LONDON UNDER FIRE

Southland Times, Issue 24685, 5 March 1942, Page 6

LONDON UNDER FIRE

VIVID PICTURES OF THE “BLITZ” EXHIBITION OPENED “In this distant part of the Empire we have not until now been able to visualize the extent of the ruthless destruction, although we had some idea of the suffering to which our fellow Britons in London were being subjected,” said the Deputy-Mayor (Mr A. Wachner) when opening the display of nevys photographs of bombed London in H. and J. Smith’s lounge yesterday afternoon. Mr Wachner explained that the Press Club of London had made a gift of the pictures to the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of New Zealand. An examination of the pictures would enable all to appreciate the wanton damage done to London by the enemy in places where there could be no possible military objective. Mr .Wachner commended the display to the citizens of Invercargill. £lOOO ALREADY COLLECTED

Mr R. J. Gilmour, managing director of the Southland Times Company, Ltd., who presided, thanked H. and J. Smith, Ltd., for accommodating the exhibition free of charge, and also members of the staff for their personal assistance. He thanked the Invercargill Metropolitan Patriotic Committee for its cooperation and for providing women collectors during the period of the exhibition, Mr Gilmour said that the proceeds would be devoted to the Lord Mayor of London’s Relief of Distress Fund. So far more than £lOOO had been collected in New Zealand for this purpose by the showing of the photographs. The exhibition showed what the people of London had had to contend with during the air raids on the city, said Mr Gilmour. There had been a respite during the last six months, but it was now clear that, whatever the extent to which London was bombed, the spirit of the people would never be broken. The attacks would only make them more determined to see the war through to a finish.

ASSOCIATION CONGRATULATED The chairman of the Invercargill Metropolitan Patriotic Committee (Mr P. Linton Hodge) congratulated the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association on its action in displaying the pictures throughout the Dominion. All the proceeds, he said, would be paid to the secretary of the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council (Mr W. F. Sturman), who would attend to the forwardipg of the money. The photographs, which have been shown in the four main centres, illustrate the devastation wrought by Nazi bombers in the capital city of the Empire. They show realistically the damage suffered by Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the House of Commons, the Old Bailey and many other famous buildings. One of the most outstanding photographs shows _ St. Paul’s Cathedral standing serene in a sea of fire and ruin. Those who wish to take the opportunity of contributing to the Lord Mayor of London’s Relief of Distress Fund may leave their contributions with the collectors or send them to either of the Invercargill newspaper offices.