AIRMINISTRYNo.,2906• 1/2/1/1-No,1. AIRMINISTRYANDMINISTRYOFHOMESECURITYCOMMUNIQUE • ,.♦ Therewassomeslightenemyairactivityduringtheearly hoursofdarknesslastnight,hutnobombsweredropped. Apartfromthis,thereisnothingtoreport., OOO AIRMINISTRYBULLETINN0.2907«1,2.U1_s No.2. AirMinistryNewsService. H.Q.R.A.F.MiddleEast. D.F.C.'sFORDESERTFIGHTERS. H.M.TheKinghasapprovedthefollowingawards TheDistinguishedFlyingCrossto WingCommanderlanDuncanMACLACHLAN,RoyalAustralianAir Force.I SquadronLeaderPatrickHunterDUNN. SquadronLeaderAnthonyGrevilleDUDGEONand FlyingOfficerErnestMitchelsonMASON. SquadronLeaderMaclachlanisthefirstofficeroftheRoyal AustralianAirForceintheMiddleEastCommandtobedecorated.He hasledhissquadronwithcontinuedzealandaggressivenessandithas frequentlyoverwhelmednumericallysuperiorforces.Finefeats carriedoutbythisofficerhavelargelycontributedtnthehigh mrraleofourforces. FlyingOfficerMason,abeardedyoungfighterpilotfrom Blackpool,hasshotdownatotalofthirteenenemyaircraftsince December9andseveralothersnotconfirmed.OnJanuary26he attackedaformationofninemachinesabouttomakeanonslaughton ourforwardtroops,andinsevenoreightminuteshehadshotdown three, "ThatiswhatIcallapleasantSundayafternoon"hesaidwhen helanded.Hisaggression,initiativeanddasharelargelyresponsible forheavylossestoenemyaircraftongroundandtoretreatingmotor transnortconvoys. SquadronLeaderDunnisdescribedinthecitationas’Linofficer ofquiteexceptionalmeritanddeterminationinhis outstanding leadership".Hehimselfhasdestroyedsevenenemyaircraftandis alsocreditedwithfourunconfirmedvictories.Underhisleadership twodifferentsquadronsdestroyed68enemyaircraft,andtenothers reporteddestroyed,butunconfirmed. SquadronLoaderDudgeonhasledhissquadronon31raidswith outstandingvigourandtenacity,seekingeveryopportunityto <-inflictFormationsled damageontheenemy.byhimhaveobtained splendidresults. 1/2/41- ,No*3# FEVER2M)TUBERCULOSISNURSES Nearly700applicationsfromfeverortuberculosisnurses-havebeen receivedinanswertotheappealmadebytheMinisterofHealth(Mr*Malcolm MacDonald)onJanuary17th, Particularsofnearly300ofthese- 250fevernursesand50tuberculosis nurses-havebeensentto.theMedicalOfficersofHealthofdistrictsknown tobeinneedoftheirservices.Oftheremainder,40applicantsareunwilling toworkoutsidetheirowndistricts,andarenotatpresentneededthere# About200haveprovedunsuitable;andtheother150applicationsarebeing siftedrapidly. Stillmorefeverandtuberculosisrxrsesarewanted- particularly nurseswhoare"Tillingtowherevertheyareneeded.Applicationsshould go beaddressedtotheMinisterofHealth,Tibitehall,S.N.1.andtheenvelopes marked’FeverNursing’#Applicantsshouldgivetheirnameandaddress,age, qualifications,andexperienceoffeverortuberculosisnursing,with particularsanddateofCertificateetc.,andIf presentemployment,ifany. theseparticularssuppliedtobeginwith,suitablebe areapplicantscanput intouchwithoutdelaywithMedicalOfficersofHealthwhorequirefeveror tuberculosisnurses. MINISTRYOFHEALTH 1/2/41- No,4. FOR PUBffMTIONINTHEjIORNIFGOFSUNDAY,FEBRUJRff2nd,;. NOTTOBE THESOLDIERANDEARNERS. "DO'SANDDON'TS"FORtroopsinTRAINING. ComplaintshaverecentlyappearedinthePressofdamagecausedhythe Army duringtrainingandfurtherstatingthataprotesttotheParOfficebythefarmers concernedhadbeenignored. TheParOffice,however,isfullyalivetotheimportanceofthehomeproduction offood,andtothefactthatthetrainingofalargerarmynowstationedinGreat Britainthaneverbeforeinitshistorymustinevitablycausesomedamage.Butit isalsorecognizedthatthesetwovitalandconflictingneedscanbeadjustedifthe militaryandthefarmersmakehonestattemptstoco-operate.Adequatetrainingcan thenbecarriedoutt/ithoutseriousdamagetocrops. Huchdarn-gebytroopsinthepasthasbeenduetoignoranceoftenonthepart ofthosewhohavebeenbornandbredintowns:andanofficialpamphlet“Noteson theoflandfortraining"recentlyissuedthevaluableinstruction usetoArmygives f©rth©useoftroopsintrainingareas. Itisemphasizedthatmilitaryexercisesimposearealinconveniencetoland ownersand‘tenants,andthattheymaycauseserious supply.damagetothenation'sfood CommandingOfficerstherefore,takeeverypossiblesteptominimizedamageand will, toimpressonallrankstheirresponsibilityinobservingthefollowingrules:- General. Gatesandhurdlesmustbeclosedoftroops.Men immediatelyafterthepassage mustbespeciallydetailedattherearofeachsub-unitforthepurpose.Gatesmust notbeleftopenbecauseanothersub-unitisseentobefollowing. Stockmustbepreventedfromgettingoutoffieldsandenclosures. Firingintheimmediateneighbourhoodofcattleandhorsesmustbeavoided. RicksmustnotbeusedforObservationPosts;ifthethatchbecomesderanged, rainwillruinthewholerick. Hedgesandfences.Thenumberofmadewillbereducedtotheminimumand gaps temporaryrepairswillbemadeimmediately if Rabbitnettingroundplantationsandfieldsmustbereplacedimmediately damagedbypassageoftroopsorvehicles. Whencalledtotakethesewilloften Footbridges.uponexceptionalweight requirestrengthening. Specialpoints. Unavoidabledamageislikelytobecausedtolandoverwhichtrainingistaking place.ThereforedoNOT:- Cutsaplingsorfencingforcamouflageorfirewood. Scatterpaperorlitter. Leavelengthsofcablewirethe oronground. Leaveorbivouacsinadirtycondition. camps Allrefusemustbeburied,orifofvalue,takentothelocalsalvagedump. /Damageby 2 Damagebymechanicalvehicles# Mechanicalvehiclesareheavyandbulky.Theyareliabletocauseserious damage. Thereforeavoid:- Abruptturningonroadsandsoftgoing. Crossingarablelandotherthanstubblefields(iffieldsmustbecrossed, goroundbythesides). Makingmore gapsinhedgesandfencesthan necessary. downseedlingtrees. " Breaking■ Drivingfastintheneighbourhoodofoldbuildingsandinnarrowvillage streets# Drainingoilfromtheontopastureland. sump DoNOT:- Drivevehiclesacrossgrowingcropsorroots. Makeinwirefencesbydrivingvehiclesthrough. gaps Parkvehicleswithexhaustpipesclosetoinflammablematerials. Fireshavefrequentlybeencausedbyhotexhaustsignitinghayricksor pilesofstraw. be Y/heneverdamageiscausedbytroops,arrangementswillmadeatoncefortemporary repairs,suchasmendinggatesorblockinggaps. Repairs. Thecostoffencingrepairs'variesconsiderablywiththenatureofthefencing. Whenthereforeachoiceexists,breaktheleast expensivetypeCostsofoffence. fencingmaybegraduatedasunder,theleastexpensivetypebeinggivenfirst:- Plainwireandstakes. Postsandrails. Hurdlesandstakes# Barbedwirearidstakes. Rabbitwirefences. Strainedwiremeshedfencingwithsteelstandards. Wirefencesshouldnotbecutunlessabsolutelynecessary#itisbetterto breakofforpullupthestandardandlaythewire- particularlywiremeshfencing. willbeorganizedbytheunitto Repairpartiesaccompanytanksandothermechanically propelledvehiclesmovingacrosscountry.Thetaskofthosepartieswillbeto minimizedamageandtoeffecttemporaryrepairs. ■,I FirePrecautions. Everyprecautionwillbotakentopreventfiresshould and,theyoccur,all troopsonwhateverdutytheybe engagedwillbreakofffromthisdutyandhelp may toextinguishthefire.Attentionisparticularlycalledtothefollowing Allbivouacfireswillbeextinguishedbeforethebivouacisvacated. Matches,cigaretteends,etc.,willbothoroughlystampedout. Smokingisforbiddeninbarnsornearhayricks,etc. Allbrokenglass- afrequentsourceoffire- willbeburied. Thefiringofflaresorsignallightsonheath,gorseland,nearhayricks, oranyother placeswherefiresarelikelytobecaused,willbe carefullysupervised. Specialcarewillbetakentoavoidfiresresultingfromexhaustsof vehicles. MINISTRYOFIKFCRMATION(MilitaryAffairs), 1/2/U1*No,5, GIFTSFORAIRCRAFT. TheMinisterofAircraftProductionacknowledgeswith gratitudethefollowinggiftstowardsthepurchaseofaircraft:* B.E,Bambalaza,Lusikisiki,RondoLand, SouthAfrica(aSouthAfricanbanknote).........10s, WokingandUrbanDistrictFighterFund (totalnow£8,532.1,5«)...*•••£l2.lJs;sd, BourneandDistrictSpitfireFund..........£1,220.0,Qd, StaffoftheLondonCountyCouncil..........£3,186,3*Od. CornwallCounty'SpitfireFund(total now£8,157,17*1.).......£2,657*17*1. Windsor,England,andWindsor,Ontario,joint contribution(towardsaHurricanetobenamed ’’TheTwoWindsors,EnglandandOntario”)0,....£8;000,0.0, MINISTRYOFAIRCRAFTPRODUCTION. 1/2/41No.8. THEMEATRATION TheMinistryofFoodannouncesthattheMeatrationforthe weekbeginningFebruaryJrd?1941?willremainatIs.-2d.for adultsandtorchildrenundersix.' MINISTRYOFFOOD 1.2-.M-Nd.10. HOMEGUARDCOMMISSIONS. TheWarOfficeannouncesthattheHomeGuardcommissionedranks willbeasfollows:- AreaCommander- Brigadier. ZoneCommander-Colonel. GroupCommander-Colonel. BattalionCommander- Lieutenant-Colonel. CompanyCommander- Major. PlatoonCommander- Lieutenant. Thefollowingappointmentsarealsounderconsideration:- AssistantstoZoneCommander- oneMajor,oneCaptain. AssistanttoGroupCommander- oneCaptain. Second-in-CommandBattalion- Major. Second-In-CommandCompany- Captain. PlatoonOfficer- 2/Lieutonant. OfficerswillbeappointedtocommissionsintheHomeGuardin therankappropriatetotheappointmentsforwhichtheyareselected andanyotherformofcommissionheldbyofficerssoappointedwillbe regardedasbeingheldinabeyancesolongastheyretaintheir commissionsintheHomeGuard,Theagelimitis65buttheSelection Boardsmay,inexceptionalcases,recommendtheappointmentofan officeroverthattobeaBattalionCommanderorabove. age Nomedicalstandardwillbolaiddownbutofficersmusthavea sufficientdegreeofmentalandphysicalfitnesstocarryouttheir role. Voluntaryresignationswillsubjecttothreemonths normallybe notice. GeneralOfficers,Commanding-in-Chief,allHomeCommandshave beenrequestedtoensurethatnominationsofthehighercommanders shouldbesentearlytotheWarOfficeforapproval. asaspossible WAROFFICE. ForPublicationin1/2/M-No.11.- SUNDAYNMSPAEERS PILOTOFFICERTHANKSWORKERS. fromtheofSidiBarrani, Acurly-headed,,young,pilot-officerbackbattle hastilycoveredwithUnionJacktalkedtohundredsof standingbehindabencha aircraftworkers,yesterday. Hesaid:"MySquadronaskedmetocome-alongandseeyoutosayhowgrate- fulwearefortheworkyouhavebeendoing.Weshouldhavebeenunableto takeourmachinesintotheairifyouhadnotworkedsohardandsolong. "Youworkhardandfun,"hewent"Yougetbombed,butwe here,getnoon. goupandgetthefun." Theworkerstowhomthepilotwastalkingareengagedonmakingairfilters forintheeast.Butfortheseattachmentstheplaneengineswouldbe ourplanes chokedupwithsand,,andthemachinesunabletofly. Thesemenandwomenarenowworkingtwelvehoursaday,sevendaysaweek.' AfterthepilothadtoldsomethingoftheairfightinginLibya,mostofthe " workersrushedtoshakehandswithhim.Thentheychanted,’WewantS-and tookhimacrosstheroadtothe"local"tostandhimpints.Manyforgottohave theirlunchA Amongthemwas65-year-old,CharlesLofts,whoclaimedtohavehelpedmake thefirstaircleanerforaplane. "Itgivesmealotofpleasuretothinkofthehard,longhoursIhave worked,afterhearingyou,Sir,"Loftssaidtothepilot. Thenfellow-workerstoldhowLoftsworkedonceforthirty-sevenhourswith- outabreak,eatinghismealsonhisbenchasheworked."Thatwasanimportant jobIhadtoallhesaid,andaskedthepilothowhehadthe do,"waswon decorationhewaswearing,. "WhenIleftLibya,"thepilotsaid,"mySquadronhadshotdown72Italian machines,Welostsixmachines,butthreeofthepilotsweresaved".Wehadlots ofinterestingdogfights,,andIfewerthan27 neversaw enemymachinesalone OneItalianbomberintohadescortof ‘ together..weranonedayan57fighters, "Onanotherpatrol13ofusmet37Italianmachines.Seventurnedtailedand fledwithoutputtingupanyfight.Thenweshotdown15ineightminutes,losing twomachinesourselves.Laterthepilotofoneofthesetumed-up.Hehadwalked 58milesthroughthedesertaftercrashing,andhisfirstremarkohgettingback wastoaskforaglassofbeer. "AnothertimesixofusflewoveranItalianairfieldandrohntedseventy machinesontheground.WewentlowtoenticethemTheywouldnotcome,so up, justmachinegunnedthemthe weonground. "But,wecouldonlykeepourmachinesintheairbecauseoftheworkyoudid. Theywereunserviceableuntilwegotyourcleaner.Thereissandeverywhere.You sleepinit,andeventuallyeatit.-Ihavetriedtosandstormwhen flythrougha ithasbeenupto17>000feet, "Andnow,I’vehadarest-I’mbacktomoreflying,"saidtheairman, "Cood-luokJWe’lllookafteryou,"shoutedthemenandwomenworkers. Introducingthe pilottothefactoryworkers,themanagingdirectorsaidthe officerhadbeenflyingintheeastforfiveandahalfyears.HejoinedtheR.A.F. ladatHalton,thenbecameandtheD.F.M.andafterwards asaapilot-sergeantwon wasgivenacommission. 1/2/41-N0.12 FOOTANDMOUTHDISEASEINGLOUCESTERSHIRE Owingtoafurtheroutbreakoffootandmouthdiseaseat Longford,Gloucestershire,ithasbeennecessarytoextend theexistinginfectedareaaroundChippenhamsothatnow/ themovement,exceptbylicence,ofcattle,sheep,pigs, goatsanddeerinthewholeofthewesternpartof GloucestershireandinthosepartsofHerefordshireand WorcestershirewhichliewithinfifteenmilesofLongford isprohibited. MINISTRYOFAGRICULTURE. 1/2/41- N0.13. NETHERLxiNDSSTATEMENT.' TheNetherlandsMinisterinTokyo,GeneralPabst,hasbeeninstructed byhi*GovernmenttodeliveramessagetotheJapaneseGovernmenttothe effectthat,whatevermayhavebeentherealmeaningofthewordsusedby Mr.Matsuoka,theJapaneseForeignMinister,inthespeechhemadeinthe DietonJanuary20th,withreferencetotheNetherlands Indies,the NetherlandsGovernmentrejectanysuggestionofhavingtheNetherlands IndiesincorporatedinorderinEastAsia,undertheof anewleadershipany powerwhatsoever.•- AtthesametimetheNetherlandsMinisterhasstatedthathis Governmentcanneverbeexpectedeithertolettheiractionsbeguidedby thespiritofsuchaconceptionofaneworderintheFarEast,crto acquiesceintheconsequencesofitseventualapplication. FOREIGNOFFICENEW’SDELAmi/iENT. OnbehalfoftheNetherlandsGovernment AccordingtoagencyreportsJapan’sForeignMinister,Mr.Matsuoka, statedinaspeechintheDietonJanuary20thi.e;- ”Thethree-powerpactstipulatesthatGermanyandItalyshallrecognise andrespecttheleadershipofJapanintheestablishmentofaneworderin greaterEastAsia.Itisouravowed purposetoleadallpeoplesinGreater EastAsiatorevert'totheirinnateandproperaspect,promotingconciliation andcooperationamongthemandtherebysettinganexampleofuniversalconcord. ' Japanisnowdeterminedtogoforwardintheworkofstabilisingthe FarEast,firstandforemost,inco-operationwithManohukuoandChina,andthen ofcreatingasphereofcommonprosperitythroughoutGreaterEastAsia. ’ LetmenowmakeabriefsurveyofourrelationswiththeNetherlands EastIndies,FrenchIndo-ChinaandThailandwhichliewithintheof sphere commonprosperitywhichIhavealreadymentioned.TheNetherlandsEastIndies andFrenchIndo-China,ifonlyforgeographicalreasons,shouldbeinintimate andinseparablerelationshipwithourcountry. '1.2.U1- No