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Warnings.

97. London has been under warning 26 times by day, for a total period of over 24 hours; and 10 times by night, for a total period of over 50 hours. Liverpool has had 11 day warnings, and 6 night (totals-approximately 6 and 10 hours respectively); Bristol has had 9 day warnings (approximately 3 hours) and 8 night (about 12 hours); and Middlesborough has had 7 night warnings (total about 4 hours).

Disposal of Unexploded Bombs.

98. There has been a considerable expansion in the number of bomb-disposal sections and a rise in the rate of disposal of unexploded bombs may be expected as soon as the training of new personnel is completed. The process of diagnosis of unexploded bombs has improved, as more of the officers of local authorities gain experience in recognising them, but the number of so-called unexploded bombs which the bomb-disposal parties find to have already exploded is still high. The number of unexploded bombs outstanding in the London Region, for instance, on the evening of the 7th October was 966, a reduction of 200 on the corresponding figure for the 1st October.

Civil Defence Operations.

99. So far as the London Region is concerned, the Groups into which the Region is divided have not been called upon to give mutual assistance to each other to any great extent except in the matter of rescue parties. Generally speaking, the extent of the raiding in each Group has not called for the employ- ment of more "casualty" parties than are available within the Group, though the different local authorities within each Group have often been called upon to assist one another.

100. Owing to the fact that a high proportion of the casualties occur in wrecked buildings, the rescue parties have been fully employed, and it has been necessary on a number of occasions to send rescue parties from one Group to another. The operations of rescue parties on particular sites have often lasted for several days.

Morale.

101. The spirit of the public remains good and there is little fresh comment to make on morale during the current week. Deep shelters are more popular, and surface shelters are less so. The numbers of persons resorting to the Tubes is increasing and the measures being taken to improve shelter amenities are generally approved.

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Page 165APPENDIX I.

Ships sunk by Submarines.