INTENSIVE ATTACK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 5 December 1940, Page 5

INTENSIVE ATTACK

GERMANS RAID BIRMINGHAM CASUALTIES SMALL LONDON ONCE MORE A TARGET [U.P.A.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] Received sth Dec., 10.40 a.m. LONDON, 4th December. An intensive but comparatively short attack was made on Birmingham last night by a considerable force of raiders. Casualties were surprisingly low and the majority of the damage was confined to dwellings and shops. London had the noisiest raid to-night since Friday, and the Londoners who had gradually inclined to the belief that the battle over the capital had ended for the present were startled early by the warnings, after which there was heavy ground-fire and the incessant sound of planes flying fairly low. Bombs were dropped in several areas.

The Air Ministry states that the enemy attacked London and the Midlands last night. Bombs were also dropped at various points between these places and the coast, Total casualties should not prove large. A number of fires started in the Midlands were soon under control and no large fires are reported from the London area. A further communique dealing with daylight attacks states: “Enemy activity over Britain to-day has been very slight. Shortly after midday bombs were dropped on Dover, doing some damage and causing a few casualties. One enemy bomber was shot down over the Dutch coast by our fighters without loss to themselves.” CONVENT HIT BY BOMBS High-explosive bombs struck a London convent last night where 100 persons were sheltering. Several were killed and seriously injured. A.R.P. workers alter working all night are still I extricating people from the debris. Eleven nuns who were in the chapel were unhurt. A 13-year_old girl left the convent shelter to buy her parents’ supper. She heard the bombs burst and rushed back to see her father dug out seriously injured. Her mother is still buried. Another bomb demolished the rear of a block of flats opposite the covent, killing a woman and injuring a number of people. A raider, believed to be Italian last night dropped three bombs on a southeast coast town, damaging shops and a hotel but causing no casualties. NAMING BOMBED TOWNS BRITISH GOVERNMENT’S POLICY KEEPING INFORMATION FROM ENEMY [British Official Wireless] (Received sth December, 11.40 a m.) RUGBY, 4th December. Both the Minister of Information Mr A Duff-Cooper, and the Under-Seere-ta-y for Air, Captain H. H. Balfour, answered questions in the House of 1 Commons regarding the Government’s! Policy t.o publish or withhold the names ol British places bombed by the GerCaotain Balfour said: “The general pohey is to publish the names of places bombed if in any particular case this can be done without conveying information o» value to the enemy. In accordance with this policy the name of Coventry was released while the names of other localities was not. I am fullv aware of the desirability of giving early information to the public as to the resu'ts of air raids on this country, counteracting the grossly exaggerated claims made in enemy communiques. These are often deliberately framed to tempt us contradict the comment of the enemy on the success or failure of his operations I cannot, therefore, give any complete undertaking that immediate detailed publication will be made in any case where it is considered that this would convey information of value to the enemy which he is anxious to obtain.” Mr Duff-Cooper said that no indication was given the Press regarding the imnortance of the Coventry attack. “They are quite capable of forming any estimate of the importance of an event.” 2,500 NEW HOUSES BUILDING COMMENCED IN COVENTRY (Received sth December. 10.40 a.m.) LONDON. 4th December. Already 2500 concrete houses with air-raid shelters are under construction] in Coventry. i