IN BRITAIN

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1940, Page 5

IN BRITAIN

TUEDAY’S RAIDS

LONDON AND MIDLANDS.

(United Press Association Per Electric Telegraph Copyright). LONDON, December 4. The Air Ministry in a report states: Enemy ’planes attacked London and the midlands on Tuesday night. Bombs ewre also dropped at various points between these places and the coast. The total casualties should not prove large. A number of fires were caused in the Midlands, which were soon got under control. No large fires are reported in the London area. , The West Midlands town which was attacked, as cabled earlier, suffered a ninety minutes’ concentrated attack. EXAGGERATED ENEMY CLAIMS. RUGBY, December 3. Bristol City was subjected to savage and indiscriminate bombing last week, and when Monday night’s bombing of Bristol took place, : the German press was still-gloating over the damage caused in the earlier attack, declaring that it had left Bristol “a city of ruins.”

In countries which have access to independent opportunities of assessing the damage done in the recent raids, there will be the usual disinclination’to accept the German claims at their face value, particularly by those who recall that, ih justifying the attack'on Buckingham Paace the Germans declared it to be a legitimate military target because of non-existent oil tanks nearby. “Harbour installations,” of.ivhich it was innocent, were said to. justify an attack made some months ago on Bognor Regis. Bexhill has also been presented with a harbour by the German radio. Londoners who had been going about their affairs with little interference, have been surprised to learn in the words of German reports, that enemy bombers. ,on. Sunday night “proceeded to London to continue the work of annihilating the British public services and supply services.”

HEAVY RAIDING RESUMED.

LONDON, December 3. On Tuesday night London had its noisiest' raid since Friday last. The Londoners, who had gradually ’become inclined to a belief that the battle over London had ended for the present, were startled on Tuesday night by air raid warnings. Thereafter there was heavy ground fire and the incessant sound of planes,,flying fairly low. Bombs were dropped in several London areas. On Tuesday night, a West Midlands town selected as the night’s principal target by the German aircraft. Incendiary bombs illuminated half a dozen districts. • •;. . Som& persons are believed to have been buried under demolished houses. 'GERMAN STATEMENT. ’ ' BERLIN, December 3. The German Official New s Agency states that the Luftwaffe carried out twenty-three large-scale attacks upon England last month. Over five million explosive bombs were dropped. The weight of bombs dropped each night ranged between one hundred tons and six hundred tons.

BIRMINGHAM ATTACKED

DAMAGE IN LONDON

(Received this day at 11.0 a.m.) t LONDON, December 4.

An intensive, but comparatively short attack, was made on Birmingham, last night, hv a considerable force of raiders. The casualties were surprisingly low. A majority of the damage was confined to dwellings and shops.

Explosives struck a London convent last night, where 100 were sheltering. Several were killed or seriously'injured. A.R.P. workers, after working all night, 'were still extricating people from the debris.

Eleven nuns who went to the chape! were unhurt. A thirteen-year-old girl left the convent shelter, to buy her parents supper. She heard the bombs and rushed back to see her father dug out seriously injured. Her mother was still ;buried. Another bomb demolished the rear of a block of flats opposite the convent, killing a woman and injuring a number.

A raider, believed to be an Italian, last night dropped three bombs on a south-east coast town, damaging shops and an hotel, but causing no casualties.

According' to an official announcement, London anti-aircraft guns have shot dowh more than 400 enemy

’planes. . To date, the total enemy raiders brought 'down voer Britain has reached 0000. The British losses are 850.

AIR MINISTRY REPORT

ON LAST NIGHT’S RAIDS

(Received this day at 10.35 a.m.) LONDON. December 4.

The Air Ministry states the enemy attacked London and the Midlands last night. Bombs were also dropped at various points between these places and the coast. The total casualties should not prove large. A number of fires in the Midlands