BOMB HAVOC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24613, 22 May 1941, Page 8

BOMB HAVOC

NEW ZEALAND HOUSE ALL FRONT WINDOWS OUT NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE DONE (0 C.) LONDON, April 24. Every window at the front of New Zealand House, looking <put on to the Strand, was smashed during a big raid on London. .The blast caused breakages inside the building and scattered desks, tables, and bookcases, and panels were burst out of doors. There was no structural damage to the building, and none of the fire-watching picket was injured. Soot poured down the chimneys after a terrific explosion in the Strand, and gushed out on to the floors of the offices. Dust was showered everywhere. The staff spent almost the entire following day cleaning up the dirt and debris. Six New Zealand naval ratings on leave, who arrived to collect their mail, remained to work all day, and men from the New Zealand Forces Club joined in. By late afternoon the litter had been cleaned up, and the staff returned to work. Gaping windows and doors and shattered partitions made unusual working companions. Rain of Incendiary Bombs

The explosion occurred about an hour before the.raid ended, and it was preceded by a rain of about 30 incendiary bombs, most of which fell in the Strand and missed New Zealand House. These fire quickly put out, and the only two women present. Miss Ruth Heath, secretary to Mr R. M. Campbell, official secretary to the High Commissioner, together with the caretaker’s wife, filled sand buckets in the basement while the men rushed them upstairs.

After the explosion, all the lights had to be put out, as the blast had ripped away the black-out screens and curtains. The fire-watchers made themselves some tea in the basement, and were obliged to wait for the “ raiders passed ” sirens before taking stock of the damage. Private L. A. Bailey (Okaiawa), who is in charge of the fire-watobing picket of six, said: “ It was easily the worst night we have had in the Strand during my six months at this work. As soon as the alarm went I went up to the roof. I could hear aeroplanes all the time, and a number of fires sprang up. About midnight flares were dropped, but they were some distance away. Some time later others came down right over the Strand. A Terrific Noise ‘‘l woke up the picket—they: were in the shelter_ in the basement—and we went outside and stood chatting to a policeman. Soon we heard a Nazi above, and then about 30 incendiaries fell. Most of them were in the street, and we soon had them out., Then we stood outside again. Pretty soon we had a good indication that something was coming down, and that it was going to be a pretty big one. “So we dashed inside, and we had only just got in when the thing landed and made the biggest row I have ever heard in my life. It got a building on the opposite side of the road. After we had seen that there were no fires about, there was nothing we could do until the all-clear;”

An amazing sight greeted the staff when they arrived for work. The shutters which screen the great front windows facing .. the Strand were blown in, and the floors were littered with broken glass, wood splinters ano debris. Any thought of work was impossible until the wreckage and dirt had been cleaned away. . ■ In the words of Mr W. J; Jordan, the High Comfnissioner, New House, like London, is now : “ Scarred,! but not scared.” .