AIR RAID TERROR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24606, 14 May 1941, Page 7

AIR RAID TERROR

THE BLITZ ON LONDON REACTION OF THE PEOPLE INDOMITABLE COURAGE (Rec. 8 p.m.) RUGBY, May 12. Deeply stirred by the Nazi bombers' wanton destruction, Londoners are, however, accepting the situation calmly and with dignity. The people's demeanour is reflected., in the entire press. " This further attempt at terrorisation," says The Times, " met again with indomitable courege and a resolution which knows no wavering, a resolution newly fed from a deep spring of indignation and an ever hardening conviction of what is staked upon victory over the enemies of civilisation." The Times pays a special tribute to fire-fighters, who, " impervious to fear and inured against weariness, worked with a resolution of will that is a source of unyielding strength. Here was another exhibition of the spirit of national defence —defence of the people by the people—defence of city, home and freedom." The Daily Telegraph stresses the striking way in which the mechanism of the public services in the whole metropolitan area proved equal to emergency needs. " Frightfulness will not readily admit defeat and will develop every form of horror it can invent, but the past assures us that it will always be baffled by the 'grim, gay' British temper of our national capacity for meeting the need of the hour." General satisfaction meanwhile is felt at the destruction of 33 raiders on Saturday night, and it is keenly appreciated that to fly over our cities in moonlight is an increasingly h<vardous venture for the enemy. Abbey Structurally Intact Westminster Abbey, though gravely damaged on Sunday, is structurally intact except for a part in the vicinity of the lantern tower. The incendiary which damaged the lantern tower did not damage the tomb of the unknown warrior. A good desl of surface damage was done to the Henry VII Chapel. A library of thousands of books, valuable manuscripts and important documents was destroyed in the deanery. Most of the private rooms of Ministers, including Mr Churchill's, in the House of Commons were not damaged, nor were the libraries of the Houses of Commons and Lords. Rescue parties are still working on a hptel which was hit by an explosive bomb on Saturday, and several bodies have already been recovered. Two women and a man are still missing. The explosion wrecked many rooms, burying guests under heaps.of masonry. , A raider bombed three villages in South Wales last night, killing two and injuring several. The Mayor of Westminster, Mr Eaton Smith, was killed, and the Polish Vice-premier, M. Sosnokowski, was injured in Saturday night's raid. Mr Churchill and Lord Beaverbrook visited the Houses of Parliament to inspect the damage, which is not expected to interfere with the next meeting of the House, for which new accommodation is available. CAPTAIN ELLIOTT'S DEATH STRUCK BY UNEXPLODED BOMB (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, Mav 13. Apart from the graceful outlines of the doorways and windows, the House of Commons might be the ruins of a factory, so complete has been the destruction of the woodwork and fabrics. Practically all the windows in the House of Lords' Chamber were blown out. It is revealed that Captain Elliott was killed when a 1001 b explosive penetrated the custodian's quarters in the House of Lords. It did not explode, but hit Captain Elliott like a monstrous bullet. Another 1001 b bomb penetrated the roof of the House of Lords Chamber and went through the floor to the basement. An explosive hit the clock tower just above the clock; but, contrary to previous reports, did not interrupt the working of the clock nor the tolling of Big Ben. The biggest bomb hit the Law Lords' corridor, damaging the Law Lords' private rooms and rendering subsequent fire-fighting difficult. The high altar of Westminster Abbey is intact, and the fittings are undisturbed. A temporally roof is immediately being constructed on the lantern tower to prevent weather damage. " Obviously Deliberate " "The German attack on the Houses of Parliament was obviously deliberate," said Mr Victor Goodman, head of the Parliament A.R.P. unit. "They hit us with seven high explosives, in addition to a large number of incendiaries, all of which were aimed at the target. Spotters dealt with all the incendiaries except some which were most difficult to reach. The gable of Westminster Hall caught fire and subsequently burned through near the apex, but firemen were so promptly on the scene that the damage was confined to a strip of the apex of the roof; thus the most ancient part of Parliament remains virtually intact and repairable. The fire which destroyed the House of Commons Chamber resulted from an oil bomb hitting the top of the west side. The fire burned for some hours, bringing down a steel-girdered roof, which caused the floor to collapse. An explosive demolished a 20-foot turret on top of the wall of the Royal Court, killing two War Reserve policemen who were spotting therefrom."