MIDLANDS AGAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23838, 13 December 1940, Page 8

MIDLANDS AGAIN

FURTHER NAZI RAID TOWN HEAVILY HIT QUIET SPELL ENDED SOME DAYLIGHT ACTIVITY Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received December 12, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 12 German raiders last night smashin gly attacked a West Midlands town, but all fires were quelled by midnight. One district suffered severely, and it is reported that one shelter was hit directly, but casualties throughout the city are not believed to be heavy. The attack began with the customary dropping of incendiary bombs. A bus was hit and high explosive bombs also damaged a church, some schools, a sports pavilion and house property. Widespread Activity Paiders oyer London up to midnight provided little incident, the main attack apparently being concentrated on the Midlands town. Some bombs ■were dropped. Paiders were also reported over Yi ales, north-west, southvest and south-east England, and a certain amount of damage was done. A single raider over Merscyside was driven off by anti-aircraft fire. A Berlin report last night stated that squadrons of German bombers were carrving out "the heaviest kind of attacks'' on military objectives in Britain s industrial Midlands. Daylight Raiders A bomb dropped on London this fnorning directly hit a watei tank, causing a small flood. Royal Air Force fighters this afternoon intercepted eight Messerschmitts over the south-east coast. I lie Messeiechmitts bolted for home. During daylight yesterday n, small number of enemy aircraft were active over the Channel and the south-east coast of England, according to an official statement, says a British official wireless message. Bombs which were dropped on a town on the south-east coast in the afternoon demolished some shops and houses and caused a small Dumber of casualties. One Machine Destroyed One of the enemy aircraft was destroyed by our fighters without loss to ourselves The alert shortly before dawn yesterday morning, the first for nearly 48 hours, ended London's longest raidless period since the blitzkreig began, lhe all clear came within a short time. The German communique said bad treather on Tuesday again confined air force activities to armed reconnaissance. The enemy on Tuesday night bombed occupied territory and south-west Germany. One person was killed and five injured. NO RESPITE GIVEN ' BOMBERS OVER GERMANY bad weather defied (Received December 12, 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 12 British aircraft were over Germany S rrain last night and bombed industrial objectives in the lUiinelancL In spite of bad weather, the Royal Air Force carried out an attack on Tuesday night on a number of targets in Western Germany and occupied territory, says a British official vitelcss message. These included railway junctions, power stations, aerodromes and inland docks. Docks and invasion ports along the Channel and in occupied territory were also attacked by small bomber forces. Two Royal Air Force machines are missing. In the course of the operations one of our bombers shot down an enemy twin-engined fighter. HELP FROM WEATHER FEWER RAIDS LIKELY LONDON, Dec. 12 "During the next few weeks tinbreather may be very helpful to us," said the British Broadcasting Corporation's air observer, Mr. Oliver Stewart, in a broadcast. "Bad weather cannot be expected to stop raiding, except on rare occasions." he said, "but it can be expected to reduce it, and cause it to come in bursts, with quiet intervals in between." The cause of the recent lulls in German air activity over Britain is puzzling many people. "To-day-1 asked three different air experts about it," said Mr. Fdward Montgomery in a broadcast. "1 got nine different theories, an average oi three a person. If you really want to know, I suggest you write to Goering about it." DAMAGE AT ETON LONDON, Dec. 12 In recent raids some oi the most historic buildings at Ft on College have Ibccn damaged. All the stained-glass windows of the school chapel were blown out. Classrooms built in the reign of Charles 11. were damaged. DUTCH NAVAL PRIZE GERMAN SHIP CAPTURED SCUTTLING ATTEMPT FAILS (Received Derrmlter 12. 0 10 p.m.) WASH INC,TON. Dec. 11 The United States Nav\ Department, announced that the Dutch destroyer "Van Kinsbergen captured the German motor-ship Rhein. of 6031 tons, after her crew had attempted to scuttle her. The Navy Department said it had not been informed of the exact location of the capture, but "the Rhein was in the possession of a Dutch ship this morning oil the Cuban coast." The Rhein and the steamer Idarwahl left Tampieo, Mexico, on November 29 in an effort to run the blockade. The Idarwald was captured by H.M.S. Diomede off the coast of Cuba last Sunday after the Germans had attempted to scuttle her. but the prize, crew put on board from the Diomede was unable to prevent the Idarwald from sinking. I