Evening star., 1940-10-19
British Planes
Defy Weather
To Blast Reich
Shipyords at KieI
And Hamburg Hit;
London Gets Relief
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Oct. 19-The Royal Air
Force flew through bad weather last
night in bombing attacks on ship
yards, factories and railway sta
tions in Germany, the Air Ministry
reported today.
The Air Ministry communique
said:
Bad weather, low clouds and
severe icing conditions hampered
operations of our bomber aircraft
last night.
Nevertheless, shipyards at Kiel
and Hamburg were bombed and
fires were started by attacks on
aluminium works at Lunen, a fac
tory at Dortmund and on wharves
at the inland port of Duisberg.
Railway and goods yards were
attacked at Schwerte, Osnabruck
and Dortmund.
"Al our aircraft returned safely,
but one is missing from reconnais-
sance activities carried out yester-
day."
Air Siege Eased.
The German air siege of Britain
eased unaccountably in fine autumn
weather today, with the London
area raided only once and only two
bombs dropped up to midafternoon.
The sirens had scarcely shrieked
their first warning of the day when
the bombs fell.
Another single raider was re-
ported to have bombed Midlands
town, dropping low over a new in
dustrial building and then machine
cunning some workmen. No casual
ties were reported.
Night raids also were lighter than
usual. The British Press Associa-
ton reported dozen bombs were
dropped on a southeast coast town
when r. A. F. fighters attacked a
| Junkers plane. Six were said to
have hit a playing field, while others
demolished houses.
Canteens for Shelters.
London's defenders worked today
to lessen the discomforts of life for
millions of families who have been
spending their nights and much Of
their days in air raid shelters with
program to feed them there, too.
DR.. j. j. Mallon. placed in charge
OF the feeding plan, said the first
step would be to organize and stock
canteens so that Londoners forced
to spend an increasing amount Of
their time in subways and Easements
could buy morning and evening
meals there.
The capital, digging in for VIM
ter of bombing, credited measure
OF relief last night to England's
autumnal ally-coastal fog and an
inland cloud blanket.
A short burst of anti-aircraft
fire at daybreak wound up the big
city's And night of attack, which
observers termed intermittent and
definitely lighter than usual
A British Broadcasting Co. an
nouncement said thickening weather
made the raids sporadic and reports
Of casualties and bomb ruin dinin-
ished somewhat.
Raids Described as Random.
A government communique de-
scribed the raids as random" but
affecting a wide area.
German reports said bombers
took of for England in "uninter-
rupted succession" throughout
the night and heavily attacked
London and industrial centers)
The planes which came over dur.
ing the night were reported attack
ing singly or in small groups, with
lulls longer and oftener than usual
between raids.
The Royal Air Force members and
a member of the R. A. F. Womens
Auxiliary were among six killed in
one section of the city. In another,
four air raid wardens were injured
seriously when bomb hit their sta
ton. An undetermined number of
persons were buried by bomb,
which smashed tavern. Five bodies
from another tavern. An elementary
school, workman's club, shops and
homes were wrecked.
The communique said the London
casualties were mot as heavy as on
recent nights"
The Midlands took the next most
severe blows. Three persons were
killed by a bomb hit on house in
one industrial town. Another family
was rescued from the wreckage of
their home. Many fires were started
and some industrial premises were
reported damaged.
Some Houses Smashed.
Liverpool and the Merseyside
shipping district again were at
tackled and there were some houses
smashed and some casualties. There
were casualties. too, in attacks on
Southeastern England. The loss of
life in these sections was reported
small.
War workers in Southeast Eng
land factory we're told last night by
Arthur Greenwood, minister without
portfolio, that what has been done
to London will be doubled to Ber-
lin" He added that Western Ger.
many and the Ruhr Valley already
have been bombed "far more heavily
than any place in this country"
The Labor Ministry predicted a /
per cent increase in living costs
during September.
Women were told they must give
up silk hosiery. Sales will be banned
and all silk stockings manufactured
will be diverted to overseas trade.
Artificial silk stockings will be per-
mitted after the ban, elective next
February /.
The Admiralty announced today
that British light naval craft sank
German ship of the French coast
yesterday. The British ships, pa
trolling the coast, were said to have
sighted three large German trawlers,
sunk the rearmost and chased the
rest into the shelter Of shore de.
fenSe guns.