombers raced up the Thames estuary, and across parts of Kent. Some circled over the outskirts of the Capital. Others went on, dropping their bombs at various points. There were numerous air battles fought over London’s streets, but most dogfights occurred over the Channel. It is now believed that only six of the fighter-bombers penetrated into the London area. One of these after bombing London, crashed at Dorking in Surrey. Its pilot was taken prisoner.

Ten children and six women were killed in one London district. They included a’ mother and her four daughters, aged between three and thirteen years. The woman's husband, who is a member- of the A.R.P. helped t 0 recover their bodies. Thee babies who were asleep in cots above a cafe, were killed, and -a number of the cafe’s customers were Injured. Several members of the W.A.A.F. who were on duty at a balloon site, were wounded when a' raider swooped down with its guns blazing. An officer said that the W.A.A.F’s behaved magnificently. Those who were not wounded assisted their comrades until an ambulance arrived. Several W.A.A.F. members at another balloon site were also injured when they were trapped beneath ine bla'zing remnants of the balloon, which a raider shot down. One bomb fell in a contractor’s yard, killing three persons. Three of the raiders dived low m another district, and they demolished a bank and two public houses. Nine dead bodies were recovered. It is feared that there remain many under the debris. Bullets killed three workmen in another district. Several more were killed when a bomb fell on a garage in a thickly populated district. Wednesday Night Attacks NO CASUALTIES REPORTED. TWO RAIDERS DESTROYED. (Rec. 11.55.) RUGBY, Jan. 21. On Wednesday night, two enemy aircraft were destroyed in attacks that were made on this country. In the early part of the night there was a little' enemy activity in the coastal districts of England, Southeast England, and East Anglia, and a few aircraft flew in as far as the home counties. Bombs were dropped at a few places. Only light damage was done. There were no reports of any casualties. 1

London’s Air Defences BLACK-OUT AND BARRAGE. (Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) LONDON, Jan. 20. “They will be over to-night” was the general comment heard the day after the -Berlin raid. Few' were surprised when the sirens wa'iled. They were suprised at the intensity of the barrage, which was so loud and sustained it was difficult to hear aircraft, or distinguish bomb bursts from gunfire. This heavy barrage makes it even more dangerous for people to be out-of-doors, as the ram of spent shrapnel falling down was considerable heavier than at any time throughout the blitz, as the list of casualties next day showed. Lon-

doners are resigning themselves to the fact that raids may recur, since the bombing of Berlin is believed to be part of the policy to get the Germans to retaliate, and in order to retaliate they must draw off bombers from the Russian and other fronts. People in London like being bombed about as much as New Zealanders like earthquakes, but there Is a certain satisfaction in realising that the Germans are forced to use aircraft for purposes -other than which they desire. After a long controversy, it was decided eventually to relax the blackout precautions slightly. There had been a demand for this throughout the war from some sections, which hitherto have been somewhat primly rebuked by the Home Office, but now railway carriage lighting will be improved and lights will be left on at. stations unless a raid is in progress. The black-out is probably one of the most) unpopular and irksome war measures. “When the lights go on again” is another way of saying “when the war ends.”