BOMBING RAIDS ON LONDON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 29 October 1941, Page 3

BOMBING RAIDS ON LONDON

NOTABLE COLLECTION OI PHOTOGRAPHS Stark, graphic and terrifying is a collection of enlarged photographs sent J from the Press Club. London, to the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of j New Zealand. These 64 photographs, each in its way a masterpiece of the ‘photographer’s art. illustrate in a strikI ing manner the damage which has been • done by enemy bombing raids on historic buildings, city memorials and 1 streets Unmiliar to all who know their I London. j In a letter which accompanied the i j gift portfolio of photographs, the chair- j man of the Press Club (London), Mr j I W. H. Salmon, wrote:— “The Press Club sends its greetings : it. fellow journalists in the Dominion,! and asks them to accept a gift of the j '; r companying set of photographs de- | (pieting something of the damagc_inflict- ; : ed on the capital city during recent | 1 months. They are sent to you in no ; sense as a signal of distress. London ■ lias suffered grievous damage to its ] ‘precious historic buildings, its churches, schools, hospitals, streets and the homes i of rich and poor alike. It can take nil j that, and more if it comes. They arc j i sent with the purpose of bringing home , it. the Empire overseas, more forcibly! than perhaps has yet been realised, the j \ true character of Nazi bombing with I ; all its wanton destruction of objectives ! ! that are dear to the heart of our people. ■ but cannot possibly be claimed as of } j military value. Many examples will be I j found in this collection.” , A message from the president of the Press Club and chairman of “The i i Times” Publishing Company. Major J. ! ; J. Astor, also accompanies this valuable pictorial gift. This runs: i "The Press Club recently held in its premises in Salisbury Square an exhibition of London tire photographs j which aroused very great interest. In ire belief that these pictures would have a similar effect in other civilised : countries it was decided to offer sols ! jof them to Press clubs. Press galleries i ;old kindred centres in the Empire, i United States and South America, and ir. the Far East. They seem to call for l.ttle comment. They speak for them < selves of the wanton and deliberate ! destruction of historical building-. • monuments, and records:, of nrchitcc i : (oral treasures which are irreplaceable. ] of the private property even of the i 1 umblesl homes of the civilian popula i lion. They will stand as an accurate] record, for all time I hope, of German 1 . avagery and barbarity. They can only suggest the heroism, the unflinching ! devotion, the unfailing and boundless, . human sympathy and cheerfulness ! with which the onslaught has been met. This spirit is unconquerable, and wiil ! surely save liberty in the world and : all that civilisation holds dear. May j ! this spirit live for ever."