Evening star., 1941-03-09
BY the Associated Press.

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BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, March 9 Sunday
Londoners were killed, wounded or
trapped in piles of debris last night
and early today in the first heavy
night Luftwaffe raid on the British
capital in weeks.
Attacking with a fury reminiscent
of the blitz raids of last fall, the
Germans scored a direct hit on a
night club crowded with dancers;
killed and injured a number OF
pedestrians on London roadway,
and caused other casualties when
two bombs exploding at the ends
of a block caved in a cafe where
many were dining.
There was a brief hull in the raid
shortly before midnight and then
the Luftwaffe stepped up the bombs.
Then suddenly-not long after mid
night-the raiders broke off the at
tack and the all clear sounded.
Many Believed Trapped.
It was believed that a large num-
Der of civilians-and perhaps service
men enjoying a leave-were trapped
in the wrecked night club.
The leader of the band playing at
the night club, some of his musicians
and a number of guests-some Of
them beautifully gowned women
were killed when the Nazi bomb
crashed through the roof and hit
the dance floor.
Lights ir' the club remained on,
revealing the chaos where seconds
before there had been laughter and
the lght-hearted gayety of London
night life in full swing.
Civil defense workers quickly re-
stored order and began rescue work.
Soldiers, sailors and Royal Air
Force men on leave joined air raid
workers in rescue work Immediately
after the bomb fell. although other
bombs we're coming down in the
sector.
Crowds which gathered around
the club wreckage quickly scattered
as more bombs fell. Bombs falling
on both sides of another cafe caused
casualties.
Masses of German planes we're
dumping hundreds of high explo-
sives on the capital. The drone of
the attacking planes sounded un-
usually low
Guns Meet Aerial Fury.
The fury of the Luftwaffe was
met by intense and spectacular anti
aircraft fire. The crash of heavy
bombs mingled in numerous Lon
don districts with the roar of de-
Tending guns and flares and tracer
bullets lighted the city's skies.
AT least one public shelter was
hit: hospitals were warned to pre-
pare for casualties. Buildings
trembled under the shock of high
explosive blasts, flares lighted the
sky, revealing CriSS-cross of vapor
trails from the planes.
The night raiders came after a
day of air attacks on England S
east coast and in Scotland, in which,
some British sources said. three
bomberS were shot down. The Air
Ministry officially accounted for only
two.
They flew across moonlit Dover
Strait where only light southeast
wind was blowing.
London's sirens sounded soon after
8 pm. and quickly the raid was in
full cry. Observers in one district
reported many planes overhead.
and watchers in another section
said six or seven separate waves
Of bomberS had passed.
One observer counted at least Is
high explosive bombs Then. he
said, Something screaming came
down out of the sky trailing sparks.
1t may have been a bomb or it may
have been a raider shot down."
Some Come From West.
From another district. an observer
telephoned that they are dropping
them out here just like the earlier
/, blitzes."
Some planes approached London
from westerly direction, indicat-
/ IAIS lIlSy lldu ShII GSu Jllc capital
defenses to unleash their force or
the western section.
, Of the day raids. the Air and
Home Security Ministries said bombs
were dropped at several points or
the English and Scottish east coasts
{ but they did little damage except
in one town in East Anglia where
several houses were damaged.
Casualties we're few"
The toll of air warfare on civilian
lives was raised by the announce.
ment of the Air and Home Security
! Ministries that 789 civilians Wert
: killed in raids on Britain last month
while 1068 were injured.
Those casualties were approx
mately half the figures for Janu'
ary, however. In that month
1902 were killed and 2012 injured
The total official casualties fo
the raids since last June through
February stood at 24,37l killed ant