SECOND ONSLAUGHT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 3 December 1940, Page 6

SECOND ONSLAUGHT

GERMAN BOMBERS HAMMER SOUTHAMPTON Business Area and Suburbs LARGE SECTION OF TOWN LEFT IN RUINS

(Press Association and British Official Wireless) (Received 3rd December, 12.20 p.m.) LONDON, 2nd December. Southampton was again the main objective of last night’s enemy air raids. Announcing this a communique states that a number of fires were caused, but all were well under control by daybreak. It is reported that relays of German planes attacked for hours. The first force of raiders arrived early in the evening and dropped parachute flares. Driven to a great height by an intense anti-aircraft barrage the raiders proceeded to shower down hundreds of incendiary bombs. While local firemen were tackling the outbreaks the Nazi airmen dropped high-explosive bombs and caused wanton damage among business premises and private houses. A communal underground shelter received a direct hit from a heavy bomb. A large number of people were rendered homeless. Casualties from both raids last night were small. First details indicate that the Germans repeated the previous night’s tactics with undiminished violence. Wave after wave of raiders attacked the town, continuing their mission of brutality till early in the morning and leaving large areas of the town in ruins. The business area was again the main objective, but the suburbs were also assailed. Emergency measures were taken immediately to minimise the dislocation of food supplies, and temporary accommodation was found for thousands who were rendered homeless. Hundreds of workers arrived at their places of employment in the morning and found them destroyed. Some residents of Southampton were killed, but casualties are believed to be fewer than on Saturday night. Not a single house in one road escaped damage and one half were set on fire. Some streets are impassable. Hundreds of steelhelmeted members of the Pioneers Corps tackling demolition work caused the town to rock frequently to-day as masonry and timber fell. Most of the casualties were probably concentrated in the communal underground shelter which was directly hit by a heavy bomb. Rescuers are still extricating bodies. FEW ENEMY RAIDERS OVER BRITAIN BY DAY A communique states that there was only slight enemy activity * ver Britain to-day. A number of enemy fighters and fighterbombers this morning flew in over the coast, but were turned back by our fighters whilst still over Kent. No bombs are so far reported to have been dropped. Two enemy fighters were shot down by British fighters without loss to themselves.

GERMAN REPORTS RAIDS ON\SOUTHAMPTON (Received 3rd December, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, 2nd December. A German communique refers to a second raid in Southampton and other localities last night, but gives no details. It claims that 60 large and numerous small fires started the previous night in Southampton merged into a huge sea of fire and says that British planes at dawn bombed residential districts in a German coastal area. 370 CASUALTIES VICTIMS OF SOUTHAMPTON RAID (Received 3rd December, 2.5 p.m.) LONDON, 2nd December. The Air Ministry announced that S7O were killed and seriously injured in the Southampton raids on Saturday and Sunday nights. EIGHT TO FIVE AIR LOSSES ON SUNDAY LONDON, Ist December. The Air Ministry announced that eight enemy aircraft were destroyed to-day. Five o our fighters were lost, but all the pilots are safe.