"The most architectually important parts of the Abbey buildings have survived," said an architect. "The fact that the 19th century roof has been destroyed is rot an irreparable thing, although the Abbey is now Open to the sky."
The British Museum was set alight by a shower of incendiaries which burnt through the roof and set fire to the back of the building. Fire-watchers on the roof dealt with most of the incendiaries, but some burnt through before they could be tackled. Fortunately most of the treasures had been removed to safety, and the damage was comparatively light.
Writing on the state of London after the raid, Reuters staff reporter states Debris thrown into the sky fluttered down in tiny fragments like blacker.- flakes on parts ut London on The British ca shaking off the last Pall of Smoke nake was hanging cv% reas as I toured the capi ing. 1 walked through still laced with hose-p eyes ted from acrid and I continually brushed fall oft clothes. I strode of flames which remains of the little heaps o burned out pavements and road the huge number dropped.
Sunday workers still way to their centres of a hurried along exe fare, and buses, sometimes by cuitous routes. contin service with ruption against the sky.—Reute:
Rescue parties were still a today at a London by a bomb in Sa wanton raid. Hotel guests buried under follo: workers on ti where till parsi dust and debris opt aside ard the rhyti y life had begun a Continued o" pao Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey Damaged in Nazi Fire Raid Saturday nighi's Nazi raid on London was one of the most intense experienced in the Metropolis and many famous historic buildings suffered damage, including the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Hall, Westminster Abbey and "Big Ben," whose chimes relayed by the British Broadcasting Corporation have been heard in all corners of the earth. ed and Westminster Abbey was set on fire.
In the House of Lords, the resident superintendent is reported to have been killed. What many people consider to be the most magnificent roof in the world—that of Westminster Hall—has been pierced by bombs and damage has been done to the interior.
"Big Ben," although hit by a bomb, is still chiming, only slight damage being done to the masonry above the Clock face.
The deanery of Westminster Abbey was destroyed in the raid but the fabric of the Abtey is intact.
Picture shows the Houses of Parliament "Big Ben" on the extreme right in the foreground with Westminster Abbey behind. At the rear of the Abbey St. Margaret's Church may be seen, while opposite is London's famous thoroughfare, Whitehall, where most of the Government offices are situated, including the Foreign, Home, War and India Offices, the Board of Trade and the Treasury. Downing Street, where the residence of the Prime Minister is "situated, is a side-street off Whitehall.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.