SUSTAINED RAID

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 18 November 1940, Page 5

SUSTAINED RAID

BOMBS SCATTERED OVER LONDON MANY PLANES TAKE PART . SEVEN HOSPITALS HIT [U.P.A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright] LONDON, 1 6th November. The Air Ministry announced that a heavy and sustained attack was made on London last night. The defences forced the raiders to operate at such a height as to make accurate bombing impossible, and explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped indiscriminately over many parts of the capital. Considerable damage was done, mostly to dwellinghouses, ships and offices. Many fires were started, but they were under control with remarkable speed in the difficult circumstances. A number of persons were killed and injured. Including two bombers which were destroyed in the night attack on London before midnight, a total of 20 were destroyed yesterday. Two of our fighters were lost but one of the pilots is safe.

Seven London hospitals were bombed during the night. Three wards in the main block of a hospital in a suburb were destroyed by tire, but the patients, most of them men, were able to leave their beds and walk to safety. Other places which were hit included a furniture depository, school, two rest

centres, two convents, and two cinemas. Experts estimate that as many planes operated as against Coventry—possibly 500. Lord Stanmore was among the injured. Last night bombs were also dropped on a town on the south coast, causing damage to many houses and a number of casualties, some of them fatal. Three more raiding bombers were shot down over Britain after midnight. It is officially announced that since dawn enemy activity over Britain has been very slight, according to reports received up to 5 p.m. A few bombs were dropped on a town on the Kentish coast, causing some damage and a few casualties. DAY ACTIVITY ON SUNDAY FEWER BOMBS AT NIGHT (Received 18th November, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, 17th November. The Air Ministry announces that raids on Britain during the night were much less heavy than on the previous night, though once again they were concentrated mainly on London and the home counties.

The warning sounded earlier than it has ever done before, but the raiders passed signal was also earlier than usual.

There was another raid later in the night, and the siren started again at about 8 a.m.

Incendiary bombs were dropped on a town in the Midlands, but there were no casualties. Shortly before dawn bombs were dropped on a town in southern England. One enemy plane was shot down in flames during the night. The Air Ministry states that 13 enemy planes were destroyed over Britain to-day. Five of our planes were lost, but the pilots of four are safe. Several waves of ’enemy planes crossed the coast this morning. Fighters and anti-aircraft guns broke up the formations. Fighters shot down a Dornier into the sea off Aldeburgh. This Dornier had previously dropped bombs in a country district along the coast. The crew baled out. Three landed inland and one fell in the sea, from which he was rescued. Nine raiders dive-bombed in the vicinity of an East Anglian coastal town and then made off to sea. Little damage was caused.

Two auxiliary firemen and one firewoman were killed and some persons injured when a high explosive bomb fell outside a school used as a subfire station in the London area last night. The blast wrecked the interior, destroyed fire appliances and damaged nearby houses. Two high-explosive bombs demolished four houses and damaged others in a nearby road.

The Ministry of Home Security announced that a considerable number of houses were damaged and a number of casualties caused, a small number being fatal, when bombs were dropped on a south-east town shortly before dawn. A communique states: “There was some further enemy activity over the Channel and south-east coast this afternoon. Bombs were dropped at three places on the coast of Sussex, damaging some houses and other buildings and causing a small number of casualties at one place.

One of the 13 enemy planes destroyed to-day was brought down by anti-aircraft fire.

The Admiralty states that the paddle mine-sweeper South Sea shot down an enemy plane which attacked her this morning. There were no German survivors. The South Sea sustained no damage or casualties. FORMATIONS SCATTER An early account of to-day’s air fighting records how about 100 enemy aircraft took part in an attack. At about 9 a.m. various groups of enemy fighters with two small formations of bombers flying close together came in over the Kent coast and up the Thames Estuary. A few crossed the Suffolk coast, but the Estuary seemed to be the main objective.

While the rest of his squadron was attacking one formation a single Hurricane pilot became separated and attacked another. He had just time to persuade this second lot that they had better go back to France when their escort, a number of Messerschmitts 110, attacked him from the rear.

Twl Spitfire squadrons routed more than 40 enemy fighters. Sixteen Messerschmitts 109 in pairs flew in front, followed by 20 more in line abreast with half a dozen Heinkels 113 a little above them. The Messerschmitts did not see any of the Spitfires until one of their number had already been destroyed. Between them these two squadrons accounted for eight of the enemy. Six were seen to crash in the sea, one more went down in flames and the eighth exploded in mid-air.

NAZI COMMUNIQUE LONDON, 16th November. A German communique claims that numerous hits were made on military objectives and communications in London last night. A reference to the R.A.F. attack on Hamburg says that the damage was out of proportion to the forces employed, but it admits that a dockyard administrative building was destroyed and another building was set on fire. It adds that a hospital was damaged and a number of civilians were killed and injured.