29/12/39 -
 No. 1,


Not to be quoted as an official Admiralty announcement o




 GERMAN SUBMARINE METHODS




 If there is one thing the German U-boats dislike, it is the



 loss of torpedoes. This is understandable, for a submarine can




 carry only a limited number of torpedoes, and the journey back to



 the bases for supplies is both long and hazardous for the U-boats,


 There was therefore some excuse for annoyance on the part of



 the U-boat captain who fired three torpedoes at a British merchant


 ship without scoring a hit -
 but there can be no shadow of excuse,


 either for his attempt to torpedo the merchant ship without warning,


 or for the ruthless man-killing methods which he afterwards adopted.


 It was nearly eleven o
 ?
 clock on a clear night in the Bay of



 Biscay when the officer on the watch on the bridge of the British


 steamer USKMOUTH saw a torpedo track passing close ahead of the ship.


 The USKMOUTH 's helm was at once put over, and as the ship was swinging


 the track of a second torpedo passed close to the bows* Then, as




 the USKMOUTH was still swinging under her helm the track of a third



 torpedo was seen* This passed astern of the USKMOUTH,


 Prompt use of the helm had enabled the merchant ship to dodge

 three torpedoes fired without but not to
 warning,: she. was
 escape*

 The U-boat opened fire with her guns at a range of only about 300


 yards* hot only did the U-boat begin shelling while the crew of the


 USKMOUTH were getting to the boats, but the Germans fired high and


 used shrapnel. The U-boat captain was determined to cause as many


 casualties as possible among the defenceless merchant seaman who


 had cost him three precious torpedoes o




 The port lifeboat was damaged by shell-fire* A shell cut


 of the falls of the The who
 one boat* boatswain, was in this boat


 it for thrown
 getting ready lowering, was




 / into
into the sea. Another shell, bursting over the upper deck,


killed the third officer and one of the seamen. The Chief



Officer tried to go to the aid of the fallen men, but another


shell burst overhead and wounded him in the head. Meanwhile


the remainder of the crew succeeded in lowering the starboard


boat and getting into it. Blinded with blood, the wounded


Chief Officer just succeeded in reaching this boat.


 That lifeboat, with twenty-two men on board, pulled away


from the ship, while the submarine continued her shelling.

Not only had the U-boat deliberately set herslef to inflict



casualties on the USKMOUTH’s crew as they were abandoning ship,

but at no time was any attempt made to ensure the safety of


those in the lifeboat. They were left to fend for themselves


in an open boat a hundred and twenty miles from land.


 By magnificent seamanship that lifeboat sailed nearly

120 miles at a speed of nearly six knots and actually sighted

land before being picked up by the Italian motor vessel JUVENTUS.


 Before abandoning the USKMOUTH, the wireless operator

succeeded in getting out S.O.S. signals. These were picked


up by a French warship which was about 65 miles away. It


dashed at full sp-eed for the position'given in the S.O.S. message


and by a miracle, found the boatswain of the USKMOUTH alive
 3




in the water. The warship did not stop at once to pick him


up, for there was a good chance of being able to sink the U-boat.


It therefore dropped a raft close to the man and rushed on to


attack the U-boat. After doing so the French warship returned


and picked him up.

 There every to believe that the French
 seems reason warship

sank the U-boat, thus claiming rapid vengeance for one of the


most brutal attacks ever made -

 even by German submarines.
 29/12/39 -

 Ho. 2.




 FRENCH OFFICIAL
 OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE
 COMMUNIQUE (Homing)
 (Mornin




 The following communique was issued this


morning from the French G. H. Q:-




 Nothing of importance to reporto
 29/12/39 -
 Ko« 3.




 CORD FOR CANADIAN MINING REQUIREMENTS.




 The Flax Controller of Great Britain has released



sufficient braided linen cord to take care of Canadian



mining requirements for two months.


 These cords are used on filters in the mining and


metallurgical industries, A shortage would have affected


 ?
the production of three million dollars worth of gold


annually and half the Noranda production of copper.


 There is no known substitute.




EMPIRE AFFAIRS.
NOT TO BE QUOTED, AS AN 29,11.59. -

 N0.4.
AIR MINISTRY ANNOUNCEMENT.




 WOMAN* S GRATITUDE TO R.A.P. PILOT.




 As she sat knitting in her Surrey home, a woman listened to


a young New Zealand air pilot broadcasting the story of an experience


which he and his crew had had whilst on a flight over the North Sea,



 Quite simply, he related the story of how they had been attacked

in their bomber aircraft, how they had apparently been struck by


lightning, and how, going aft to prepare the rubber dinghy for use




in case they fell into the sea, the navigator had discovered that


both wings were badly damaged.

 The young New Zealander has now received a Christmas parcel from


the woman who was knitting and listening. In the parcel was a navy


blue scarf and a letter.


 "Being a New Zealander and having many relations there, I was




intensely interested in your broadcast, and want to thank you and so




many others unknown who are so bravely and courageously helping dear


old England," runs the letter* "Will you kindly accept this scarf,

which I was knitting when you were broadcasting? It might come in


useful on one of those cold nights which you mentioned. God bless


and keep you".




AIR MINISTRY,
 King Charles Street,
 Whitehall, 5.Y7.1
 29.12.39/N0.5
 P.N. 1605.




 PRESS NOTICE,




 The postmaster General desires to remind persons wishing to


send small- sums
 of
 money to Canada that British Postal Orders are not


payable at any Canadian Post Office.




GENERAL ROST OFFICE. 29th December, 1939.
 29.12.39/N0.6.
 P.N. 1606.




 PRESS NOTICE.


 Letter and Parcel Services to Poland.




 The Postmaster General announces that the letter and parcel post
services to the Vilna Region and to that part of Poland which has


been occupied by Soviet forces have been restored.




GENERAL POST OFFICE. 29th December, 1939.
 29/12/39 No. 7


 EDUCATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN FORCES


 CONVERSATIONAL FRENCH AND GERMAN




 Through the j Dint effort of the Canadian Association


for Adult Education and the Canadian Legion, acting on the


instructions from the Director of Auxiliary services, members


of the Canadian Forces will enjoy the benefit of modern adult



education.


 The method of instruction will consist of talks, discussions,

and allotted reading rather than in mere lectures. Special


importance will be given to courses in conversational French


and German.


 Consideration is also to be given in some quarters to the



completion of courses leading to matriculation and the B. A. Degree.

The Universities of Canada and the Department of Education of the


various provinces have been invited, and have agreed, to co-operate

in this scheme. Where French-Canadian troops are concerned,

the responsibility is left with the representatives of the French-


Canadian section of the Canadian Association for Adult Education,


Special .arrangements have been made for the Hamilton region and


Prince Edward Island.


 The project has been explained to the chiefs of the


Naval and Air Staffs and their support has been secured.




EMPIRE AFFAIRS.
 29/12/39 No. 8.




 MINISTRY OF FOOD ANNOUNCEMENT




 Control of Ships’ Stores




 The Ships’ Stores (Control) Order made by the Ministry

of Food provides that on and after January 8th, 1940,

(1) Ships’ Stores Dealers, Shipping Butchers and others


 who normally supply food for use as Ships’ Stores


 to foreign-going ships, and to fishing vessels


 proceeding to distant fishing grounds will require

 licences.



(2) Certain specified foodstuffs can he shipped for use



 as Ships’ Stores only as permitted by the proper


 offiner of Customs and Excise.


 The licences which are now being issued will take


effect from January Bth, and on and after that date the


Owner or Master of a foreign-going ship or fishing vessel


proceeding to distant fishing grounds will he required to



make application at a Custom House on a special form of


Stores Authority (Form No- S*2s) for permission to ship


the specified foodstuffs.


 Modified arrangements will apply to British vessels



engaged in -the home or coasting trade and the Master of


such a vessel will he able to obtain supplies on making


a Declaration on Form No. 5.27 to the effect that his



vessel is so engaged.


 Copies of Forms No. S. 25 and 5.27 and further



particulars regarding the procedure to he adopted can he



obtained at any Custom House.
 29.12,39 - N0.9




 BRITISH HELP FOR POLISH REFUGEES IN


 HUNGARY AND ROUMANIA.




 Christmas was brightened for Polish refugees in Hungary

and Roumania by the arrival of the first shipments of clothing

from Britain. Already more than 100,000 articles of


clothing are on their way, many of them given by the British



public, but still more purchased out of the Government grant

of £lOO,OOO for Polish relief. Each week new consignments

are being sent. The clothing will be distributed by the

local representatives of the Polish Relief Fund of


10, Grosvenor Place, London, 5.W.1., with the assistance of


the Hungarian and Roumanian Red Cross organisations, to



camps and hostels of refugees throughout the length and


breadth of the t?vr o countries.


 The refugees are not slow in helping themselves. For


instance a Roneo machine bought out of British funds in
 5




Bucharest, is now turning out daily hundreds of news bulletins



and camp magazines for the Poles, who are thirsting for


literature in their own tongue. Soon three more machines,


purchased from the British Government’s grant, will be



available.




FOREIGN OFFICE
 29/12/39 - No. 10.




 ROYAL VISIT FILM IN CANADA.




 It has been announced that the Government


is presenting its share of the proceeds of the Royal

Visit film to the Canadian Red Cross and this has


heen followed by similar gifts from the distributors.



The Famous Players Canadian Corporation have stated


that a proportion of the theatre proceeds of the



film will go to the local branches of the Canadian



Red Cross. iu all -distriots film is shown.




EMPIRE AFFAIRS
 29/12/39 - No. 12




 AIR RAID STORY DENIED




 The Air Ministry announces:-




 Reports published in certain English and



Scottish newspapers this describing an air


engagement off the Scottish Coast yesterday are



without foundation.


 Activity by Fighter and Coastal Command patrols


in this area taken in combination with gunnery practice,
 •




may provide the explanation.




AIR AFFAIRS
 29/12/39 - No. 15.




 OFFICIAL ADMIRALTY STATEMENT




 A torpedo attack has been made on a




British battleship by a U-boat, Some damage


was caused and three men were killed. The


next-of-kin of the casualties will be informed


as soon as possible.




ADMIRALTY.
 29/12/39 - Nol4.



 THE THWARTED COUP IN SOUTH-WEST AFRICA




 Further details of an attempted Nazi putsch


in South-West Africa have been revealed in the South


African Press* Cases which were destined for South-


West Africa in March were opened by the police in Capetown

and found to contain arms and ammunition and machine-gun


parts* Some cases were marked as radios and refrigerators,

and the largest parts of machine-guns were packed-to-resemble


agricultural machinery*




EMPIRE AFFAIRS.
 EMPIRE AFFAIRS, 29/12/39 -
 No* 15
 mi —
 nif■■ it a ll -»| rrri
 m—iin II 11-rTTn




 EXTENSION OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE



 SIGNIFICANT MOVE TO NEW HEADQUARTERS.




 Headquarters of the Royal Canadian Air Force have been transferred


 to a more commodious structure on Bank Street from the somewhat re-




 stricted quarters occupied for many years in the Canadian Building*


 The move was made necessary by the present rapid expansion of the


 R* C a
 A, Fo


 of the Staff, and for the
 Air Vice-Marshal G.M.Croil, Chief Air


 last six years head of an organization whose phenomenal progress and



 development he has directed, assumed command of the Royal Canadian


 Air Force on January Ist, 1934, nearly ten years after its creation


 as such on April Ist, 1924? when offices were occupied in the



 Canadian Building, For sixteen years headquarters of the R. C. A. F.


 remained under the same roof, and the transfer may therefore be con-




 sidered symbolical of its future expansion. It should be recalled,


 however, that the Canadian Air Force (C 0
 AoF 0
 ) was actually created on




 February 18th, 1920,


 Whereas the authorized peace establishment of the C.A.F. in 1921


 provided for 1,340 officers and 3.905 airmen, there were only 54


 officers and 239 airmen in the Service*, Fifteen years later, in 1936,

 the strength was still small, numbering only 190 officers and 1,115

 airmen, while there were no more than 172 aircraft available for a




 wide range of duties,


 No indication of the present strength of the RoChA.F. can he pro-

 vided for publication but some conception of the progress achieved in
 5




 little more than three years may be obtained from figures representing

 the consisting of officers and
 present war establishment, 1,500 15,000

 airmen and the knowledge that material advances have been made even



 since the actual Declaration of ar by Canada on the 10th of September.


 The R.C.AcFo is now making a material contribution to the defence


 of Canada’s vulnerable harbour areas, to the protection from enemy


 molestation of her trade routes by patrolling the ocean




 /steamship



I
steamship lanes, and to the prevention of any raid upon isolated sections



of her coast line. Bomber reconnaissance, coast artillery co-operation


and fighter squadrons are located on the Atlantic and Pacific seaboards.


Provision has been made for the training of army co-operation squadrons

at Ottawa. An Air Training Command, with headquarters in Toronto, is



responsible for the intensive training of flying personnel in Trenton and


Camp Borden, and for the administration of a manning pool.


 Finally, twenty-two flying clubs throughout the Dominion are at



present co-operating with the R. C. A. F. in providing elementary training

for Pilot Officers (Provisional) as they are called.


 The following paragraphs, which are contained in the 1921 annual


report of the Air Board, responsible for establishment of the Canadian


Air Force, are of special interest at this time in the light of subse-



quent developments:


 ”It is (as it should be) a separate service -


 separate that is to



say, from the naval and military services -
 and it is autonomous," reads


the report, in reference to the Canadian Air Force. "It is capable of



expansion in of but at other times its functions are
 case emergency,

almost exclusively instructional. It consists of Headquarters, at



Ottawa, and of what is, in effect, a School of Aviation, at Borden Camp.


There is no permanent establishment; there are no embodied units; and



service formations (thirteen squadrons) exist only'upon paper.


 "All of the officers in the Canadian Air Force, and a proportion


of the airmen, served during the war in the Royal Air Force. Therefore


the standard of efficiency is high, and esprit de corps is very strong;


but the time is approaching when fresh blood should be infused. "




 Many of the implied suggestions have been implemented. The


efficiency of the Royal Canadian Air Ponce remains high, and the esprit

de corps in the Service was never stronger. Fresh blood has been



infused, and the foundation has been laid for further expansion*
 29.12.39 -
 N 0.16.




 FIELD FORCE BRIGADE IN SOUTH AFRICA.




 It was officially announced in Pretoria


yesterday that a Field Force Brigade is being formed.


This Brigade is to be the kernel of the Union’s Field


Force, and is being trained to take the field at a




moment’s notice. All men who are keen to be called on




to undertake active service as soon as any emergency


arises are advised to join the Brigade.



EMPIRE AFFAIRS.
 29/12/39. No. IZ.




 Royal Air Force Awards,




Note to Editors.




 The Awards and Decorations announced in Air Ministry

Bulletin 276 will not be gazetted until Jan. 2nd 1940, and


must therefore on no account be published before the



morning newspapers of Wednesday, Jan. 3rd 1940 or broadcast


before 8 a.m o Jan. 3rd 1940.

 Re Squadron Leader Broadhurst: in the statement on




page 5 ,f
 he has "been ground instructor at a flying training

school in England’*; for England read Egypt,




AIR MINISTRY 9




 WHITEHALL,
 S.W.I.
 29/12/39 Ho -18




 PRESS NOTICE


 NOT TO BE QUOTED AS OFFICIAL




 It has been ascertained from enquiry at the



Admiralty that the battleship reported in to-day’s

Admiralty announcement (No*l3) is the same ship as that


referred to in the communique issued by the German High


Command, and that she is safe her
 and jpro-cee-ding on course*




PRESS & CENSORSHIP BUREAU
 29.-12.39 N0.19.




 RETIREMENT OF SIR w ILLlAMIAM
 CLARK.



 Sir william Clark, who has been High Commissioner in the


Union of South Africa for His Majesty's Government in the


United Kingdom and His Majesty’s High Commissioner for


Basutoland, Bechuanaland Protectorate and Swaziland since 1934,

took his final departure from Pretoria yesterday. A large


gathering bade him and Lady Clark farewell.


 The Rand Daily Mail in a leader this morning says:


"The retirement of Sir William Clark is a loss not only to the



Diplomatic Service which he long adorned but also to the


country in which he laboured earnestly during the last years


of his official career. Sir William belongs to that old school


of cultured diplomacy which stands out in such striking contrast

to the smash and grab methods adopted by many countries to-day.

He has handled problems with wisdom and discretion, with a




scrupulous regard for the rights of the subject peoples

entrusted to his care, but with profound understanding of the



hopes and feelings of the young South African nation-. He has



been the true friend of this country”.




EMPIRE AFFAIRS.
FROM FOREIGN OFFICE NEWS DEPARTMENT
 29/12/59 "NO, 20.



 FOR PUBLICATION IN THE MORNING NEWSPAPERS
 OF SATURDAY. DECEMBER 50TH.



NOT TO BE BROADCAST BEFORE 2 a.m.




 The following messages from H.M. the King and from


the Prime Minister have been sent to Ankara



To the President of the Turkish Republic,
 ANKARA.


 I am deeply shocked, M. le President, by the news



of the calamitous earthquake which has inflicted so




much sorrow and suffering upon the Turkish people, and


I would ask you to accept my assurance of the profound

sympathy that is felt by my people at the widespread


distress which this disaster has caused through so great

a loss of life and property.



 (signed) GEORGE R.I.




To His Excellency Refik Saydam,
 Turkish Prime Minister.




 The report of the disastrous earthquake in Anatolia


has filled me with horror, and I have been much distressed


to hear of the large death-roll. I hasten to assure



Your Excellency of my sympathy with the Turkish people,


and especially with those who are suffering personally

as a result of this tragedy.



 (signed) NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN
MINISTRY OF FOOD ANNOUNCEMENT 29/12/39 -
 N0.21




 HOME-GROWN OATS.


 Notice to Traders and Millers.


 An Order will be made by the Minister of Food at an early


date for the purpose of bringing under control the sale and dis-


tribution of home-grown oats. The Order will prescribe maximum


prices for oats for feeding, for milling and for seed. Merchants



selling oats for use as seed will also be required to obtain from



the buyer a declaration certifying that the oats will be used for



seed, and stating the acreage to be sown.



 Growers will be prohibited from selling home-grown oats except


to approved buyers, that is to say, to merchants authorised under the



Wheat Acts, to oatmeal millers and to such other merchants dealing in


oats as may be licensed for this purpose. Authorised merchants and


oatmeal millers will automatically be licensed as approved buyers.

Oatmeal millers are accordingly requested to send their names,


together with the addresses of all their branches, to the Joint



Secretary, Cereals Control Board, Brooklands House, Weybridge,Surrey,

without delay. Merchants who are not authorised merchants or oatmeal


millers and who wish to become approved buyers of home-grown oats

should make application forthwith for a licence on a form which can be



obtained from the following addresses, to which the forms must be


returned after completion: -




England. The Joint Secretary, Cereals Control Board,
 Brooklands House, Weybridge, Surrey.


Scotland. Mr. J. MacLean, Chairman, Glasgow Port Area,
 Feeding Stuffs Committee, 60, Wellington Street,
 Glasgow.

Northern Mr. W.R, Mullen, Chairman, Northern Ireland Port
Ireland. Area Grain Committee, 93, Ann Street,
 Belfast,



 Firms individuals having than branch need
 or more one complete


only one form of application, but the addresses of all branches must


be furnished.
 29*12,39 z
 No. 22.




 MINISTRY OP POOD ANNOUNCEMENT.


 Collection of Pat Stock.




 On and after 15th January farmers must send their fat



stock for slaughter to the Collecting Centre to which they are




attached. They should send in to the District Chairman of



Auctioneers at that centre by 3rd January particulars of stock



which they propose to enter during the week commencing

15th January. This is necessary to allow plans to be made


for the equitable distribution of the resulting meat. The same



twelve days’ nrior notice of marketings should be given each week


thereafter.


 Cottagers* Pigs,




 Cottagers and others who keep a pig for their own use



will be given a permit to slaughter that pig for use in the


owner’s household only.


 They will be asked to observe the rationed quantities


and to detach and cancel the appropriate coupons in their ration


books.



 The privilege will be extended to Clues which



provide for more than one household and also to farmers. In


the case of farmers, the arrangements will permit of the use of



meat from other classes of controlled livestock in their own




households and in those of employees for whom they normally


provide food.


 Particulars will be published later as to the procedure


for obtaining these permits»
FOR PRESS & BROADCAST 29/12/39 - No. 23.
Tj~a r
 cTock 'hews )




 MINISTRY OF FOOD ANNOUNCEMENT




 REGISTRATION FOR MEAT




 It is of the utmost importance that the registration

of consumers for meat should be completed not later than


Monday, January 8th, in order that equitable distribution


may be made to the shops throughout the country, and that


you may be assured of your fair share when rationing begins.


 If you registered for meat before Christmas, the


registration although unauthorised will he accepted, or if



you wish you may register now with another butcher by


recovering the counterfoil from the butcher who holds it,

and taking it to the butcher you now choose.
MINISTRY OF FOOD ANNOUNCEMENT. 29/12/39 - N0 .24.




 RATIONING -
 THE LESSONS OP THE LAST WAR.


 Two lessons in management from 1917 -
 1918: -




 There were food queues in 1917 first for bacon,

later for butter and meat and other foods. When rationing


was introduced they disappeared. This time we shall have no



 their is uncertainty. With a ration book
queues; cause




every housewife knows what she can get for her family, and



that she can get it from her shop whenever she likes.


Rationing prevents food with its simple rules there
 queues;

need be no waiting and anxiety.

 We must not buy more food abroad than we need. We



require as much of our money and shipping space as possible

for bringing us other things, to help to win the war.



 These lessons teach us to plan our food supplies


nationally, to make rules for orderly distribution, and to give


everyone the assurance of a fair share*
 29/12/39 - No. 25.




 MINISTRY OF SHIPPING PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT.




 The Minister of Shipping has appointed

Sir Thomas Gordon to he his representative in


the Commonwealth of Australia.
 29.12.39 Mo. 26.



 FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE


 Paris. Friday 29th December. 1939*



The following official communique was issued this evening from


French G.H.Q.



 Renewal of aerial activity. Some action on the



part of our advanced units. In the Vosges a reconnoitring

detachment surprised an
 enemy patrol and made some prisoners.
 29/12/39 -
 No 27




 PRESS NOTICE




 Special Entry and Paymaster Cadetships R.No
 -

 Vacancies




 The following appointments in the Royal Navy

will be offered for competition at the Navy Entrance

Examination to be held in March, 1940®


 For Naval Cadetships (For Executive duties) 16 ~




 w ” "
 (For Engineering )- 12 "



 "
 Paymaster Cadetships -
 7

 Candidates for Special Entry Naval Cadetships

(Executive and Engineering) and for Paymaster Cadetships will

be eligible to compete if they have attained the age of 17

but fire under the age of 18 years 8 months on Ist May 1 940*

 Candidates accepted for the R N. O
 from this


examination will be entered with seniority of Ist May, 1940*

 Forms of application must be obtained from the



Secretary, Civil Service Commission, Burlington Gardens,


London, W,l O
 These forms must be completed and returned


to the Civil Service Commissioners not later than the sth


January,l94o» Subject to the payment of a special additional

fee of £4 the forms will be accepted up to but in no case




after 10th January, 1940 e

 Copies of the Entry Regulations concerning the


above appointments can he obtained from the Secretary of


the Admiralty, and are also shown in the Appendix to the



Navy List.




ADMIRALTY,S.W„ 1 „
 ■IR MINISTRY BULLETIN. -
 Mo. 28.

 I




 SUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON DORNIER BOMBER.




The Air Ministry announces




 It is now confirmed that one of the hornier flying boats


attacked in the North Sea 'by aircraft of the Coastal Command


last Wednesday (issue N0 .15) was shot down. The three members


of the crew of four who survived the attack have been rescued by


a Swedish steamer and taken to Kopervik in Norway.