AIR RAID VICTIMS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 239, 6 September 1940, Page 7

AIR RAID VICTIMS

CASUALTIES AT HOME OVER THOUSAND HILLED, (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received September 6, 11.5 a.m. RUGBY, Sept. 5. The Prime Minister (Air Churchill), referring in his speech in the House of Commons to-day to air raids, said 1075 civilians had been killed during August in Britain and a slightly greater number seriously injured. About 800 houses had been destroyed or damaged beyond repair. It is officially stated that there were 2336 civilian air raid casualties in Britain in August comprising: KILLED. Alcn ' 627 Women 335 Children 113 SERIOUSLY INJURED. Men 711 Women 448 Children 102 STUBBORN BLITZKRIEG UNSUCCESSFUL. LONDON, Sept. 5. The air war raged over the greater part both of England and Germany last night. For hours on end the sky was alight with flares, anti-aircraft fire, and myriad searchlights aimed at halting the bomber squadrons which flew in a procession backwards and forwards all night long from both sides of the Channel. .

It is authoritatively stated that the blitzkrieg against Royal Air Force aerodromes in the south-east of England so far has failed to drive the British fighter opposition from this corner of Britain, the nearest to the enemy. It is not denied that several advanced aerodromes have been severely hammered, but not one has been out of commission for longer than “a very short time.” Gangs of men with plenty of material are continually ready to fill in any craters in the runways. Naturally there have been some changes in dispositions in the last fortnight in -order to meet the intensification of the enemy onslaught, but the first-line fighter defence over the South-East Coast remains as tough and trustful as ever. This is illustrated by a sharp increase during the past week in the number of escort fighters which the Germans have been compelled to send to get any of their bombers through. The proportion of Alesserschmitts to Dorniers has reached five to one, and British fighter losses have increased as a result of this strengthening, but our pilots are still harassing the enemy’s bombers as well as his fighters. The . combined fighter. _ and antiaircraft defence is breaking up the enemy formations more and more swiftly, and London’s daytime _ air alarms arc becoming correspondingly shorter.

' WALL OF METAL. A wall of metal flung up by antiaircraft guns last night barred German raiders who appeared over the London area a few hours after Hitfer’s threatened reprisals for the Royal Air Force raids on Germany. The anti-aircraft fire was the heaviest London has yet experienced. Shells were seen bursting in all directions, and sometimes as many as six burst in a cluster round the planes, which were merely specks caught in the glare of countless searchlights. The constant rumble of gunfire replaced the roar of London’s traffic, most of which halted. Several raiders dropped bombs., before fleeing, pursued by light shells. The raid lasted 1 hour and 40 minutes. More than 100 bombs were dropped in one area. One enemy 'parachute flare set fire to a food building. An Air Alinistry communique says: “Shortly before dark on Wednesday the eneiny began a series of scattered raids over this country which lasted for the greater part of the night. Bombs were dropped at many points, including the London area. The raids caused a number of casualties, some of which were fatal. Incendiaries started a large < number of fires which were quickly brought under control. Houses were damaged in many areas. Most of the casualties and damage occurred in two towns in the north-west and a town in the south-west. The damage was small in tile London area and the casualties of the slightest.”