HOMES DESTROYED

Opotiki News, 15 October 1940, Page 3

HOMES DESTROYED

LONDON HOUSES RAIDING BY GERMANS HEAVY A.A. BARRAGE (News by Cable.) RUGBY, Oct. 13. Soon after midday to-day the enemy began a seiies of raids over the south-east of England. The number of aircraft employed was not very, large, States a communique issued by the Air Ministry and the Ministry of Home Security, but successive formations crossed the Kent coast during the early afternoon and some enemy planes reached the London area.

Bombs were dropped at several points in London and the suburbs. No severe damage was done, but so*me casualties were caused. In one district several houses were damaged and a fire started, but was speedily extinguished. A number of casualties were reported in two place# on the outskirts of London.

It is known so far that one enemy

aircraft has 1 been destroyed: One of the British fighters was lost, but the pilot is safe. It is now known that only two British pilots were lost in yesterday’s encounters over Britain which resulted in the destruuction of 11 Germans and the Joss of 10 British aircraft. \ J; The enemy’s attacks on Britain last night took place before midnight and activity ceased in the early hours of the morning. Thnilling< Fight Seen Elsewhere, although damage was done in some localities, reports ind.cate that the casualties were not heavy. Thousands of people lining the London streets saw fighters repulse several attacks on the metropolis to-day and were thrilled by the spectacle of a solitary Spitfire swooping on nine German fighterbombers attacking. from, the west. The fighter dived 5000 ft. on the Germans, who scattered. Heavy gunfire and explosions of bombs were heard in the evening. Seven persons were known to have been killed and a number seriously injured -when a bomb hit an underground station yesterday. London had six alerts yesterday. The last ended early to-day, affording those in shelters many hours of sleep. A bomb which fell in a London square killed five persons. A number were sent to hospital. Another bomb falling in a street, fractured water and gas mains and caused a fire, which was quickly extinguished. Members of .the A.R.P. services took 200 people from a nearby public shelter to other shelters.

A German communique says “Bombers attacked London at night and saw extensive fires resulting from the day’s operations over the centre of the city. The Waterloo station was severely hit by several bombs. Two troop encampments in the south of England were bombed and destruction in billets was caused.”