Evening star., 1941-04-20

LONDON, April 20 Sunday -
A furious barrage thrown up by
London's anti-aircraft guns
broke up German raiding forma-
tions over the capital early to-
day and dulled the edge of a
birthday blitz for Adolf Hitler.
The instant and effective re-
sponse from anti-aircraft guns
to the appearance of waves of
raiders appeared to prevent the
concentration of sharp raid earlier
in the night
British shelling along the Thames
Estuary turned some of the raiders
back, forced others aside and per-
mitted only a few to drop their
flares and high explosives on the
city.
1t was reported other Nazi bomb
ers were over the home counties and
several coastal towns, but it ap-
peared the main weight of the Luft-
waffe's foray on Hitler's SD birth
day today was directed against
London.
Attack From All Directions.
Despite the rising tempo Of anti
aircraft fire and the droning of
twisting bombers over the. city, the
attack as dawn neared had not de-
veloped into the fury of the heaviest
raid of all on London, carried out
Wednesday night and Thursday
morning.
The raid dwindled into attacks by
single planes coming in from all
points of the compass. dropping
bombs as they few high and fast
over the city. Finally even the
lone planes stopped and the all
clear was sounded around am. Q1
pm. E. S. IT,.
The Germans first roared on Lon
don. from two directions early last
night. scattering. high explosives and
incendiaries in many areas. But
that attack was followed by 1ull--
believed due to a sudden and ap-
parently temporary change in the
weather.
After midnight, the Germans re-
turned in force Those planes filter
ing through the shell curtain hit q
wardens post, trapping several.
Between the boomings of the bat
teries of anti-aircraft guns in the
first raid, the drone of approaching
raiders could be heard. They sounded
menacingly near or low.
Persons from various residential
areas reported bombings. including
some who were bombed out of their
homes Wednesday night.
Many Flares Dropped.
The Germans dropped many flares.
One observer said there seemed to
be more than in any previous raid.
They drifted down with agonizing
slowness, while gunners tried to
shoot them out of the sky.
While the raiders droned overhead
with astonishing clearness, search
light beams swept the skies in all
directions, first individually and
then conVerglng suddenly.
Scattered observers reported the
first stages of the attack as furious,
but said after while that it ap-
peared to have spent itself, or, at
least, lulled.
Among the first edifces damaged
was one Of the largest and most
beautiful churches in London.
A stick of explosives dropped by
a lone raider broke the lull, but COM
parative quiet, broken only by oc-
casional gunfire along the Thames
Estuary, followed. Some German
bombers wheeled about and fed
when caught in the glare of search
lights.
Parliament Houses Damaged.
Both the House of Commons and
the House of Lords were damaged in
recent air raids, it was announced
officially.
All the windows of the House of
Commons library were destroyed, a
large water tank was smashed and
Nazi bombs ripped a hole in the
roof over the members lobby.
The Parliament buildings had suf-
ISee I-ONnON pooe A-s0