100 Planes In Fire Raid On London

Northern Advocate, 16 March 1944, Page 5

100 Planes In Fire Raid On London

(Rec. 11.45 a.m.) LONDON. March 15,

Raiders over London last night totalled about 100, says the Press Association’s aviation correspondent. Thirteen were destroyed of this total, which was, therefore, a damaging percentage.

The object of the raid apparently was purely fire-raising, but the use of a plentiful supply of (lares suggests that it may also have been a serious effort to obtain photographs of any possible concentrations that may interest the enemy in relation to developments in the near future. A feature of last night’s defence was the large number of R.A.F. fighters. These night fighters were up in great strength, even while anti-aircraft guns were in action.

To day rescue squads were still recovering bodies from beneath a terrace of working-class cottages wrecked by a bomb. Many women and children were among the casualties. One London Embassy was hit. The building suffered some damage but all documents were carried to safety. A member of the staff who was fire-watching, attempted to put out incendiaries on the roof but was overcome by smoke and was unconscious when rescued. Berlin radio claimed "tens of thousands of high-explosives and incendiaries hit desired targets in London, causing large fires.”

More Than Usual

More enemy raiders than usual attacked London last night, the raiders taking advantage of .the darkness before the moon rose and they flew above low clouds.

The raid was comparable with the heaviest of the recent series and appeared to be largely a fire-raising attempt. although high explosives were also dropped. Incendiary bombs rained down like hailstones on one London area. Some fell on a children’s hospital and others on a large factory building, which was completely gutted. Two of the largest fires occurred in two squares in the London area. Houses on both sides of one square burned fiercely. One. which had just been completed, was to have been opened next week as a club. Many houses and flats in neighbouring sti'ects were also burned. A famous London church, the scene of many fashionable weddings, was destroyed.

Many other fires occurred in shops and office buildings, but most were quickly extinguished. Casualties were caused when a high explosive bomb demolished a row of working-class houses in one area* Rescue squads dug all night for trapped persons. Phosphorus bombs were dropped in some areas. There are no reports of heavy civilian casualties. One enemy plane crashed in flames only about 10 yards from the entrance to an underground shelter, but caused no casualties. Three Germans were taken from the wreck, two of them dead. The third died soon afterward. Berlin radio reported that largescale air battles occurred over NorthWestern Germany this morning when German fighters intercepted and attacked strong formations of American bombers which took advantage of cloudy conditions. Air combats were continuing along the course taken by the enemy formations. Mosquitoes of Bomber Command attacked Dusseldorf last night without loss, states the Air Ministry. Resuming the Allied air offensive, Marauders of the Ninth United States Air Force attacked targets in Northern France and Belgium. Bombers were escorted and covered by fighters. United States headquarters state that medium-size forces of heavy bombers of the Eighth Air Force escorted by strong forces of A.A.F. fighters attacked military targets in Central Germany.

Enemy sources state that a large air battle is being fought over Hanover and Brunswick between German night fighters and American forces.