Nazis Aim Raids At British Ports

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 107, 7 May 1941, Page 5

Nazis Aim Raids At British Ports

LIVERPOOL, BELFAST LONDON, May 5. In the struggle for mastery in the grim Battle of the Atlantic, German bombers are concentrating their attacks on Britain’s ports and docks. Last night Liverpool and the Merseyside area were raided for the fourth night in succession. Belfast, Northern Ireland, also received a heavy and sustained attack. While rescuers were still working in the ruins caused by Saturday night’s severe raids, enemy raiders last night again swooped over the Merseyside. |Their large-scale tactics were changed, and the raiders came in singly in quick succession. Raiders were also over a town in South-West England. A bomb killed four recent evacuees from London and seriously injured two. Bombs were dropped m many other districts, but no concentrated attack developed and the damage was nowhere extensive. While the Merseyside had its fourth successive night raid, a heavy attack also developed in the Belfast area, where, states an official communique issued in Northern rleland, “considerable damage was done to industrial and residential property and a number of fires were started. It is feared that the casualties will be heavy.” A later Northern Ireland communique says: “The attack on Belfast was heavy and sustained. A large number of incendiary and high-explosive bombs were dropped, and much damage was done to commercial, industrial, and residential property. The casualties will not prove as heavy as was at first feared, and the loss of life was less than expected in view of the intensity of tho attack.” An official communique dealing with the raids on Britain states: “During the night, enemy activity was on a considerable scale and covered many parts of the country. In Britain, the main attack was on North-West England, including the Merseyside. Fires were started, and damage was done at several points in this area, and there were a number of casualties. “Bombs were also dropped in many other districts during the night, but no concentrated attack developed, and the damage was nowhere extensive. The casualties in these other districts were not numerous, but a small number of persons were killed in a town in SouthWest England.”