15/11/40. No.l FLASH FLASH Last (Thursday) night, R*.A.F. bombers made a heavy and successful attack objectives in Berlin, on well as other attacks as on industrial targets elsewhere in Germany and on enemy occupied aerodromes• AIR MINISTRY N0*2265. 15.11.40 - No* 2* AIR MINISTRY JUD MINISTRY OF HOLE SECURITY COMMUNIQUE. Last night enemy air attacks were mainly directed against the Midlands. A very heavy attack was made on one Midlands town. Many fires were caused and considerable damage was done. Full reports are not yet available, but it is feared that casualties are heavy. In attacks on other towns in the Midlands shops and houses were damaged, but though some people were killed or injured, the number of casualties was not large. In the London area bombs were dropped by intermittent raiders. Houses and other buildings Some people killed and some were destroyed. were some were injured. Bombs were also dropped in a number of widely-separated districts of England and in North Wales. In a few of these, houses were also damaged but the number of casualties was very small. 15.11.U0 No. 3. BRITISH PRISONERS IN ENEMY HANDS. Next of kin, if able to identify the men from the information published, are requested to advise the Casualty Branches of the Services concerned, forwarding Regimental or any other details. The following is the latest list of British prisoners of war as received from enemy sources:- IN GERMAN HANDS Sergeant J.A.D. WRIGHT, 5, Mlldenhall Road, Great Bower, Birmingham. Squadron Leader F.G. L. SMITH, Lough> Lincolnshire. Flying Officer BYRNE, 22, Spring Garden Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Sergeant E.A. BROWN, 11, Pembroke Street, London, N.1. Sergeant J.Ai POTTER, 26, Park Road, Wallasey, Cheshire. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION4 15/11 Ao - No. 5. OFFICIAL ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE. As announced in an Admiralty communique last night fighters of the Fleet Air Arm destroyed four enemy aircraft and damaged one other in the Mediterranean during the period November Bth - 10th. It .is now known that Fulmar aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm shot down two Cant 501 and one Cant 506 which were attempting to shadow the Fleet on November 12th. The Cant 506 fell in flames close to the Fleet. On November 13th a Cant 501 which attempted to shadow the Fleet was damaged and chased away by Fulmars of the Fleet Air Arm, Thus, during the period November Bth - 13th, in the Mediter- ranean, aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm, ’besides dealing a crippling blow to the Italian Fleet at Taranto, destroyed seven enemy aircraft and damaged two others• ADMIRALTY, S W.l. t BULLETIN NO. 113 U 15/11/UO - N0.7. OFFICIAL ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE. Of the 38 ships in the convoy which was attacked by an enemy surface raider November total of 30 have been announced on sth, a as safe in Admiralty communiques of the 12th and 13th November. Owing to the necessity for maintaining wireless silence it has only now been established that two more ships from this convoy are safe. They are "SAN DEMETRIO" and "MORZKA WOLA." So far as can be ascertained four ships of the convoy only, having a total tonnage of 25,453 tons, were sunk by the raider. One other ship, of 7,900 tons, is however still unaccounted for. The 38th ship, of 2,374 which escaped from the one tons, raider, was subsequently attacked by aircraft three days later, set on fire, and abandoned,, ADMIRALTY. 15.11.1i0 No. 8. APPLICATION FOR SPECIAL LEAVE The War Office in future, members of the announces that, public desiring to obtain special leave soldiers or for members of the Auxiliary Territorial Service and Voluntary Aide Detachment serving at home in the case of death or serious illness of a near relative, or on account of urgent private affairs should address their application to the War Office (A e G o i|.oa) Whitehall S.W.I. Soldiers will continue to apply to their Commanding Officers. Th order that early action may be taken, the reason for the request should be stated, giving the Army Number, Rank, Name and. Unit of a soldier etc, with last known station, A medical , certificate, where appropriate, with home address, should also be enclosed v If the application is made by telegram, the telegram should include the afore-mentioned particulars giving the degree of relationship, also the address of the sender. Where a medical certificate is required, it should follow by post at the first opportunity. Other than in quite exceptional cases, leave cannot be 7 recommended where the relative s illness is not of a very serious nature or private affairs are not of immediate urgency requiring the presence. The admissible degree of relationship for this includes purpose husband, wife child or parent, WAR OFFICE 15/11/40 - No The Minister of Aircraft Production acknowledges with gratitude the following gifts towards the purchase of aircraft Gas fitters of Leatherhead Area • • •• £5. 10. 0. Staff of Maconochie Bros., London .. •• £7l. 6. U. Thame and District Spitfire Fund .. .. £720. 0. 0. Battersea Spitfire Fund . • .. .. .. £2,1+00. 0. 0. Woolwich Spitfire Fund (to bear . coat-of-arms) .. .. .. .. .. .. £5,000. 0. 0. MINISTRY OF AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION. 15/11A0 - NOolQo CONTROL OF FLAX. The Minister of Supply has made a further Order relating to the Control of Flax under the Defence Regulations. This Order prohibits the scutching of flax and tow in Northern Ireland except under licence granted by the Ministry of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, The Order also lays down a fixed scale of charges for scutching flax and tow viz, - Flax 3s. 3d. per stone of scutched flax produced Tow 25.10d. per stone of scutched tow produced Enquiries should be addressed to the Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Stormont, Belfast. Copies of the Order (the Control of Flax (No. 11 Order, 19U0) which comes into operation on the Ihth day of November, 19U0, may be purchased from H.M. Stationery Office, York House, Kingsway, London, or through any bookseller. MINISTRY OF SUPPLY. 1 5/11 AO - No. 11. OFFICIAL ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE. During recent weeks the enemy has intensified his mining operations around our coasts. This has imposed an additional burden upon the officers and men of our minesweeping forces which is well recognised by the Admiralty. Only recently the Board of Admiralty addressed signals to two minesweeping forces expressing appreciation of their courage, endurance and devotion to duty in clearing mine fields under particularly difficult conditions. f Despite the enemy s extension of mine warfare, our counter measures have achieved, and continue to achieve, great success in keeping clear the approaches to our ports* It is not to be expected that extensive mine-clearing operations can be conducted without losses and the Board of Admiralty regrets to announce that the following minesweepers have recently been lost. H.M. Trawler RINOVIA (Chief Skipper T. Fraser, D.S.C., R.D., R.N.R.) H.M. Trawler SEVRA (Temporary Suh-Lieutenant F.B. Richards, R.N.V.R.) H.M. Drifter GIRL HELEN (Temporary Skipner W.W. Scarborough, R.N.R.) H.M. Trawler WILLIAM WESNEY (Acting Temporary Skipper F.J. Farrow, R.N.R.) H.M. Trawler STELLA ORION (Skipper W.J. Barlow, R.N.R.) There were no casualties in H.M. Trawler SEVRA or H.M. Trawler STELLA ORION. The next of kin of casualties in the other vessels have "been informed. ADMIRALTY, 15/11/UP - No. 120 OFFICIAL WAR SUMMARY No, 5* Berlin in the north and Taranto in the south were both bombed again by our striking-squadrons on the night of 13th/Ath November. A small force of our heavy bombers arrived over Berlin soon after 8 p»m» In a swift assault bombs were dropped on objectives in the centre of the city and on the Schlesischer station, where fires and large yellowish explosions were plainly visible from the air. Other railway yards were also attacked© Bad weather did not prevent our aircraft from ranging extensively over other targets in The inland docks at Duisberg-Ruhrort were attacked for the second night in succession, Other targets on which bursts were observed were the power-station at Cologne, industrial installations at Dortmund and Dusseldorf, and coke ovens at Llntfort, Additional objectives for our bombers included oil plants at Gelsenkirchen and Leuna.. the aerodrome at Kreuzbruck, north of Berlin, the seaplane base at Nordeney, and docks at Wilhelmshaven. Two of our aircraft have not returned from these attacks. On this same night, 13th/ll.th November, our bogiber formations also continued to hammer the Italian enemy 9 A further successful attack was made on the docks and harbour at Taranto in southern Italy* All our aircraft returned safely. Fuller official information is pendingo Our air-offensive against Italy is also being pressed home in Albania, in Africa, and over the Mediterranean Sea. In Albania, apart from our raids on Durazzo, we have also bombed Valona, dumps and motor-transport concentrations. hitting The aerodrome at Argyrokastron, southern Albania, was subjected to aerial bombardment on 13th November; fires were started. In Africa, on the Western Desert, Sidi Barrani, Derna, Bardia and further west, Benghasi, were all raided; considerable damage was done. From all operations during this period all our aircraft returned safely. On the Sudan front our patrols are in contact with enemy forces east of Gallabat and north-east and south of Kassala. Our armoured cars have inflicted some casualties on the enemy. /Over •■- 2 - Over the Mediterranean area our naval fighter aircraft continue their successful operations* During the period Bth - 13th November aircraft the Fleet Air Arm, besides dealing cri blow to of a A Sling the Italian Fleet at Taranto, destroyed 7 enemy aircraft and damaged two others* Our ships suffered no damage or casualties. On 11j-th November R.A.F. Fighters shot down 19 enemy aircraft which were attempting raids over Britain. Two of our fighters are lost, but both pilots are safe. Last night a very heavy enemy attack was made on one Midland town. It is feared that casualties are high. During the same night our bombers made their second successive raid on Berlin. The attack was heavy and successful. With reference to the British convoy attacked, by an enemy raider on sth November, the annihilation of which was claimed in a German communique, it is now known that ships out of the 38 ships in 32 convoy are safe, two further ships having arrived in port. The safety of these ships could not previously be established owing to the necessity for maintaining wireless silence. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, —E£U_l2 • AIR RAID ON COVENTRY The City of Coventry was heavily attacked last night, the scale of the raids being‘comparable with that of the largest night attacks on London. The enemywas heavily engaged by intensive anti-aircraft fire which kept them at a great height and hindered accurate bombing of industrial targets, but the City itself suffered very seriously. Preliminary reports indicate that the number of casualties may be of the order of a thousand,, The attack was begun by the scattering of incendiary bombs over a wide area. Fires broke out at many points and indiscriminate bombardment of the whole city followed. It is feared that extensive damage was done and many buildings destroyed, including the cathedral The people of Coventry bore their ordeal with great courage. It is known that at least two enemy aircraft were shot down during the attack. AIR MINISTRY NO. 2266 15/11/UO - No.l AIR MINISTRY COMMUNIQUE. Good weather and bright moonlight favoured a heavy attack on Berlin last night by aircraft of the Bomber Command. High explosive bombs fell on and around the Schlesischer Station and the goads yards. Railway yards at the Putlitzstrasse and Lehrter stations; at the Anhalter station in the centre of the city, and at Templehof were attacked and fires started. Attacks were also made on 26 enemy-occupied aerodromes and on harbours and shipping in ports from Stavanger in Norway to Lorient in Brittany, Ten of our aircraft are missing. 15.110 UP No. 15. OFFICIAL ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE A further reconnaissance of the Italian naval base at Taranto has established with certainty that three battleships were crippled during the attack by the Fleet Air Arm on the night of the 11/12 November. Efforts are being made to salvage the battleship of the Littorio Class which was previously seen to have a forecastle undeb water and a heavy list to starboard. Auxiliary and salvage are lying alongside on both sides of ship and nets the have been laid all round for her protection. Pumping is in progress. The bows of the ship have been raised and she now has a list to port. The reconnaissance has confirmed that two battleships of the Cavour Class are aground. One of these is beached an an auxiliary vessel is lying alongside her. Ne ts have been laid all round for the protection pf the ship. The second Cavour Class battleship appears to have been abandoned. She is lying heeled over to starboard with only the forward part of her upperworks above water. The pilot of one of the reconnaissance aircraft has reported that four shapes can be seen under water off the entrance to the graving dock in the inner harbour ABMIRALTY* S.W.I. 1 5/11/UO - Wo. 16. The following official communique was issued to-day from Cairo:- All Fronts; No change in the situation. Our patrols continue their activity around Metemma which is also being harassed by artillery fire® MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN 15/IIAOo - No, 17* AIR MINISTRY NEWS SERVICE ENEMY AERODROMES ATTACKED Coastal Command aircraft concentrated their operations last night against enemy aerodromes in Norway and France o A force of I' Aheiris attacked the air base at Vannes«Meucon, in Brittany, and repeated hits, which caused a number of fires were obtained on runways and along the dispersal area* One pilot observed twin-engined bombers concealed in a wood and, f ollnwing t his example, mos t of the other crew bombed the hidJaig place heavily» A train approaching the aerodrome was machine gunned by Blenheim gunners# Separate formations of and Hudsons visited St# Leger Aerodrome, north-east of Amiens, where the Blenheims made many direct hits and also damaged the railway o When the Hudsons arrived over '.this target they delivered dive attacks at brief intervals# fhe first bomb hit a hangar and when the following aircraft came in there were explosions and fires# A Messerschmitt 110 tried to interfere, but a Hudson, gunner sent it spinning into a wood., One raider was in the clouds over the aerodrome for nearly half an hour, apparently unobserved# It waited until there was activity round the flarepath and then dropped its load of bombs on the spot# Hudsons which wrnt to Norway bombarded Stavanger aerodrome in very difficult weather conditions# Thick cloud covered the Norwegian coast© It presented a formidable problem to the navigators trying id pin point their target and all the pilots spent some time searching for their objectives before they could be sure of releasing their bombs in the target area# Low cloud made <3 difficult to observe the result of the attack, but one aircraft dropped a stick of bombs which appeared to hit an ammunition dump ”1 saw the white flashes from my first three bombs", said the navigator, "and the fourth was followed by a vivid fountain of red fire c We could see flames shooting up like fireworks before clouds again obscured the ground”• 15/11/UO - No. 18 FLASH During the morning two enemy fighter "bombers were shot down in the Thames Estuary and one bomber off the South East coast. AIR AFFAIRS 15/11/40 - NO; 19 COLONIAL GENEROSITY UNABATED. Gifts of money to Spitfire and other funds continue to come in from the Colonies, A sum of £4,000, the ninth instalment of the Gold Coast Spitfire Fund, has just been remitted to the Crown Agents, This Fund now amounts to £50,000, raised in just over four months from all sections and communities of the Colony, Ashanti and Protectorate. Lord Lloyd has sent the Government’s warmest thanks to all races and communities of Tanganyika for their generous gifts for fighter planes 0 The sum of £12,000 is being paid on behalf of the Territory to the Minister of Aircraft Production. The Colonial Secretary has also thanked the subscribers to the ’’Old Gold Day” Fund, Bermuda, for their welcome gift of £1 ,891 for aircraft,, The Government of Ceylon states that the Government War Purposes Fund now totals Rs y 812,11 6, of which Rs, 203,116 has been collected since November 1 , The Crown Agents have been instructed to pay at once to the Imperial Government Rs. 230,000, The most notable of the gifts recently received include Rs, 100,000 given by the members of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce; and the fourth instalment of Rs c 5,000 from the Automobile Association of Ceylon, which is aiming at collecting one lakh for the purchase of a Spitfire, The total sum now from the Social and Sports Club of Ceylon is * collected Rs. 355,773. In recent weeks the response in rural districts to the appeal organised by Ceylon Revenue Officers and other officials has been particularly gratifying,, For example 9 over Rs, 3,500 has been obtained from the produce arranged at sale of local Puddalan by the Assistant Government Agent. Every effort is being made to bring the fund up to Rs o 1 ,000,000 by- the end of the year. The Times of Ceylon Fund continues to receive gpre?rous support and now approaches a total of Rs, 300,000 e COLONIAL OFFICE PRESS SECTION AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN NO, 2268. 15/11 AO - NO: 22, Air Ministry News Service FURTHER R,A,F. ATTACKS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, On the night of November 13/Ath a formation of long range bombers of the R.A.F. again attacked Taranto with considerable success, Seven fires were started, one of which was followed by a violent explosion. Another explosion lit up Taranto fifteen minutes after our bombers departed. Naval tanks destroyer quays in the inner harbour were also attacked and four and large fires started. Bombs were seen to explode along the destroyer quays. Pilots on their return reported that the whole dockyard had been plastered with bombs and that fires were visible over fifty miles away. Considerable anti-aircraft fire was encountered, but the attack was pressed home and all the aircraft engaged returned safely. Further reconnaissance flights of Taranto were made to ascertain the full extent of the damage inflicted by the Fleet Air Arm and R.A.F. bombers. In Albania enemy troops and motor transport concentrations were bombed at Koritza, Direct hits were registered on buildings and on a motor trans- port convoy. A bridge four miles south of Lake Okrida was destroyed. Two of our aircraft failed to return from this operation. The harbour at Valona was attacked on November 13th. One jetty was destroyed and a barge sunk. In carried out at Tobruk, Bardia and Bomba, Libya raids were Tumrnar, An enemy camp was the target at Tumrnar. A warship was bombed at Tobruk, At Bardia an attack was made on the town and harbour. At Bomba a seaplane slipway was bon.bed and one building set afire. In Italian East Africa on the night of November 12/l3th attacks were made on the fuel depot at G-ura and a fire started which eventually burnt out four buildings. At Keren the railway station was bombed and the viaduct damaged. The railway station at Agordat was also attacked, bombs bursting in the target area. At Diredawa a night raid was carried out and objectives hit. With the exception of the raid on Koritza all our aircraft returned undamaged# 15/11/UO - No,. 2 GOVERNOR OF NORTHERN IRELAND The King has approved the appointment of the Duke of Abercorn as Governor of Northern Ireland for a further term. HOME OFFICE AIR MINISTRY No. 2270* 15/11/UO. - No. 214. AIR MINISTRY COMMUNIQUE Later reports of last night* s attack on Berlin show that in addition to the targets already mentioned the Stettiner Station and railway yards and the power stations at Wilmersdorf and (jharlottenburg were heavily bombed. At Hamburg many fires were started in the Wilhelmsburg oil refinery, and at Bremen an airplace factory was attacked. During a Coastal Command, attack on the aerodrome at Rosendael, a Messerschmitt 110 was shot down. . AtR MINISTRY BULLETIN NO, 22690 15/11/40 NO;.',, 25» .... • Air Ministry News Service M’ . f , BOMBING DANZIG* ■ ' the script of a broadcast -to.Bemade in the J o’clpck Following'is • news tonight {Friday) by an R.A.F. . Flying Officer,, the navigator of a . ■• - heavy'bomber returned from a raid on Poland/ to give you some idea .of \ <■ what such a flight.is really like: ■ i.. - ’• ; , . ■■ '■ ' ■ ... • \. .. ; '-- ■ ■ \ ~ The trip I going to describe to' am try and you this•evening was from England to Danzig and back, Danzig, of course, port at the Baltic end of . the is a former Polish Corridor, and the journey was roughly equivalent to a noh-’Stdp flight from London to. Madrid and back. The total distance, including necessary . deviations, like 2,000 miles. was something Most of the credit for the flight belongs .to the sergeant-pilot who was at the controls of the*’ aircraft 4 - For over eleven hours, without relief, he sat in his small the cockpit, constantly on alert and liable as. of the aircraft, to be called upon for instant, captain decision in any emergency which might arise. For us other members.' of' the drew the strain was much less severe. When things were running smoothly we coUld ; take our minds off the job in hand and some of us, if we became .too cramped, could get up and stretch our legs. But not the pilot. He had .to stick it, and, looking back, .1 still think that his staying power, matching that of the great engines which carried US. on the long journey, was the most remarkable feature of our flight. y ; When we were' first told just that Poland was to be our destination we were aboutas-pleased could be. Apart as we long flight from the fact that... the promised some excitement, we were particularly bucked ,at the.idea of cheering.: up. the,.P.oles by. taking'a crack the invaders on their very doorstep. at We’d . already proved Goering’s the idleness boasts' by repeated -hammerings. of at Berlin and: now. thisitrip; would-/give us the. .qhance to show that we could not only elude his anti-aircraft defences in Germany but fly right over them to help pur friends on the other sidei We set offl in:daylight. There were four of/us in the aircraft; the-pilot, two air 'gunners, : one of whom was also the wireless-operator, and ; myself.l ■ ; was the' navigator and it was job to guide the aircraft to the target and-’ my ' bring itbadfely‘.home , again* • . •' ’■■ ' ■ • . . . - ■■' ■ -.. . ' ,■ ' ' ■ . ■ sky The was clear and the sun was shining when we started, and it was still daylight*when, we crossed the Sea■ and .into enemy territory.; We were... over North all keyed-up and keeping .a. sharp look-out for enemy, fighters, but-,none came, out way. r Perhaps it was just as well for them that they didn’t. .We were, determined that we .wore going to-get. to Poland that .night,', and if . anything had, got in pur ‘ ’ way it would have had a trigger-fingers were. : .g,, warm reception. . j Our gunners to-gO; into action .and our. pilot, still fresh, ,and\alert, was ready io tafcp., any evasive-action that might have been-necessary, ,y . . ■' ■■■. '.-A. ;■ ... '. ’/uuh instant ' , .. . .Actually, that part of our trip oyer .Gexmany y/as. so quiet and' uneventful. , , 7 that it might, .well, have been peace-time,. But’.soon after the sun had s,et thp/:; weather changed* It became steadily worse and,for practically all the... rest of the outward Journey.remained thoroughly .bad. As we- flew further East we. t < into a snowstorm-and-within .half an hour the interior of. my cockpit was some two ’ inches deep in snow.. It was fine 'and powdery, and when ! wanted to use my maps I had to blow,, the snow away before I could read them. The snow also managed,.’: somehow or other, to get into my fur-lined coat, but as I was so cold by then,, a little snow., more orless, didn’t make much difference to me. . '....4. ... About As c'b-uuJ WC U...A / -.a U/.-. am. '7 Mi 7 M. . ,77-M -M. • .: r 1. .--7 -7 Mo ' /Apart. . - 2. - ... particularly violent 4 Apart from the snow, we also had to contend with a - electrical storm, and although none of the static penetrated into the aircraft I could see it striking the propeller tips and making the airscrews look like a couple of Catherine wheels* I?ve never seen anything like it before - and I don’t particularly want to again. Later on, as a change from the elements, we had a taste of enemy opposition* It came in the fom of a certain amount of anti-aircraft gunfire, but it didn’t really worry us. What it did do was to tell us that the enemy knew we were in the vicinity and it-gave us rather a kick to think of the hundreds of air-raid sirens that were being sounded at every town and village along our course* We . know Polard'-'hcahd but the Hun could have •'toad. no idoa where WO wore... going we were We reached Danzig at last, and just to look down on the Baltic Sea was enough to .give us all a tremendous thrill. It looked so peaceful with the moonlight shining on the water and a background of cloud on the distant horizon. To do justice to the scene requires a poet rather than navigator, so I won’t attempt a to describe it. Then I got on with the job of searching for our target*. ' • ~ Onq thing I had to bear well in mind* If there was any possibility of my bombs falling on the civilian population then I must not drop them* As we circled the city unmolested by searchlights or anti-aircraft fire I spotted j our target, a railway yard* Railway yards, whether they be at Hamm or Danzig, look much the same, and as we came low the moon glinted on railway buildings and tracks, and there, spread out before us, was the old familiar network. I ; told my pilot I was ready to bomb but,he wasn’t taking any chances* ’’You,*re quite sure of it?" he called out, and only when I had reassured him did he straighten up the aircraft for the bombing-run* As we approached the target I took careful aim through my bomb-sights* The light was so good and the target so big that I just couldn’t miss* The next, thing I heard was a call from the rear-gunner* He had seen the bombs burst and they had started quite a large fire* It was obvious from the lack of opposition from the ground defences that we had taken the enemy by surprise* ■ Or perhaps they had forgotten something we had remembered - that it was the anniversary of Poland’s Day of Independence* After we had dropped our bombs on our enemies in Poland we had the more pleasant task of delivering leaflets to our friends the Poles Though none * of us could read Polish, we had all studied the circulars with great interest before we.- set off* We were able to make out two passages* One of them, was the that President Roosevelt had been re-elected in the name of news Demdcracyr and the Other was ’’Long Live Poland!" • ■ And just in case there are any Poles listening to this broadcast I’d like to end with the only Polish word I know - "Dobshal" or, in English "It’s all - right!" . AIR MINISTRY No.. 2272 15/11/UO - No. 26 AIR MINISTRY AND MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY COMMUNIQUE There was little enemy activity over this country to-day. One formation of enemy aircraft approached the London Area. Few succeeded in penetrating to the capital, but a small number of bombs were dropped on the outskirts causing little damage and few casualties. Six enemy aircraft have been shot down to-day. One of our fighters is lost but the pilot is safe. 15/11/2,0. - No, 27 AIR MINISTRY-BULLETIN No* 2271 Air Ministry News Service. BERLIN RAILWAYS BOMBED of the reached Berlin hour two after dark last night Heavy bombers R.A.F, an or and remained there for several hours making good use of the perfect weather. The full moon rose early and the sky was clear over the city, with only here and there bombers the a very little haze. The main targets of our were great terminal railway stations and their extensive goods yards. Berlin is the most important focal point in the railways of centra.l Europe and the great damage night done last will have increased the chaos that the R.A.F. has already made of the German tranjport system; such damage to vital centres will affect not only Germany herself but also her transport in the countries she has overrun. With such a moon the targets could not be missed,, and the first aircraft of a strong force attacking the Stettiner Railway S-tation made the work of their successors oven easier by setting the area on fire. Later aircraft dropped many heavy bombs, which in turn caused more fires and further explosions. The conflagration could be seen from thirty miles away ano. pilots reported that they had left the whole area a mass of flames. Anti-aircraft fire was severe and well aimed, but one pilot was able to come down, at one point in his attack, to under a thousand feet.... Goods yards between the Potsdamer and Anhalter stations were also attacked; here the bombs were clearly seen bursting right on the target and soon afterwards a pilot was able to report twelve fires. An even stronger force attacked the Schlesischer station. Visibility, as the pilots report, was perfect and a very large number of high explosive bombs and incendiaries were systematically aimed at the target. Bursts were clearly observed on the station buildings and these were followed by several big explosions in the station area and goods tracks and also among the sheds in the yards. Fires started by this attack were watched for twenty minutes and could be seen from many miles away. One pilot was able to make his run up without interference but as soon as he had he dropped his bombs the Berlin guns put up a heavy barrage of anti-aircraft fire and had to take violent evasive to avoid the concentration of searchlights. action The crew had the satisfaction seeing several large explosions follow the bursting of of their bombs,' Damage was also done to the Anhalter station, the Tempelhof railway yards, and the Norderibahiu A power station in the Charlottenburg district was attacked by a smaller force in the early hours of the morning, when, in the words of a pilot, ’’the conditions were ideal for bombing and the visibility perfect*” A patch of ground mist prevented another pilot from observing so clearly the results of an attack on the Wilmersdorf power station, another important military objective in the heart of Berlin, Still later a number of our bombers were over Hamburg for nearly an hour, attacking the Rhenania Ossag Mineral Oil Works with a large number of heavy bombs* Fifteen bursts could be clearly seen in the target area and an impressive explosion was followed by a fire along the east side of the target* There was only a small amount of very thin cloud and all the pilots reported that the visibility was excellent* Shipping and docks at Ostend, Le Havre, and Lori ent were raided by bombers at intervals during the night and early hours of this morning* 15/IIAO - No. 2g Not to be published before the morning papers of Saturday 16th and. in ”La France” of Saturday 16th. Not to be broadcast before 7 a.m. Saturday 16th. COMMUNIQUE The Admiral Commanding the Free French Naval Forces regrets to announce the loss, by enemy action, of the patrol-boat "LE POULMIC The next of kin of casualties will be informed as soon as possible. The loss of this ship will only increase the determination of all the members of the Free French Naval Forces to continue the struggle against the Germans and the Italians until the victory for France and Great Britain has been attained* cmwique' UAmiral Commandant les Forces Navales Francaises Libres a le regret d’annoncer la perte par action ennemie du patrouilleur ”LE POULMIG". Les families des victimes seront prevenues aussitot que possible. La perte de ce batiment ne fera que renforcer le desir de tout le personnel des Forces Navales Francaises libres de continuer la lutte centre I’ennemi allemand et italien jusqu ?'a la victoire totale de la France et de la Grande Bretagne c . MINISTRY OF INFORMATI ON AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN NO. 22 15/11/40 - NO; 2 Air Ministry News Service. PILOT’S STORY OF BERLIN RAID. HowBerlin building blew up with a terrific explosion that lit up the a sky and momentarily silenced the gun batteries was described today by one of the bomber pilots who -took part in last night’s heavy attack on the Reich Capital. "The building was the centre of the biggest of several fires blazing in " Berlin when we arrived, said this pilot. "Then there came a terrific explosion and the whole structure went sky high. Flames and sparks shot all over the place and burning debris, falling all v.round the central blaze started scores of smaller fires. The explosion lit the inside of our machine, though up we were thousands of feet above it, and even the anti-aircraft gunners seemed to have been awed by it, for there was a distinct lull in the barrage for several minutes. ” the Schlesischer Station, "Our own target, continued this pilot, "was and we found it quite easily. The light was so good and everything below stood out so clearly that we had only to make one run. It was one of the best nights for bombing I have ever known. My bomb-aimer said that the target slid into his sights perfectly and when we turned round after the bombing we could see a big red fire starting in the station area. Our incendiaries, too, were starting many smaller fires. "By that time the guns had got really organised again. It took the best part of a quarter-of-an-hour to get clear of them and was pretty hectic while it lasted, I remember noticing that the temperature was somewhere around minus 25, and wondering why I was sweating. ’’The weather on the outward journey had been fairly good except for a thunder- storm which we had had to dodge over the North Sea. But the return trip had to be flying pretty well dead into wind which made it a bit of c. toil horw. V/’e saw made our the thunderstorm again, this time over the Zuider Zee, but gave it old friend another miss. We had started out from England just after tea time and it was around about 2 a.m. when we landed back at our base,” 15/11Ao - Noo 30 WAR AND THE SH< Script of statement broadcast at %20 to-night (Friday) by Mr. Oliver Lyttelton, President of the Board of Trade® CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY. In peace-time I don’t believe in restrictions, and like you I want to retain the right to do what other people don’t want me to do, for that is what liberty means. Nevertheless, to-night I have to talk to you about restrictions of home supplies. I expect that in war all of us are prepared to look at restrictions in a different light. A great number of us have asked ourselves "What can I do to help win the war? If this means a temporary sacrifice of liberty, I will make that sacrifice" The young and active give up their liberty and subject themselves to military discipline. They have their special chances, in the fighting and civil defence services, of helping their country. Most of the rest of us have had a chance of keeping at work under air attack, and showing that we cannot be shaken, but now I am going to ask you, even you who have already done so much, to make a further contribution to winning the war. No-one, I think,who has had cause to make such appeals, has found that they fell upon deaf ears in this country. I am not asking you to give anything; but I am asking you to give up something. We must face an unpleasant truth. As a nation, we are still using up for our ordinary lives, and for our ordinary comfort in our ordinary lives, a great deal of material and labour and factory space which is imperatively and insistently needed for the war. Hine months ago, the Board of Trade put into force the first list of restrictions on the sale of a great number of personal and household things; that has not been enough. We must release more plant, more raw material, and more men from the home trades. Therefore, the Board of Trade have to-day announced restrictions which are more severe® lam not going to weary you with the inevitably complex details of the scheme; what interests you is the result of the not its process. As I scheme, have said, the process is nothing new - it has been operating now for a good many months. But I will make no disguise of it and Ido not believe that you would - want me to make any disguise of it the new Order will mean that sooner or later - everyone will have to go without some thing or other which he is accustomed to have* Some luxury, some comfort, and even some things which our high standard of life in this country has led us to believe are at any rate half necessities. But when I explain why this is necessary, I do not believe that anyone will grumble. Suppose for a moment that it was as simple as this® Suppose it was in your power to put some missing part into an aeroplane, or a tank. Suppose you had some- thing in your possession which made all the difference between a soldier being equipped with every modern weapon of offence and defence, and a soldier who was not so completely equipped® You would not hesitate for a moment, The thing which all of us have got to understand is that every time we hold back from buying clothes, or furniture, or household goods, we are giving something vital to aeroplanes, tanks and other munitions® We are freeing labour and materials and factory space for the making of something essential to the defence of our lives and liberties. I will tell you a striking fact© In the last war,one munitions worker was able to supply two fighting men with weapons and equipment, but in this war, because of the development of the Air Arm, and the greater fire power and mobility required by a modern army, and the vast number of ancillary craft which kept at sea, it takes are now two workers to supply the fighting same two required; and not only men with what is two workers, but all the material and fadtory space which they use® That is why we must tighten our belts© We all admire the trained athlete when he goes to the post© He has submit bed himself to discipline and to self -denial in order to himself into a a 9 get good con- dition, He has been in training, and we feel he will win. We must also go into training, and we shall win© /But, - 2 - But I want your view to "be realistic and not alarmist on all these matters., There is no shortage of consumption goods ; but we have got a better use for the materials and labour and factories that make them* We must still remember that even after these restrictions we are providing a far higher standard - more than double the standard -» of comfort than the Germans are allowing to their civil population,, Now you will all agree that there is a great difference between accepting a policy of restriction because you can do nothing else about it, ahd welcoming it as an opportunity which you have been looking for to contribute to the war© I have heard it said that some try to take advantage of their will fellows, will rush in to buy, and will hoard goods against the lay when they may be in shorter supply© I do not believe it for a moment, and I think that we are too fair-minded a people to do such tiling© any Now I want to say a special word about the shopkeepers of the country. , These restrictions are going to hurt them more than they are going to hurt you and me© Like you and me, they will have to give us some tilings as consumers: but in addition they will be hard hit in their trade© So make things as easy for the shopkeeper you can. as Realise that his w r-time difficulties and yours are part of the price we must pay for goace© Don’t grumble, don’t be fussy about the exact thing you need if he can offer you something almost as good. Remember that he and his supplier will be doing their utmost to spread goods fairly between one district and another, and one customer and another© And I want here and Ciow to say that I have been immensely encouraged by the way all the manufacturers, twlcrs. and accepted the policy although it their work and cuts deep into their greatly complicates trade and their livelihood© You can take it from me that the:© has been no "business as usual" plea from them: they have put the needs of the country first© No-one, I imagine, will have a word, to say against a severe restriction of luxuries; but we must all be careful lest the poor and the people who have been bombed out of their houses should suffer from a shortage, or rather a displacement, of necessities. Certainly this was « and is a matter of deep concern to me 0 First, the new restrictions are arranged in such a way as io encourage themaking of the cheaper lines of goods instead of the Alongside this, we have the Prices of Goods Act, which makes profiteering in anything but luxuries impossible. Again, there are families and individuals who have been bombed out of their have lost their clothes and furniture houses, and are in immediate need of help. Local authorities and a number of such voluntary agencies as the W.V.S. have been allowed by the Board of Trade to go outside the restrictions orders and to buy what they need to relieve this kind of distress. That is nearly all I have to say. We have our chance of helping. Do not buy unless you must, and when you feel you must, think again© Our enemies follow a system by which they hope to dominate the world, a system the foundations of which are based on slavery© They will lose. We expect - and shall not expect in vain - not only courage and constancy, but also self-denial from a free people, and we shall win© BR.ITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION 15/11/40 - No. 31. MR. HERBERT MORRISON VISITS COVENTRY. Mr. Herbert Morrison, Home Secretary and Minister of Home Security, who has been touring in a number of the Civil Defence Regions, arrived in Birmingham today and visited Coventry. He made a tour through the most heavily damaged parts of the City and was strongly impressed with the courage and cheerfulness with which the townspeople faced their ordeal. Mr. Morrison had conferences with the Mayor, Chairman of the Emergency Committee, the Controller and other officials. MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY. 15/H/AO. - No e 32. FLASH It is now learned that in addition to the two enemy aircraft which, as previously announced, destroyed during last night, were sixteen enemy aircraft have "been destroyed to-day c AIR AFFAIRS AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN No o 227 A 15/11/40 - No. 33 Air Ministry News Service ■» II I nii ii -I—» t-i Jn-nCxar - ewi ... SIXTEEN DOW TO-DAY Sixteen German bombers and fighters have been destroyed to-day at the cost of one Spitiire 0 This ends a period of seven days in which enemy losses in the air have been increasing and ours have been remarkably small, although the Germans and Italians have stuck by day to convoy attacks and high flying Messerschmitt raids 0 During the seven days, Fighter Command pilots have destroyed sixty- seven raiders Only eight of our fighters and three pilots have been enemy c lost® To-day’s main attack over Kent, the Estuary and the outskirts Thames of London, took place between one and two p»m 0 Spitfire pilots patrolling over the Thames saw from twenty to thirty Messerscmitts 109 flying up the river towards London in pairs over four miles high As soon as the Messerschmitt o pilots saw the Spitfires they turned down the river again 0 Before they could escape three of them had been shot down o Low cloud prevented the Spitfire pilots from what had happened, but soldiers at searchlight post saw seeing a them crash one after another o At the same time. Hurricane pilots were diving on . nine more enemy fighters above the Thames Estuary 0 Again three Messerschmitts crashed* With one exception, all the enemy raiders destroyed to-day were Messerschmitt fighters and fighter bombers o Th© exception was a Dornier bomber which a sergeant pilot in a Hurricane tackled alone over Kent o The bomber was flying feet above him, and he climbed to turned away, but he send it down as attack, managed to with five bursts of bullets e -15/11/40. AIR MINISTRY CORRECTION TO BULLETIN No .2274 "Sixteen Dovm today" In Air Ministry Bulletin No. 2274 (M o.l Issue No. c 15/11/40) last sentence of paragraph three should read;- -15/11/40. 15/IW>, - No, AIR MINISTRY N 0,2275 Air* Ministry News Service, AIR MINISTRY- COMMUNIQUE In addition to the two enemy bombers having been already reported as destroyed during last night seventeen enemy aircraft have been shot down today in a series of engagements over Kent and the Thames Estuary. One of our fighters and one pilot have been lost. Press Notice: Not for publication before morning papers of Saturday, Nov... 16 broadcast in any form before 7 16,1940. or a.m© Saturday, Nov., FINE SPIRIT SHOWN IN REPLIES TO MACHINE TOOL APPEAL. As a result of the Machine Tool Week appeal by Mr. P.H. Mills, the Controller of Machine Tools, Ministry of Supply, many more machines will be fully engaged on war Work© Among the replies received there have been some indicative of the splendid spirit of sacrifice of the British people© Treasured old lathes, hand-driven., machines that could not possibly be adapted to the requirements of the machine shop of today, and tools that are not machine tools at have been offeied to the Controller in the hope that they all, would be of service in munition factories, as well as many valuable tools not now in full use© A further letter was posted yesterday to 120,000 firms of all kinds, so that nothing which can be used in the national effort shall escape the survey. The letter, which is signed by Mr© Mills, reads as follows: "In spite of the great response to the appeal which was made from this department three months ago, for the voluntary release of all machine tools not fully employed, large numbers are still required© Every machine tool in the country must be engaged every possible minute on war work© "Machines such as capstans, turrets, milling and horizontal boring machines are required for the production of aircraft components; centre lathes) etc©, for bomb and shell-making; heavy machine tools for tank and ship building© Thousands of other machines of all types are required by the Ministry of Labour for the very necessary training of operatives on which your oWn supply of skilled labour depends. “Last week I made through the Press and over the Wireless, a further appeal asking all manufacturers and firms having workshops and repair is not to place at the Government’s’disposal every tool which being still many firms who have fully used on essential work© There are machines in their shops, useful perhaps, on occasions or As a stand-by but which can be infinitely better employed on the present emergency. ”1 am responsible for the immediate supply of all suitable tools to new factories, and for the replacement of plant damaged in air-raids© ”1 can assure you that the need is pressing. May I ask you, therefore, that whatever the inconvenience you act at once. difficulty or - - ’’Please offer all machines you can make available to used machine tool send dealers operating under licence from the Ministry of Supply, or details to me. I will then arrange for inspection and for the distribution of all .suitable tools in directions where I know the 'need is greatest. Prompt payment will be made©" Ministry of Supply, Press Office, Adelphi, W.C.2. 15th November, 1940. Press Notice: Not for publication before morning papers of Saturday, November 16th, 1940. SALVAGE AND THE. BLITZKRIEG. Councils Carry on in Spite of Difficulties. Although the total value of waste material sold by Local Authorities and returned to industry for September (£231,224), showed some decline on the previous month (£312,631), many Councils were building up useful stocks. ... Generally speaking collection from houses lias been maintained at the greatly increased rate attained in July and August. Paper and scrap iron, in particular, helping to build are up our reserves, while the salvage and sale of bones has improved by 16 per cent, over the figure for August, The tonnage of paper, metal and bones in August and September was as followsr- PAPER METAL BONES tons tons tons August 35,738 38,667 903 September 23,731 26,356 1,056 The Controller of Salvage, Ministry of Supply, Mr. H.G. Judd, broadcasting last night (Friday 15th November) on the progress of the Salvage Campaign, said: "Some months ago our Salvage Department issued posters exhorting the public to ’Put out paper, put out etc. Many Councils added metal’, ,f a line:— We can take it’. Well, as a London Salvage Official told me, Jerzy must have seen these posters for he has been handing out showers of bombs since. Here and there mill has been and ever a interrupted, a few lorries stopped, and the course of salvage, like the course of true love, has not run quite smooth, but London has shown she can take it, and so have all. you "In August, before bombing started, the salvage work of the local Councils reached a high water mark. In that one month they sold over £300,000 worth of stuff, including 355000 tons of paper, 40,000 tons of metal, and nearly a thousand tons of household bone. "Even in September, when air raids and transport difficulties were at their worst, nearly a quarter of a million.pounds worth of salvage was sold to industry*. That was a fine bit of work, and I take off my hat to those Councils and housewives who have carried on in spite of everything* In addition to these actual sales, there were substantial stocks waiting disposal* These stocks are valuable reserves. "if, therefore, your old kettle isn’t turned into a tank at once, or your rags into an Army blanket, don’t feel that the material you have so carefullly put out isn’t needed*. It IS needed, every bit of it, but we must build up our reserves* "Now for a few words about some things we particularly require at this moment. NEWSPAPERS* you know too well, are smaller. But unless many "Newspapers, as more old newspapers are salvaged to make fresh newsprint, papers may get smaller still. Many housewives have been awfully good about saving newspapers,/ - 1 - newspapers, but one only needs to glance inside any dustcart to sec how much is still, thrown away, whole sheets, and sometimes ' even whole newspapers«. This should-not be* Every scrap of newspaper should be saved* ! f’. - . Why not try a gas poker or a ’6d, paraffin lighter? If you must use paper (and I hope you* 11 use as little as you can) please use soiled or greasy paper, but not newspaper or good class paper* ■■ ”A few months ago. we asked housewives to put every kind of paper together in a bundle• A 'Recently Councils have ’ beeh tasked to provide a separate receptacle for newspaper - so if now you will keep your newspapers separately from other paper and cardboard, you will be doing a really useful bit of war-work o RAGS, "Last Spring we' seemed to have more rags than the trade could absorb. This was because the rags you put out coincided with the rag harvest that always comes in'the Spring-cleaning season. That crop is nearly used up now, and we need supplies to tide ...Us over until the next Spring harvest. Rags not only help to make blankets, and cloth for uniforms and suits, they are essential in munition factories and the Services, for cleaning and polishing engines and machinery. Please keep the rags as dry as possible, and whatever you do, don’t throw them in the dustbin with the refuse. Wrap them up in a separate bundle for the collector- of whether he wears the drab uniform of the dustman or pushes the barrow the rag and bone man. By either channel they join the brimming river, and our job is to keep it brimming o “Bones are coming along well, and so is glass;- in fact glass has come alpng too well, and at present there*s more window glass in small bitsj - - than we really need; but that’s the fauit.of the fellows who drone over at night. . • - ”In DO want your waste material, and conclusion, please remember, we if every household and every Council will play their part we shall have a. flow that will feed the mills now, and stock our national storehouses for the that may lie ahead till, the day when we light long and stubborn fight the bonfires of victory.” Ministry of Supply, ■'■■■ .- Press Office, Adelphi, W.C.2. - . 15th November, 1940# -a. • . ' ; _Friday, Novcr.ibcr 15, 1940 > MINI S T R Y OF _INFO,R M A T I 0 N ~ .:• • NEWS BULLETIN No* 177* SCHOOL HOLIDAYS AT CHRISTMAS In a memorandum issued to Local Education Authorities today (Friday) r the Board of Education state that there is no reason why the normal school holidays should not be given this Christmas, but Authorities in the reception areas are asked to discourage the return of evacuated children to their homes in the danger areas. They are also asked to make arrangements for keeping the children happily occupied and off the hands of householders as much as possible. • The Board point out that nost schools have held their summer holidays curtailed and teachers have been working under conditions of great strain. Teachers in the reception areas are to be released for their holidays in rotation to enable a sufficient number of then to be available for supervisory duties when the schools are closed for instruction though open for recreative activities. • Board of Education. M s o.l.tl. AGRICULTURAL LEAVE FOR SOLDIERS Arrangements have been made between the War Office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Department Agriculture of granting short periods for Scotland for of agricultural leave from the Army to farmers and fam workers who are needed for urgent work on their farms. The intention is that, where military circumstances permit, individual small farmers, crofters and experienced agricultural workers, who. are serving in the Army at home, shall be enabled to return to their farms at tines of seasonal pressure, for short not exceeding 23 days in the aggregate to 30th periods up September, 1941* Leave vzill not, be granted to soldiers undergoing certain forms of training or to those servigg overseas, etc. The arrangements will come into force immediately. The procedure for obtaining agricultural leave is as follows A farmer who is homself serving with the Army a-t home, or who wishes to obtain agricultural leave for one of his fomer farm employees, should apply to his County War Agricultural Executive Committee for a certificate that the officer or soldier concerned is urgently required on the fam and that no alternative arrangements caa be made. The farmer will then forward this certificate to the officer commanding the Unit in which the officer or soldier is serving, who will, subject to military requirements and the orders of the superior commander, grant the n~>oessary period of leave. Farmers are advised to apply to their County Committee well in advance of the time when the man is required on the farm, in order to give the Committee time to make the necessary inquiries before issuing their certificate and to give the Commanding Officer time to consider the application. Facers will be required to soldiers at not less than the appropriate wage pay rates fixed under the Agricultural Wages Acts, and will be responsible for compensation at th© rates and under the conditions of the Compensation Act in respect of any injury arising out of the soldier’s employment during the period of agricultural leave. Soldiers will not be entitled agricultural to army pay or allowances while on leave, although dependants and family allowances will be continued. '..They will be allowed free return railway warrants from their military stations to their homes, and they will be edpeoted to wear their civilian clothes while on leave. J Ministry of Agriculture. . M.0.1. 2.: GIFTS FOR AIRCRAFT The Minister of Aircraft Production acknowledges with gratitude the following gifts tpwards the purchase of aircraft: Staff of catering department, shops and cafes., Garricks Ltd,, Newcastle-on-Tyne.•............, £3O. 0, 0. A naval cordite factory,. ............ £5OO. 0. 0. The British Association of Used Machine Tool Merchants..... £1,628. 0. 0 e Leicester Spitfire Fund (further contribution)• « . £5,000. 0. 0. Leeds Spitfire Fund....................... a 0• £15,000. 0. 0. Ar-x.raft Production. M>o,l. 3. ~