Famous Buildings Damaged in London

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 123, 27 May 1944, Page 5

Famous Buildings Damaged in London

Narrow Escape of St James’s Palace (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received Saturday, 12.55 am. LONDON, May 26. The famous London Royal residence St. James’s Palace, from which the accession of many kings has been proclaimed, narrowly escaped serious damage in a recent London air raid. A bomb blew to pieces all the stained glass on the north side of the Palace, the great muUioned windows of the Chapel Royal and also the clock face on the north side of the tower. The tapestry room wherein icing Charles spent his last night alive and the historic armour were slightly damaged. The Queen’s Chapel also suffered as did the Princess Royal’s private flat and the residences of the Royal Household, including the apartments of Colonel Sir Piers Legh, Master of the Household, who was slightly injured. Other famous buildings in the vicinity were damaged, including Chatham House, which was the home of Pitt and Gladstone. King Street, St. James, which is the home of famous art dealers, many of whose premises were destroyed, was after the raid the scene of a treasure hunt when squads of workmen using picks, shovels, pneumatic drills, cranes and grabs, searched among the debris for world-famed art treasures. Many of these were recovered including Reynolds’ famous picture “The Boy Samuel.’’ Priceless porcelain, however, was lost Including some of the Ming Dynasty.