COVENTRY RAID

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24460, 20 November 1940, Page 8

COVENTRY RAID

CLEARING UP THE DEBRIS BUS SERVICES RESUMING LONDON HAS QUIET DAY (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON. Nov, 18. Although smoke was still rising from the ruins to-day. Coventry has rallied and is cleaning uo the city and restoring business and home life. Evacuees who returned to their offices and factories volunteered to assist in clearing away debris when they found that their ordinary work was interrupted. The demolition squads used steel cables and dynamite to blast down dangerous walls and buildings. Long queues lined up for assistance and received free bread and other foods, from mobile canteens, field kitchens and communal meal centres. The health authorities have distributed medical requisites and have taken all orecautions against epidemics. The Government commandeered many houses for the homeless. Bus services are resuming. After a very quiet day. in which there was only one raid lasting a few minutes, London's night alert sounded later than for six weeks. No guns or planes were heard over Centra] London.

Night raiders visited Liverpool and another north-west town and dropped flares and incendiaries. Raiders were also reported over Welsh and north-east English towns. London will soon have 16,000 Royal Engineer Pioneers clearing and repairing bomb damage. Majorgeneral G. B. O. Taylor, who is in charge of these forces, said: "The gas, water and electricity people at first mistrusted us. We said, Give us a crater and let us get on with it.' The authorities have now found how useful we are and as a result are increasing the number at work Moreover, it will be invaluable training for men for another expeditionary force overseas." Birmingham has decided not to build further big shelters, but to concentrate on small surface shelters and strengthened basements holding only a few families. The city medical officer at Coventry gathered men, women and children in special clinics for inoculation against typhoid. Surrounding towns sent supplies of serum. Notices have been posted warning housewives to boil all milk and water. The dead recovered to-dav bring the total to over 300.