LIVERPOOL RAID

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23828, 2 December 1940, Page 8

LIVERPOOL RAID

SEVEREST OF WAR MANY PEOPLE HOMELESS OTHER TOWNS ATTACKED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, Nov. 30 The attack on Liverpool on Thursday night was the most severe and the longest that the city has experienced, although many raiders were blasted back by the biggest barrage the Merseyside has yet put up. High explosive bombs, oil bombs, incendiary bombs and fires caused damage chiefly lo houses and flats. The casualties were not heavy, but included some deaths. A bomb burst near a public shelter, in which some people were injured. Two other towns in the Merseyside area were attacked—in some cases by aeroplanes whose pilots found the barrage too heavy elsewhere. Windows of hotels, shops and cinemas were blown out, and the roof of a Catholic church was damaged. An auxiliary fire service worker was killed and nine were injured. Damage to Buildings The Merseyside raid is described as the worst in the region during the war. Casualties were remarkably few in view of the magnitude and duration of the attack. Wave after wave of German aircraft came from the Irish Sea and used bombs of the heaviest calibre. .Many people are homeless. Hardly a window is left intact in countless streets. Cinemas, police stations, shelters and banks were among tlie damaged buildings. Jt is estimated that between 200 and 300 aircraft crossed the coast from aerodromes in northern France and Belgium on Thursday night and circled the outskirts of London before heading north. This involved between 1200 and 1400 miles for the return journey, necessitating the use of long-range heavy bombers, which dropped bombs 011 Liverpool quickly amid a hail of shells and then returned to their base at top speed. Hospital Patients Buried

By the light of hurricane lamps rescue squads worked feverishly most of the night to extricate a nuumber of patients who were buried when bombs hit a hospital in the north-west of England. Those dug out were carried to a neighbouring town, which was also subjected to a severe raid. The tunnelling is continuing. Doctors a'nd nurses remain at the head of each party of burrowers to give injections to the injured. Eight who were pulled out included a male patient whose death had been awaited daily before the bombing. Rescuers located him by the sound of his vociferous curses on Hitler. Other Towns Suffer Later reports of Thursday night's attack by enemy aircraft, while confirming the widespread nature of the raids, show that in two towns in the south-west damage to residential property was somewhat more extensive than was at first indicated, but casualties were not heavy, although they include a small number of persons killed. Five enemy aircraft were shot down on Friday. Two British fighters were destroyed, hut both pilots are safe. It is now known that a further Royal Air Force fighter was lost in Thursday's engagements, bringing the British losses on that day to seven aircraft, against five German aeroplanes destroyed. The pilot of the additional British aircraft, of which the loss is now announced, was saved. INTERNED IN EIRE (Received December 1, 7.10 p.m.) DUBLIN, Nov. 30 It is officially stated that five members of the crew of a German aeroplane which crashed on the Kerry coast have been interned. One was injured.

BLOCKADE GRIP PRESSURE ON ITALY HARD WINTER AHEAD UNITED STATES REPORT WASHINGTON. Not. 29 The United States Department of Agriculture reports that the British blockade of the Mediterranean is so effective that Italy faces the winter deprived of more than 80 per cent of her imports, including foodstuffs and agricultural raw materials. Many of the poorer classes are suffering from malnutrition. Prices have increased by 40 per cent. The lack of fats, oils and meats, in which Italy is most deficient, is likely to increase. Meat, fresh pastrv and ice cream are at present permitted only three times a week. The monthly ration of olive oil, which is a major item of diet, is only one pint, and of butter, lard or suet only three-quarters of a pound. I'lle sugar ration has been reduced. Cotton supplies are expected to be exhausted within a few weeks. The effects of the food shortage are most acute in Southern Italy. DUCE'S GESTURE VOTE FOR PUBLIC WORKS (Received December 1, 7.10 p.m.) ROME. Nov. so Mussolini presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and approved a bill for the expenditure of £444,000,000 on public works "with the object of assuring the country of advancing in social welfare and strength in national economy." DEFENCE OF MALTA ITALIAN RAID REPULSED LONDON. Nov. There was considerable enemy activity over Malta on Thursday, states a London bulletin. A number of bombs were dropped, but no damage was done. Royal Air Force fighters intercepted the enemy, with the re-nlt thai an enemy aircraft was sljot down and two so badly damaged that tliey were unlikely to be able to return to their base.