MEAGRE SUCCESS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 262, 3 October 1940, Page 7

MEAGRE SUCCESS

RAIDS ON BRITAIN.

'ATTACKS BROKEN UP

(United Press Association—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 10 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 2. An Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security communique says that 'early this morning, single enemy aircraft' made several brief raids across the south and east coasts in the course of which a few bombs were dropped at isolated points in. South-\V est ' England, South Wales and Esses, f Little damage and few casualties. resulted.

Beginning about 9 o’clock in the morning and continuing throughout the day, there was a series of attacks on London by several squadrons of enemy aircraft. All these were intercepted and broken up by our-fighters and only a few enemy .’planes penetrated the London area. Beports indicate that where bombs were dropped they caused little damage and few casualties; although these included some fatal injuries. On the way to London some enemy aircraft dropped bombs on a Kentish town with no better success. Nine German planes have been shot down 1 since midnight, and one British fighter ,is missing. BIG FIGHTER ESCORTS.

The alert alarm was sounded twice in quick succession this morning. Residents of the East End saw two formations coming in from the Kentish coast, but R.A.F.V fighters turned the formations from the capital. The Germans were again using large fighter escorts for the bomb ere; ono formation comprised 150 planes A number of yellow-nosed Messerschmitts were seen escorting a handful of bombers during London’s fifth •warning to-dav. Largo banks of clouds provided the Germans with excellent cover. . . ' The German wireless, reviving the attempts at a running description of the raids, which it abandoned last month after a succession of debacles, announced at mid-day that big battles were occurring over southern and midEngland. . A bomb last night burst at the rear of a large hospital itt the East End and over 20 persons, including nurses and patients, were injured, some fatally. ‘ Four time-bombs fell on private houses in South-East London. Seven high-explosive bombs were dropped within a radius of a mile in the East End, causing much damage, but no casualties. A number of buildings were damaged in a south-east town . when fighters chased a bomber. Machine-gun bullets fell like hail in the streets. A German communique claims that extensive fires and explosions were caused by the attacks on London, Southern England, and the Midlands yesterday and last night. CIVILIAN BRAVERY.

One of 12 incendiary bombs, in a northwest suburb fell at the entrance to a shelter. A man and a hoy rushed out, threw the bomb from the door and extinguished the others with sand. Jdigb-pxplosives wero rained on , a wide area; and .then there was quietness after which the . all-clear signal came before midnight. The bombing was resumed on a more intensive scale after midnight, and those in shelters settled down to await the dawn.

An Air Ministry communique says: “Enemy air attacks last night were widespread, but were particularly directed against the London area and South-East England. There were a number of casualties, several fatal. Industrial buildings were damaged on the Merseyside and towns in the northwest. The damage and 'casualties in the London area were not serious. Houses were demolished and there were some casualties, in South-East England and a village in Essex.” One London front-line civilian, an. elderly man engaged as a roof spotter, whose job is to watch for fires and to give any essential alarms, was killed when a bomb hit his small shelter on the roof last night. Most of the casualties in the north of England occurred when a bomb fell at a road junction where there were five cinemas. Most of the people had left the! cinemas when the sound of planes overhead was heard and they were caught when the bomb fell at the road junction.