FULL-SCALE TRIAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25239, 31 May 1943, Page 2

FULL-SCALE TRIAL

1 DUNEDIN " BLITZED ” EARLY MORNING ATTACK A full-scale E.P.S. trial, under total black-out conditions, was held in the Dunedin Metropolitan area at an early hour on Saturday morning. The purpose of the trial was to test thoroughly the civil defence personnel in their appointed positions and to discover weaknesses in the organisation. “ Incident ” officers were highly successful in creating the atmosphere of a “ blitz” by the use of smoke and incendiary bombs, and at Mosgiel, Green Island, Port Chalmers, and in the city area the fire services turned out to deal with major “ outbreaks ” of fire. An “ enemy ” aircraft carrier was assumed to have been located off the coast, and at 6.20 a.m. the wailing of the sirens gave warning of the approach of bombing aircraft. Before this had died away, many E.P.S. workers were hurrying through the darkness on the way to their posts, and the streets were quickly manned by members of the Traffic section. The “ all-clear ’’ sounded at 6.50, but this did not end the trial for the various sections of a scheme involving more than 10.000 workers. In some cases, the activities of units .were then only beginning, and these were not completed until nearly nine o’clock. Major “ Incidents ” A high explosive bomb, which was assumed to have dropped in the grounds at St. Margaret's College and destroyed a portion of the building, provided one of the main "incidents” in the city area. The University aid post was completely " wrecked," Studholme House was partly “destroyed,” and incendiary fires in the neighbourhood also caused damage at the University. To cope with the damage and to deal with smoke and incendiary bombs, the fire service arrived on the scene m strength. Water and gas insta’lations and electric wires at the corner of St. David and Leith streets were also damaged. _ The fire service also attended a ‘ fire which swept through a whole block of flats at the Queen's Gardens. As m the University area, tlie “ casualties here were fairly heavy. The north wing of the living quarters at Columba College in Highgate were struck by a high explosive bomb, which rendered 4he building uninhabitable. The casualties were light, and the aid post was undamaged. Damage was caused to the Post Office at Green Island, and incendiaries caused fires in a factorv at Port Chalmers and in the residential area at Port Chalmers. There were indications that mustard gas had been used in the neighbourhood of the Museum Reserve. These areas were Visited bv wardens, whose duty it was to create tlie " incidents.” and to observe the action which was taken by the units concerned. Efficiency Well Tried The mortuaries were manned by the Law and Order section, and casualties were handled according to routine, even to the extent of reporting information relating to the “ victims ” of the rjiid. The information section collected information to permit the issue of a censored report } and throughout the area 300 homeless persons were dealt with by the Evacuation section, the necessary steps to supply food and clothing to those affected being taken by the Supply section. The “ incidents,” which had been- arranged, offered full scope to test the efficiency of the communications and works sections, and in dealing with the slight disruptions caused by the attack neither/ was found wanting. The ». posts, which were fully operated, dealt with a number of “ casualties, some of which we.e of a serious nature; and these were despatched to the hospital by ambulance, where they were checked ana cleared in the usual way. At headquarters the control staff was on duty promptly, and the large number of •workers dealt promptly with reports of casualties and damage. Liaison officers from the units were stationed at headquarters, and the area commander. Colonel J. G. Jeffery, represented the army. Statement by Mayor The Mayor (Mr A. H. Allen said that one of the objects of holding the trial at an early hour was to ascertain whether the people fully realised the effects of the lighting regulations. Generally speaking, they were fairly well observed, but in many instances at least 10 minutes elapsed after the sounding of the alarm before lights in many houses were extinguished. Obviously, the Mayor added, E.P.S. workers were dressing and overlooked the need to place black-out material so as to prevent light inside a building being seen from the outside. In other cases people stood at their doors, with the lights showing. while they observed what was happening. A glaring instance was noticed near headquarters, a house being lit up while the occupier stood in his dressing gown at the door. Mr Allen said that the E.P.S.-workers had responded to the call promptly. A meeting of unit controllers would be held at an early date when each controller would report on the personnel of his unit and the support that was given by other units in carrying out their duties. ,