WIDESPREAD ALARMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 26 June 1940, Page 5

WIDESPREAD ALARMS

NAZI AIR RAIDS WAVES OF BOMBERS OVER BRITAIN CIVILIAN CASUALTIES IN SOUTHWEST [U.P.A. —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] (Received 26th June, 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, 25th June. The most widespread air-raid alarms, since the declaration of war, were sounded in England last night, and bombs, some of them incendiary, are reported to have been dropped in several sections. Waves of German planes were reported over all sections, including London, for the first time since September. Warnings were sounded in London after bombs were dropped j n south-east and southwest England. When several bombs were dropped shortly after midniglft in south-west England anti-aircraft guns fired on the raiders. Two planes were seen over Wales, but no bombs were'dropped. In south-east England explosions were heard. Three waves of enemy planes passed over one area, proceeding inland. British fighters were most active. In some cases several hours elapsed before the all-clear signal was given.

The damage was most severe in the south-west, and it is feared that the deathroll there may be five. Three are known to have been killed, and police and A.R.P. personnel are searching the ruins of a house for two missing persons. Thirteen were injured.

A bomb fell through the roof of a hotel. Some houses were damaged when another bomb fell in the front garden of a house. Fires were started in some places by incendiary bombs, but these soon brought under control by fire brigades. Elsewhere six civilians were injured. There were no casualties in the London area.

Many bombs dropped in south-west England, and explosions were audible in th* Midlands and in towns in southeastern and north-eastern areas. Flashes and heavy thuds followed the operation of a searchlight in north-east England shortly before midnight, and people rushed to air-raid shelters before the warning was officially given. Several German planes passed, and explosions followed, indicating that bombs were dropping on the surrounding countryside. The enemy machines appeared from the north, north-east and north-west, flying from a great height, and disappeared inland south-east-wards.

The windows of nearly every house in one district were broken. A bomb fell in the front garden of a house, blowing out the entire front, and severely damaging other houses. Incendiary bombs started fires in several places in this town, but the outbreaks were soon controlled.

The matron of a hospital situated next to the house where the two persons are missing said that the patients behaved splendidly. Child patients were taken to a shelter in the basement. and patients unable to walk were brought to the ground-floor in a lift Several hospital windows were broken, but the patients were uninjured. A bomb fell behind a Congregational manse shattering the windows of* the manse and also church windows. Londoners went to work this morning with their customary calm and cheerfulness after the first alarm since last September. AIR MINISTRY REPORT An official communique by the Air Ministry states: —“Enemy aeroplanes made attacks over a widespread area of England in the hours of darkness last night, and air-raid warnings were sounded in many districts, including the region of London. A number of bombs were dropped in the Eastern Counties and Midlands, most of which 1 fell in open country and caused no serious damage. Bombs also fell in a town in south-west England, where three civilians were killed, and also six were injured elsewhere. No damage is reported from the London area.” FURTHER NAZI ATTACK (Received 26th June, 1 p.m.) LONDON, This Day. The Air Ministry announced that enemy aircraft crossed the coast during the night. Anti-aircraft defences went into action. GERMAN AIR CLAIMS (Received 26th June, 10.5 a.m.) BERLIN, 25th June. The High Command states: “During the night of 24th-25th June fighter units carried out flights over central England and bombed aerodromes and aircraft works. British planes again flew over western Germany without causing any damage to military objectives. The navy’s anti-aircraft fire brought down two British planes off the North Sea coast.” ENGLISH SOUTHERN PORTS CHILDREN TO BE MOVED [British Official Wireless] RUGBY, 24t.h June. * The Ministry of Health announces that the evacuation of registered school children from Portsmouth, Southampton and Gosport has been ordered. A movement involving about 9000 children will lake place on Thursday and Friday of this week. The children will be taken to areas in Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Wales and Somerset, where the greater dispersal of the population offers greater safety. This decision follows the removal of 40,000 children from towns on the east and south-east coast and 100,000 from Greater London. Twenty-eight thousand inquiries under the children’s overseas reception scheme have been dealt with since Tuesday at the rate of 7000 a day. BRITISH ARMY CASUALTIES (Received 26th June. 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, 25th June. The War Office’s eleventh casualty list contains 214 names, including three officers and seven other ranks killed, one officer and seven other ranks died of wounds, and seventeen officers and 118 other ranks wounded. RUMANIA AND RUSSIA BORDER CLASHES REPORTED SOVIET PLANES OVER BESSARABIA LONDON. 25th June. The Budapest correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says that foreign military authorities and diplomatic circles were informed from Bucharest that Rumanian and Russian troops clashed at several points on the Dniester frontier. More than 100 Russian planes carried out reconnaissance flights over Bessarabia. Hie Rumanian authorities refuse to comment.