MEMORANDUM
 
      Vice Consul Ramsey called from Sheffield at 3:30 p.m. today to 
      say that Sheffield tied had its first major air raid of the war 
      between 7 o'clock last night and 4 o'clock this morning. Fortunately 
      no members of the Consular staff were injured, and the only harm 
      to the consular premises - now about to be vacated - consisted 
      of a few broken Windows.
 
      
 
 
The planed came over in waves, concentrating the business 
      and residential districts, gutting by fire two of the largest 
      department stores- Cockiness and Walshes, and injuring nearly 
      all buildings on the Moor, the principal Business Street. A good 
      deal of damage was also done in prominent residential streets, 
      for instance, Fulwood Road, Westbourn Road and in the Crossbooll 
      region, St. Mark's Church was burnt out.
 
      
 
 
He thinks that there must have been a considerable number 
      of civilian casualties, although he has no in-formation on the 
      subject, or upon the damage done to the industrial part of Sheffield.
 
      
 
 
Mr. Ramsey intends to proceed with the packing and shipping 
      of furniture.
 
      
 
 
Walton C. Ferris. 
 
      American Consul.
 
      London, 
 
      December 13, 1940