- 10/2/40 No 1. FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. following official communique was Issued this morning The from French G-.H.Q. NOTHING TO REPORT. ORDINARY NEWS. A.M. Bulletin N0.377. MAROON 3D ARMY CAMP FED FROM THE AIR. R.A.F. ANSWERS S.O.S, FOR FOOD. OVER 2,000 POUNDS OF BREAD AND MEAT DROPPED. Not to be quoted as an Air Ministry announcement. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED BEFORE SUNDAY MORNING PAPERS OF FEBRUARY 11th, OR BROADCAST BEFORE 7. A.M. G. M. T. ON THAT DATE. The full story can now be told of the plight and relief of 400 stranded officers and men of an R.A.S.C. Unit in South Western Scotland, who had been marooned by snow drifts for four days. Completely cut off by road and rail for a distance of 40 miles around their camp, they had only enough bread and meat for one more day. Through their one remaining telephone line the Commanding Officer was able to get a call through to head­quarters asking for immediate help. The following morning pilot instructors of a Royal Air Force Air Observer Navigation School took off in a giant air liner, loaded with 700 pounds of bread in sacks which were stowed in the cabin normally used for navigational instruction. The panel in the bomb aimer's compartment was removed to enable the sacks to be dropped through the hole. After 35 minutes 7 flying the R.A.S.C. Unit was reached and the whole camp turned out to see the food dropped. Six times the aircraft flew across the camp, each time unloading a number of sacks until all the 700 pounds had been safely delivered. Bad weather on the following day prevented supplies of meat being dropped, hut a small trainer aircraft was able to take off with a 7 pound hag of yeast, to enable the civilian /population 2. population near the camp to make their own bread. The next morning the aircraft was loaded with 1,000 pounds of meat, together with a further 400 pounds of bread, all of which was safely dropped on the camp. On his return the pilot reported that the roads leading to the camp were so deep in snow that they were hardly discernible from the air,. In some places the tops of the telegraph poles were completely hidden. NOTE: Photographs to illustrate this article may he obtained from the British International Photographic Press AgeneieS. Press and Publicity Branch, Air Ministry, King Charles Street, Whitehall, S.W.I. 9.2.40. 10.2.40/No.3. P.N.1620 PRESS NOTICE. Comforts for Members of His Majesty’s Forces. The Postmaster General announces that persons wishing to post packets or parcels to the Committees arranging for the distribution of comforts sailors, soldiers, or airmen must prepay postage to at The Postmaster General the ordinary inland rates. is not empowered to transmit them free of postage. The addresses of the Committees are as follows:­ For Sailors:-The Royal Navy Par Comforts Committee, Admiralty, Whitehall, London, S.W.1. For Soldiers:­ Army Comforts, 12, St. Mary's Butts, Reading, Berks. For Airmen:­ The Royal Air Force Comforts Committee, Air Ministry, Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, London, W.l. GENERAL POST OFFICE. 10th February, 1940. - 10/2/40. No. 4. NOT FOR PUBLICATION BEFORE DELIVERY AT 2.30 P.M. SATURDAY, 10TH Addressing a West Riding Labour Reginal Conference at Sheffield today, Mr. Herbert Morrison, If.P. said - !,I commend to the understanding consideration of the nation and to indeed the peoples of other lands, including those of Germany, the declaration of the Labour Party Executive on Labour, the War and the Peace. "It is a declaration which will, I believe, live in history as an objective statement of the causes the war, the principles of involved in it and the should animate the purpose which peace. "The Nazi system of barbaric beastliness and vindictive violence has maliciously disturbed Europe for years. With the people of Prance we entered the war to smash the Nazi regime which had become a nuisance to Europe generally as well as a curse to Germany. "We cannot compromise with that regime; we cannot make with it. peace "And let it he understood that any mere re-shuffling of Nazi personalities, as for example, the substitution of Goering for hitler, will make no difference. A Nazi is a Nazi whether his name is Hitler or Goering; Nazi rule and Nazi blackmail must go. let them "Let the German people recognise that fact; recognise also that in so far as they are parties to continuing the Nazis in power, they will he sharing-responsibility with the Nazis for the continuance of the war. "I have spoken with emphasis upon that aspect of the matter, an emphasis which I trust will he appreciated both by our own Government and by the German people "With no emphasis, however, to add this; that less I wish if the German people destroy the Nazi Government and /substitute 2 substitute an enlightened, democratic regime, anxious to co-operate with other nations in the building of a free and tidy Europe, then the purpose of the war will have been served and there will be no need for its continuance. Just as we must continue this struggle for the destruction of a tyrannical and abominable regime until that end is attained, so we must be ready and indeed anxious for peace with the German nation when that nation has achieved the pre-requisites of fundamental change in German policy and has withdrawn its forces from territories which Germany has no right to occupy. "Finally, appeals all peoples, British Labour to belligerents and neutrals alike, to be ready to co-operate • in a great moral effort to build an international order in which justice and economic fairplay will obtain; from which war willhave for the been banished; and which will provide the necessary means preservation of peace between the nations, no less than our police force preserves peace citizens. at home between the "A vital part of the purpose of that new international order must be social the promotion of justice and security for the individual; for poverty is not only a disgrace to a world that is naturally a world of plenty: it is a menace to good relationships between nations, "Let the neutrals be ready to play their part in the knock­ out blow to Fascist insanity and in the building of a wiser world". - 10.2.40 No. 5. The War Office should NOT be quoted as Official Source; THE WHITE SUIT CAMOUFLAGE. The British Army can adapt itself to any conditions. On the Western Front during the snowy weather in January, soldiers in advanced posts wore white suits and covered their tin helmets with white cloth* Completely camouflaged, they were able to carry out important reconnaisance work unobserved by the enemy. Official Photographs are available from 8.1.P.P.A, , 89, Fleet Street, E. C.4* - 10.2.40 No. 6. - WARTIME SALVAGE ANOINTMENT OF EXPERTS. Expert advisers have been appointed by the to Ministry of Supply Salvage Department assist Local Authorities where necessary with practical guidance in organising wartime Salvage work designed to save and utilise articles and materials normally wasted in household refuse. The expert advisers, all of whom have accepted honorary appointments, are Municipal Officers with considerable experience in Salvage work. Each adviser will assist Local Authorities within a district allotted to him. Districts so far covered by this scheme include North The Metropolitan Boroughs, and South of the Thames, Middlesex Berkshire Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire Warwickshire Worcestershire Staffordshire Shropshire Herefordshire Lancashire Cheshire Westmorland Cumberland N. Wales Durham Northumberland Yorkshire Lincolnshire Leicestershire Northamptonshire Rutlandshire Derbyshire Nottinghamshire Gloucestershire Somerset Hertfordshire Bedfordshire Essex Cambridgeshire Huntingdonshire Suffolk Surrey Sussex Kent Hampshire Wiltshire Dorset “2­ The following districts are covered in Scotland;- Midlothian East Lothian Peebles Berwick Selkirk Roxhorough Dumbarton Renfrew including Glasgow Aberdeen Kincardine Moray Nairn Perth Angus & East Fife Stirling West Lothian Clackmannan Kinross West Fife Lanark Ayr Wigtown Applications for advice from other Areas should be ad.dressed, in respect of England and Wales, to the Controller of Salvage • Civil Division) Savoy Hill House, Savoy Hill, London W.C.2., or in respect of Scotland to Mr. T.B. Crooks, F.lnst. 0.C., Department of Health for Scotland, St, Andrews House, Edinburgh 1. There are about 2000 Local Authorities in England, Scotland and Wales, having Salvage or Cleansing Departments. An enquiry sent by the Salvage Department of the Ministry of Supply to Local Authorities with a population of over 10,000 (in Scotland, 5000) has brought returns from 800 in respect of their salvage operations. Of the SOQ, 300 have indicated that so far they have done nothing in the way of special v/artime collections. Authorities representing a population of about of the 26 millions, more than half the total population country, have wartime salvage arrangements. MINISTRY OF SUPPLY - 10/2/40. No. 7. MINISTRY OF SHIPPING ANNOUNCEMENT. The attention of the Minister of Shipping has been called to the fact that engineering apprentices whose intention -is to join the Mercantile Marine as junior engineer officers, are in some doubt as to the action they should take when called upon to register under the National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939. This matter has been discussed by the Ministry of Shipping with the Ministry of Labour and National Service, and it has been arranged that all Engineering apprentices who intend to become engineer officers in the Mercantile Marine should be registered as 'seafaring.! All such apprentices should inform the Ministry of Labour clerk of this intention at the time of registration in order that their registration papers may be marked accordingly and transferred to the appropriate Mercantile Marine Office. As soon as possible after registration apprentices will be asked by the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen for information as to the extent to which their apprenticeship has been completed, etc,, but until instructed otherwise they continue should in their present employment. The Ministry of Shipping hope that employers will ensure that this information is brought to the notice of all apprentices in their works. MINISTRY OF SHIPPING - 10/2/40. No. 8. MINISTRY OF FOOD ANNOUNCEMENT. The following appointments are announced Mr. John Loudon , formerly Assistant Director of Bacon Imports, has Been appointed Director of Bacon Imports in succession to Mr. E.R. Tidmarsh, C.3.E., who resigned from that office on the 31 st January. Mr. Percy Hall has been appointed Assistant Director of Bacon Imports. - 10.2.40 No. 9. MINISTRY OF FOOD ANNOUNCEMENT POTATO MARKETING Potatoes (1939-Crop) ( Control) Order 1940. Potato (1939 Control) (Charges) Order 1940. These Orders, which come into force on Monday, 12th February, prescribe revised maximum prices for ware potatoes and introduce minimum prices to growers for both ware and see potatoes. Maximum retail prices for single lb. sales are substantially unchanged. Housewives in England and Wales will therefore still be able to buy King Edward class at per lb. and Majestic (or white) class at Id. per lb. In FJcotland the prices of Golden Wonder at 4d. per 3i lbs; Kerr’s Pink, Redskins and Red King at 3id. per 3i lbs; and whites at 3d. per 3i lbs. all remain at previous levels. An Insurance Fund is established by the collection which will be subject to a deduction in respect of the cost of the scheme, to ensure to growers a reasonable return on any surplus ware of a tonnage levy from "first Buyers" used, potatoes of the 1939 crop. It wi*1! be understood that the Minister’s assurance (given in the House of Commons on the 13th December) of a reasonable return to growers for any surplus crop remaining at the end of the season does not imply that the Insurance Fund will be used to guarantee the payment of the prescribed minimum prices for sales of surplus stocks. levy The merchants who of is 5/-per equivalent to 3d. per or approximately 1/37th payable by are first buyers ware potatoes ton cwt. - of Id. per lb. Growers, being given an assured market and stabilised prices, will be required to conform to certain standards of dressing which will provide the consumer with a guarantee of soundness. Provision is made for the sale of sub-standard samples /under 2 under special licence. Prom the date of the °rder growers of ware potatoes in Great Britain and Northern may sell only to "licensed first buyer" i.e. licensed merchants and licensed retailers. Grower-salesmen will be licensed to sell their own ware potatoes. Similarly, growers of seed potatoes may only sell to "licensed seed potato merchants". Provision is made, however, for sales of both ware and seed potatoes through the agency of "licensed auctioneers". Sales of ware potatoes of 1 cwt. or less may be made to unlicensed buyers. "licensed first "buyers’' are required to keep at their principal places of business records of their dealings in ware and also seed potatoes, which records are subject to inspection, and to of Growers also render monthly, returns their dealings. are required to keep records of their sales. %vtailers need only keep separate reeords of potatoes purchmed from merchants and growers. Records This applies to both seed and ware potatoes. of sales by are retailers to not necessary. The Potatoes (1939 Crop) (Control) Order, 1940 codifies the existing Orders of the Ministry of Food relating to potatoes and to the whole of the U applies nited Kingdom with the exception of certain specified areas in Scotland and Wales to which the Potato (1939 Crop) (Charges) Order, 1940 also does not apply* The Orders apply to the Isle of Wight but sales of potatoes by wholesale and retail in the Island are not subject to the maximum prices laid down in the schedule for ware potatoes. These plans have heen prepared by the Ministry of Food with and the co-operation of the Agricultural Departments of England Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and after consultation with the potato producers, merchants and retailers. - 10/2/40. No. 10. THE FOLLOWING' IS ISSUED TO 'THE PRESS BY NAVAL AFFAIRS FOR SUCH USE AS THEY MAY WISH TO MAKE OF IT. SUCCESS OF OUR CONVOY SYSTEM. While the British blockade is strangling Germany, our convoy system is defeating Germany's efforts to impose a counter blockade. The odds against a merchant ship being sunk when in convoy are five hundred to one. Here are the figures:­Up to the end of January of this year a total of 7888 ships had been convoyed by naval of the the forces Allies and of this total only fifteen ships have been lost. THAT IS A PERCENTAGE LOSS OF 0.2 PER CENT. Thus, the convoy system developed "by the Allies is giving to merchant shipping a degree of safety which makes it quite impossible for Germany hope . Victory by her to for attacks upon shipping. German propaganda persistently claims The huge tonnage figures of alleged losses by the Allies. facts prove these claims grossly exaggerated. Reiteration, however, may create a false impression but the facts remain. - German propaganda has, moreover, studiously avoided mention of the fact that the British merchant navy is constantly receiving large reinforcements in ships, either from the completion of new tonnage, captures from the enemy, or chartering. WHEN THE TOTAL LOSSES OF BRITISH MERCHANT SHIPS 2 SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR ARE CONSIDERED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THESE REINFORCEMENTS TO THE BRITISH MERCANTILE MARINE, IT IS FOUND THAT THE NET LOSS OF BRITISH MERCANTILE TONNAGE IS LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH OF THE TOTAL BRITISH MERCANTILE TONNAGE AVAILABLE. This is a fraction so small as to reduce the German war effort at sea to proportions quite incapable of having any bearing upon the outcome of the war. Thanks to Admiral Raeder f s policy of ordering his submarines to sink defenceless and unaccompanied neutral ships on the high seas, neutral shipping began to take advantage the proved security of Allied convoys. of ALREADY, NEARLY POUR HUNDRED NEUTRAL SHIPS HAVE SAILED SAFELY IN ALLIED CONVOYS. OP THE NEUTRAL SHIPS WHICH HAVE BEEN SENT 117 TO THE BOTTOM BY GERMANY f S ILLEGAL METHODS OP WARFARE, ONLY THREE HAVE BEEN LOST WHILE IN CONVOY. The facts answer the German threats. NAVAL AFFAIRS. - AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN 10/2/40 No. ll. NO R. A. F. RAID ON SYLT The Air Ministry announces A report coming from a foreign source states that a lone British "bomber raided the island of Sylt and dropped four "bombs this morning© This report is without foundation. AIR AFFAIRS - 10.2.40 No.12. THE KING’S PRESENTS TO THE CANADIANS. As a memento of the historic visit to Aldershot camp on January 24 when he inspected his Canadian troops, the King has presented autographed portraits of himself to two the First Division of Major-General McNaughton and the Canadian Active Service Force. The portraits are head and shoulder portraits, the very latest taken of the Monarch, wearing Field-Marshal’s At uniform and cap. the bottom right-hand corner of the mounting appears the Royal signature, "George R.I. 24/1/40I’. note Accompanying the gift was a personal from His Majesty to the Canadian G.O.C. If it is found impracticable to take the picture" with the Division when it leaves for a more active theatre of war it will be sent to Canada for safe keeping* In such an event it has been suggested that a place of honour would be given to it on the walls of the Royal Military College at Kingston, Ontario. It is also proposed to send to Ottawa the original of the King's message of welcome on December 17 to the First Flight of the Canadians where, with appropriate ceremony, it would be placed in the archives with other historic documents* empire Aj^ATRS'. - No.13. 10/2/40 OFFICIAL ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE. As a result of aircraft attacks in the North enemy Sea the yesterday (Friday), Secretary of the Admiralty regrets to announce that H.M. Trawlers ROBERT BOWEN (Skipper-Lieutenant J Clark, R.N.R.) and FORT ROYAL f (Lieutenant-Commander E, King, R.N.) were sunk with the loss of four officers and eighteen ratings. The next of kin have been informed. ADMIRALTY, Whitehall,, J W, 1 3. - 10/2/40. No. 14­ The following is issued to the Press by Naval Affairs for such use they may wish to as make of it. FRIDAY’S AIR ATTACKS ON SHIPPING Now that all reports have been received, it is possible to give the details of the results achieved by the German aircraft which attacked shipping off the East coast of Great Britain on Friday. A number of ships were attacked by bombs and machine gun fire, but nO merchant ship was sunk and only three merchant vessels were damaged. The largest of these merchant ships was the British steamer CLINTONIA of 3,106 tons. This ship was bombed and machine gunned and suffered some damage. She was, however, able to proceed into harbour under her own steam. The 371 ton coaster BOSTON TRAJDER was alo machine gunned and bombed. No bombs hit the ship, but a bomb which exploded in the water alongside her caused her to leak. The mud hopper FOREMOST of 306 tons was also attacked, she was damaged, but was successfully towed into port. None of these three merchant vessels were armed. Apart from the damage three merchant caused to these vessels, the two Admiralty trawlers PORT ROYAL and ROBERT BOWEN were sunk. The loss of these has small auxiliary vessels already been announced by the Admiralty. Against these British losses must be set the fact that one German bomber was brought down on British soil, while at least two others were seriously damaged, and it is unlikely that they succeeded in reaching home. The actual results obtained by the German attacks are in strong contrast to the German claim that six British merchant ships, or merchant ships in British convoy with a tonnage of about 15,000 tons, were sunk by German flying units on Friday. These claims were made by Deutschlandsender at 8.40 last night, and were obviously compiled before the full facts were known. - 1 0/2/40 No.15. FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE (Evening) A quiet day on the whole. Some shots were exchanged between the Casemates on the banks of the Rhine. - 10/2/40 No. 16. PRESS NOTICE His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to appoint Paymaster Captain H.L# Barrow, Royal Navy, to he a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his long and distinguished services as Secretary to Admirals of the Fleet Sir Roger Backhouse and Sir Dudley Pound. ADMIRALTY. WHITEHALL. S.W.