Orgy of Wanton Destruction

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21960, 12 May 1941, Page 5

Orgy of Wanton Destruction

Full-Scale Blitz Returns To London Thirty-Three Bombers Shot Down By Telegraph—Prew Association—Copyright (Rec. 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 11. A FULL-SCALE “blitz” returned to London last night. The German radio promised the biggest ever, and at the beginning the raid certainly seemed to live up to that promise. Many bombers arrived, raining down clusters of incendiaries and very heavy explosives. Householders declared that the raiders swooped almost as low as the roof tops. More and more incendiaries and explosives came down and every gun in London seemed to be in action. The rapid onrush of the raiders continued unabated, presumably with the intention of intimidating the firefighters and Home Guards. However, fire engines sped through the streets regardless of the incessant hail of bombs. A brilliant moon became a mere pale circle in the brightness of the incendiaries. A bomb in a street market caused casualties and trapped those sheltering. Other bombs swayed large buildings. A residential z district on the outskirts of London suffered badly. A direct hit on a wardens' post killed the chief warden and injured others. An auxiliary fire station was directly hit. Two hospitals were hit and there were a number of casualties. Considerable damage was done to houses and scores of persons were injured, some seriously. Rescuers are still searching for those entombed in the debris. Several raiders are known to have been destroyed. Numerous incendiaries fell in a south-east coastal town, but fire watching parties extinguished most of the outbreaks before the brigades arrived. The sound and fury of the bombing slackened considerably after five hours, but a night of horror continued until dawn. Sweeping flames leapt from building to building and many were gutted. Each new blaze sent up fragments of blazing wood, some as big as a clenched fist and some bigger which, like a hellish snowfall, drifted across streets and buildings and lodged in gables, starting fresh fires. The air was literally filled wth fiery particles. The acrid aftermath of this wanton orgy reveals that at least two of London's most loved churches, one of which is among its oldest, are mere shells. Others are scarred and many imposing buildings and office blocks are damaged irreparably. It is learned that at least 33 raiders were shot down. Mortally wounded when German raiders swooped down and machine-gunned a passenger train, the driver halted the train and backed it to the safety of a nearby station assisted by the fireman who also was wounded. The driver died in hospital. Fighters accounted for 31 raiders and anti-aircraft guns two. Three more hospitals were hit, causing casualties in two. The third was a children's hospital. Bombs struck a night club, a theatre and a cinema. This latest attempt by Goering's vandals to wipe out London was a fiery blizzard of golden sparks and the most awe-inspiring spectacle ever seen in the world’s greatest capital. In reality it was an inferno. Blazing buildings stood out in stark relief. Tongues of flame leaped from buildings which had survived previous raids, and through gaping windows fresh areas of wanton destruction were revealed. London was bathed in a golden glow. The fire fighters again performed deeds of unbounded heroism. Perched on the swaying tops of turntable escapes with tongues of flame licking around them they fought grimly to bring the outbreaks under control. St. Paul’s was silhouetted against the dawn as a witness of an outrage as dastard as any in this dastardly war. An Air Ministry communique dealing with the raid says: London was attacked and bombed heavily for several hours. The casualties were high and considerable damage was done. Bombs were dropped at many points outside London, particularly in South-east and East Anglia. A small number of persons were killed. Enemy aircraft known to be destroyed during the night total 33.