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Bulgaria.

11

60. It was recently reported that most aerodromes were serviceable, and communications nearly normal.

HOME SECURITY SITUATION.

245

General.

By Day.

61. Bad weather has probably been responsible for the small scale of enemy air activity during the week, but bombs were dropped in many places in the eastern half of England. No serious damage affecting our war effort was done.

By Night.

62. On three nights, the 18th/19th, 20th/21st and 21st/22nd January, no bombs were dropped. On the night of the 17th/18th January there was a concentrated attack on South Wales, and on the other nights bombs were dropped over wide areas.

Damage.

Docks.

63. At Swansea on the night of the 17th/18th January the main shop of the Prince of Wales Dock Company was gutted and machinery damaged, and considerable damage was also done to sheds and warehouses at Palmers Dry Dock, King's Dock and South Docks.

At Avonmouth on the night of the 16th/17th January the yard at the Mountstuart Dry Docks was gutted.

Railways.

64. Railways have escaped serious damage from enemy action, but a certain amount of congestion and dislocation of traffic has been caused by snow, especially in the marshalling yards in the Midlands.

Roads.

65. Roads in many parts of the country have been blocked by snow or rendered difficult for transport by frost, but the position is rapidly improving.

Public Utilities.

66. Electricity.-At Bristol' a direct hit on the switch gear of the Corpora- tion Power Station, Feeder Road, destroyed three switches. One-third of the transformer capacity was available on the 18th January; another third was expected this week, but the remaining third may take some months to restore.

Factories.

67. Stocks of feeding-stuffs were destroyed by fire at R. and W. Paul, Ltd., and R. Silcock, Ltd., at Avonmouth Docks.

Other Damage.

68. The Home Office Regional Stores at Avonmouth were gutted by fire. The Drill Hall at Ramsgate was hit by H.E., and Polytechnic at Croydon was gutted by fire.

Casualties.

69. For the week ending 0600, the 22nd January, the approximate figures are 174 killed and 240 injured. The figures for London are 52 killed and 79 injured.

Unexploded Bombs.

70. The total remaining for disposal has been reduced from 1,212 to 1,050.

Civil Defence.

71. Reports from all areas indicate that the public are increasingly active in meeting incendiary attacks, and more than one raid has been rendered ineffec- tive by prompt action.

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