AMERICAN CONSULATE 
 
      Southampton, England
 
      December 1, 1940
 
      Sunday, 3.30 p.m.
 
      
 
 
The American Consul General,
 
      London.
 
      Bombing of Southampton night of Nov. 30/Dec. 1.
 
      
 
 
Sir,
 
      For six hours steadily last night practically with no intermission 
      high explosives and incendiaries rained on Southampton. It was 
      a motets harrowing experience and our residence being in one 
      both Coventry and last night's bombing here, the latter was by 
      far the more severe. (1)
 
      I have made a walk of several miles today through the streets 
      and I can truly say the town in ruins, particularly the commercial 
      section. I cannot beg-in to detail the damage done throughout 
      the town, but will endeavor to give a limited picture.
 
      
 
 
Military Damage
 
      The large and important cable works of Pirelli and Company (previously 
      hit) has now been completely burned out. This plant extends for 
      a long distance down the Western Esplanade (see mad attached) 
      (2) Fortunately there were no fatalities here. (3)
 
      
 
 
The docks, both old and new, are almost entirely burned out. 
      (2)(4) I spoke of the damage to Pirelli's to an official of the 
      docks (5) and he replied: "That's nothing to what the docks 
      got, all the buildings and sheds are complete wrecks & middot;" 
      I was able too partially to confirm this by personal observation. 
      I also walked down to the General Motors Building at the far 
      end of the new docks, getting as close as I could and as far 
      as I could see, it appeared that it was completely gutted by 
      fire, although the walls were still standing. It should be pointed 
      out that General Motors itself is no longer there. The Canadian 
      Government assembler trucks in part of the building and the Admiralty 
      used the rest for the manufacture of some kind of torpedo nets. 
 
      The part of Thornycrofts shipbuilding plant on the old docks 
      and the plant of Garland and Wolf has also been burned.
 
      
 
 
I have not yet received information as to the Woolston shipbuilding 
 %      yards.
 
      
 
 
The Ordnance Survey, where all English maps are made, has 
      been completely burned out (6) are ~de, has been completely burned 
      out (6)
 
      Civilian damage.
 
      
 
 
The two largest department stores are completely burned out. 
      In fact, almost the whole of the retail shopping district has 
      gone. The conculate was not hit but/
 
      1. Sourcs: Constable Dodd of the Southampton Borough Police.
 
      
 
 
2. Personal inspection.
 
      3. Wife of an employee.
 
      4. Major Fairweather, officer in charge Field Security Police.
 
      5. Col. Short, Assistant Manager of the Southern Fly. Docks.
 
      6. Several eyewitnesses.