RAIDS ON BRITAIN

Hokitika Guardian, 14 September 1940, Page 5

RAIDS ON BRITAIN

ON THVUSDAY LESS INTENSIVE BOMBING, • -.' ' ,* - ' vV ' . 1.. ■'. !, •- • ■ • . , ; V (United Press Association Pei Electric Telegraph Copj right). LONDON, Sep. 13. The “all clear’’ signal sounded on Friday' morning alter eight hours and thirty-four minutes. There has been almost a complete lull since 3 a.m. In the outskirts of London. tli,ere lias been occasional activity. It is officially stated that the enemy air attacks on Thursday night have not- been on a- heavy scale, but were directed against many areas in Britain. The (British defences, at many points, heavily engaged enemy planes which were operating singly, oi in small formations. The German raiders during the tight dropped a number of incendiai.* bombs in north-west suburbs of London. Their planes droned towards central London, where the gunfire rose to a shattering road, rattling the ( windows, and spraying shrapnel on the roof-tops and in the streets. Then there followed a long interval of silence, suggesting.that fewer planes were participating, or that the barrage had prevented penetration of the outer defences. A number of high explosive bombs and incendiary bombs fell in and around London during -the night. Some fires broke out, but they wei e quickly controlled. The damage lias been much less than on the previous nights. Reports, so far. indicate that the casualties are very small. Some houses were destroyed in a town on the eastern outskirts of London: There were .a small number J of casualties. r LONDON FIBS FIGHTERS. LONDON, S.=p. 13. After touring the metropolitan districts, Mr Wyndliam Mcßane, Parliamentary Secretary to thev Aliiiistiy j of Hoine Security, in a broadcast, paid ‘ a striking tribute to Londoii s fire de- j fence units. He said: These blacken.- ■ ed men with bloodstained eyes are j maiming the hoses among dying flames, scorning relief, which they knew was not' avail able. W omen am bulance drivers are waiting to take away casualties while the fire threatens -to cut off their retreat. The men work on in the presence of a time bomb until it explodes, causing deaths among them.