15/1/40 - No 1. FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE (MORNING) Paris, Monday 15th January 1940. The following official communique was issued this morning from French G.H.Q.:- A QUIET NIGHT. 15/1/40. - No. 2. NOT TO BE BROADCAST OR PUBLISHED IN ANY FORM BEFORE THE MORNING PRESS OF JANUARY 16th, 1940, OR CABLED ABROAD BEFORE 11.30 p.m. JANUARY 15th, 1940. H.M. Minister in Panama yesterday delivered to the the of Government of the Republic of Panama reply H.M. Government to the communication sent by the Acting-President of the Republic to H.M. The King on 23rd December. The text of this communication and the text of the reply are as follow:- TRANSLATION Telegram from Acting President of Panama to His Majesty The King. Panama, 23rd December, 1939. His Majesty King George VI, King of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India, London. I have the honour to transmit to Your Majesty the following communication agreed to unanimously by the twenty-one American Republics as a result of mutual consultations carried out in accordance with paragraph 3 of the Panama Declaration of October 3 last, already transmitted to Majesty by Your the late President Arosemena by his message of October 4: "The American Governments are officially informed of the naval encounter which took place on the 13th December off the north-west coast of Uruguay between certain British men-of-War and the German vessel Graf von Spee, which according to reliable reports attempted to overtake the French merchant vessel Formosa between Brazil and the port of Montevideo after having sunk other ships. They have also been informed of the entry and sinking of the German warship in the waters of the River Plate at the expiry of the term which in accordance with the rules of International Law had been granted to it by the Government of the Republic of Uruguay. other hand,On the sinking the or the detention of vessels by British ships in American German merchant waters is a fact publicly recognised as certain, as is proved by the recent cases of the Dusseldorf, Ussukuma and others. All these facts which affect the neutrality of American waters, imperil the proposals for the protection of the Continent which inspired the Panama Declaration of October 3, 1939, the first paragraph of which provides: " 'As a measure of continental protection, the American Republics so long as they maintain their neutrality, have the indisputable right to preserve free of all hostile action on the part of any belligerent non-American nation, those waters adjoining the American continent which they consider as of primary interest and direct usefulness for their relations whether by land, sea or air'." Consequently, in accordance with the method laid down in that instrument, and with view to the of other a avoiding repetition actions of the kind referred to above, the American nations resolve to formulate their and protest belligerent nations to the to inaugurate the necessary consultations with the object of strengthening the system of common protection through the adoption of suitable measures, including the prevention of /belligerent in belligerent ships supplying themselves and repairing damage American ports when those ships have committed warlike acts within the security zone established by the Declaration of Panama". In transmitting this communication to Your Majesty I beg you to accept the assurance of my highest and most distinguished consideration. AUGUSTO S. BOYD. Acting President of Panama. BRITISH REPLY. 1. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have devoted most careful consideration to the communication agreed upon unanimously by the 21 American Republics the text of which was telegraphed to His Majesty the King by the Acting-President of Panama on December 23rd, last. In that communication reference was made among other matters, to the recent naval action between British and German warships in the South Atlantic and to the maritime security zone described in the Declaration of Panama of October 3rd, 1939. 2. His Majesty's Government, who themselves so long strove toprevent war, fully appreciate the desire of the American Republics to keep the war away from the shores of the American continent. It was therefore not merely with interest but with understanding that His Majesty's Government learned of the maritime security zone proposals His Majesty’s Government noted with satisfaction from the Declaration of Panama itself that the attempt would be made to base the observance of its provisions upon the consent of the belligerents. This fresh expression of adherence to the idea of solving international difficulties by mutual discussion, which has always been upheld by the American Republics, confirmed His Majesty's Government's belief that these Powers would not attempt to enforce observance of the zone by unilateral action and encouraged their hope that it would be possible to give effect by means of negotiation to the intentions which inspired it. 3. It was in this spirit that His Majesty's Government were examining the proposal of the Conference of Panama at the time when the communication of December 23rd was received. In view of this communication His Majesty’s Government desire to draw the attention of the American Republics to the following considerations: 4. It will be apparent, in the first place, that the proposal, involving as it does the abandonment by the belligerents of certain legitimate belligerent rights, is not one which on any basis of international law can imposed upon them by unilateral be action, and that its adoption requires their specific assent. 5. The acceptance by His Majesty's Government of the suggestion that the belligerents should forego their rights in the Zone must clearly he dependent their satisfied that the upon being adoption of the Zone proposal would not provide German warships and supply ships with vast sanctuary from they could a which emerge to attack Allied and neutral which they could shipping, to return to avoid being brought to of action, and in which acts unneutral service might be performed by non-German ships -for example by the use of wireless communications. It would also be necessary to ensure that German ships warships and supply /would would not be enabled to pass with impunity from one ocean to another through the Zone, or German merchant ships partto take in inter-American trade and earn foreign exchange which might be used in attempts to promote subversion and sabotage abroad and to procure supplies for the prolongation of the war, thus depriving the Allies-of the fruits of their superiority at sea. 6. Moreover, the acceptance of the Zone proposals would have to be on the basis that it should not constitute a precedent for a far-reaching alteration in the existing laws of maritime neutrality. 7. Unless these points are adequately safeguarded, the Zone proposals might only lead to the accumulation of belligerent ships in the Zone. This in turn might well bring the risk of war nearer to the American States and lead to friction between on the one hand the Allies, pursuing their legitimate belligerent activities, and on the other the American Republics, endeavouring to make this new policy prevail. 8. The risk of such friction, which His Majesty’s Government would be the first to deplore, would be increased by the application of sanctions. His Majesty's Government must emphatically repudiate any suggestion that H.M. Ships have acted, or would act, in any way that would justify the adoption by neutrals of punitive measures which do not spring from the accepted canons of neutral rights and obligations. If, therefore, the American States were to adopt a scheme of sanctions for the enforcement of the Zone proposal, they would, effect, in be offering a sanctuary to German warships within which H.M. Ships would be confronted with the invidious choice of having either to refrain from engaging their enemy or laying themselves open to penalties in American ports and waters. 9. Up to the present it does not appear that means have been found by which the disadvantages of the Zone proposal could be eliminated. That this is the case was shown by the operations in the Zone of the warship ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE and the supply ship TACOMA. With regard to the specific incidents of which mention is made in the communication under reply, His Majesty’s Govern- ment must observe that the legitimate activities of H.M. Ships can in no way imperil, but must rather contribute to the security of the American continent, the protection of which was the object of the framers of the Declaration of Panama. His Majesty’s Government cannot admit that there is any foundation for a claim that such activities have in any way exposed justifiablethem to reproach, seeing that the Zone proposal has not been made effective and belligerent assent has not yet been given to its operation. 10. In view of the difficulties described above, it appears to His Majesty’s Government that the only effective method of achieving the American object of preventing belligerent acts within the Zone would be firstly to ensure that the German Government would send no more warships into it. Secondly, there are obvious difficulties in applying the Zone proposal at this stage of the war when so much German shipping has already taken refuge in American waters. If the Allies are to be asked to forego the opportunity of capturing these vessels, it would also seem to be necessary that they should be laid up under Pan- American control for the duration of the war. 11. / 4 11. In the view of His Majesty’s Government it would only be by means such as those indicated that the wish of the American Governments to Deep war away from their coasts could be realised in a truly effective and equitable manner. Until His Majesty’s Government are able to feel assured that the scheme will operate satisfactorily they must, anxious as they are for the fulfilment of American hopes, necessarily reserve their full belligerent rights in order to fight the menace presented by German action and policy and to defend that conception of law and that way of life which they believe to be as dear to the peoples and Governments of America as they are to the peoples and Governments of the British Commonwealth of Nations. FOREIGN OFFICE NEWS DEPARTMENT. THE SECRETARY to the MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT makes the following announcement:- RETURN of the NUMBERS of PERSONS reported to have died in GREAT BRITAIN as a result of ROAD ACCIDENTS. PART A. Month of December, 1938 and 1939. 0n roads subject On roads not to a speed limit. subject to a Total. Classification of Persons. speed limit. 1938 1939 1938 1939 1938 1939 Pedestrians (i) under 15 years of age 53 62 11 12 64 74 (ii) 15 years of age and over 258 607 63 139 321 746 Drivers of mechanically-propelled vehicles other than motor cycles. 11 15 29 29 40 44 Motor Cyclists. 29 26 26 57 55 83 Pillion Passengers 6 - 2 2 8 2 Pedal Cyclists (i) under 15 years of age 10 10 4 3 14 13 (ii) 15 years of age and over 69 52 47 64 116 116 Other Persons 31 35 34 42 65 77 All Persons 467 807 216 348 683 1,155 PART B. Month of December, 1939. Analysis of the figures for December, 1939, to show the fatalities during "hours of darkness" and "other hours" respectively. On roads subject On roads not to a speed limit. subject to a Total. speed limit. Classification of Persons During During During During During During hours of other hours of other hours of other darkness hours darkness hours darkness hours Pedestrians (i) under 15 years of age 15 47 3 9 18 56 (ii) 15 years of age and over 552 55 123 16 675 71 Drivers of mechanically-propelled vehicles other than motos cycles, 9 6 19 10 28 16 Motor Cyclists 16 10 34 23 50 33 Pillion Passengers - 2- - 2 - Pedal Cyclists (i) under 15 years of age 2 8 2 1 4 9 (ii) 15 years of age and over 32 20 42 22 74 42 Other Persons 21 14 23 19 44 33 All Persons 647 160 248 100 895 260 2 PART C. The total number of persons reported to have died in Great Britain during the year ended 31st December, 1939 was 8,270, compared with 6,599 in 1938. An analysis of these figures is given below. 8 months 4 months Classification of ended ended Year. persons. 31st 31st August. December. 1938 1939 1938 1939 1938 1939 Pedestrians (i) under 15 years of age 594 556 270 293 864 849 (ii) 15 years of age and over 1,211 1,280 953 2,364 2,164 3,644 Drivers of mechanically- propelled vehicles other than motor cycles 213 246 132 139 345 385 Motor Cyclists 637 615 335 449 972 1,064 Pillion Passengers 103 114 57 53 160 167 Pedal Cyclists (i) under 15 years of age 137 109 68 75 205 184 (ii) 15 years of age and over 745 737 440 453 1,185 1,190 Other Persons 465 480 239 307 704 787 All Persons 4,105 4,137 2,494 4,133 6,599 8,270 The above figures are the aggregates of the monthly figures and give the numbers of persons reported to have died during the respective periods as a result of road accidents, irrespective of the dates on which the accidents occurred. In the Annual Returns ("Road Accidents involving Personal Injury - Great Britain") for 1938 and earlier years casualties were recorded under the date of the accident; e.g. a person who died in February, 1939 as the result of an accident in November, 1938 was included in the figures for the year 1938. On this basis the total number of persons killed in road accidents in 1938 was 6,648 compared with the figure of 6,599 in the above table. PART D. Statement showing for EACH POLICE DISTRICT,the number of persons reported to have died during the month of December, 1939, as a result of road accidents,compared with the corresponding period in 1938. 1939. 1938. During hours During Police Districts. of other hours Total. darkness. England. Bedfordshire 5 5 10 2 Bedford County Bedford Luton 1 - 1 2 Berkshire Berks 9 -9 6 County 2 1 3 2 Reading Windsor Buckinghamshire 6 6 4 Buckingham County - - 1- Chepping Wycombe - Cambridgeshire 3 -3 4 Cambridge County Cambridge 2 -2 - Isle of 2 1 3 2 Ely Cheshire Chester 16 3 19 19 County Birkenhead 6 - 6 2 Chester - - -4 -1 1 - Congleton Hyde Macclesfield Stalybridge 2 - 2 2 Stockport Wallasey - - 1- Cornwall 3 2 5 4 Cornwall County Penzance 1 -1 - Cumberland & Westmorland Cumberland & Westmorland 5 -5 6 Carlisle 2 -2 - Kendal Derbyshire 7 5 12 7 Derby County Chesterfield - - 3- 3 1 4 4 Derby Glossop Devonshire Devon 7 4 11 4 County Exeter -1 1 1 Plymouth 2 - 2 2 Tiverton 1 - 1 - Dorset County 4 2 6 3 4 1939. 1938. Police District. During hours During Total. of darkness. other hours. Durham Durham County 25 5 30 9 Gateshead 5 - 3 5 Hartlepool 2 1 3 - South Shields 6 6 2 - Sunderland 3 2 5 - Essex E ssex County 10 5 15 16 Colchester Southend-on-Sea - 1 1 2 Gloucestershire Gloucester County 13 2 15 12 Bristol 8 1 9 9 Hampshire Southampton County 14 2 16 11 Isle of Wight 1 1 2 - Portsmouth 3 -3 2 Southampton 1 2 3 2 Winchester 1 - 1 - Herefordshire Hereford County 1 - 1 2 Hereford Hertfordshire Hertford County 6 7 13 6 St. Albans 1 -1 - Huntingdon County 3 2 5 1 Kent Kent County 8 2 10 13 Canterbury Dover - - 1- Folkestone 1 -1 - - - - 1 Gravesend Maidstone Margate 1 -1 - Ramsgate 1 -1 - Rochester 1 1 2 - Tunbridge Wells 1 - 1 - Lancashire Lancaster County 27 9 36 32 Accrington 2 -2 - Ashton-under-Lyne 2 -2 1 Bacup Barrow-in-Furness 2 -2 - Blackburn 1 1 2 2 Blackpool 2 -2 2 Bolton 6 -6 2 2 1 3 - Burnley - - 3- Clitheroe Lancaster 1 -1 - Liverpool 11 2 13 16 Manchester 26 4 30 12 Oldham 4 - 4 3 Preston 7 - 7 - 1939. Police District. 1938. During hours During Total of darkness. other hours. Lancashire (cont'd) 2 - 2 1 Rochdale 1 St. Helens 3 - 3 2 - 2 1 Salford 3 3 2 Southport - ton 2 1 3 1 Warring 1 1 1 Wigan - Leicestershire 5 5 10 10 Leicester County 3 2 5 7 Leicester Lincolnshire Lincoln 5 6 11 10 County Boston 1 - 1 - Grantham 1 - 1 1 Grimsby Lincoln Tendon - l l 1 City 122 37 159 102 Metropolitan Monmouthshire 6 2 8 4 Monmouth County 3 — 3 1 Newport Norfolk 8 3 11 8 Norfolk County Great Yarmouth 1 - 1 - King’s Lynn Norwich 2 -2 - Northamptonshire 5 1 6 1 Northampton County 1 - 1 1 Northampton Peterborough Liberty 1 1 2 - - - - 1 Peterborough Northumber1and Northumberland 12 4 16 2 County 9 -9 2 Newcast1e-upon-Tyne - - 1 Tynemouth - Nottinghamshire 13 4 17 8 Nottingham County Newark - 1 1 1 5 1 6 2 Nottingham Oxfordshire Oxford 7 2 9 1 County Oxford 2 -2 1 Rutland County 6 Police District. 1939 During hours During Total. 1938. of darkness. other hours. Salop 3 3 6 3 Salop County Shrewsbury 1 -1 - Somersetshire Somerset 6 3 9 4 County Bath 1 - 1 2 -1 1 Bridgwater - Staffordshire 22 5 27 19 Stafford County - - 2- Newcastle-under-Lyme 6 2 8 4 Stoke-on-Trent Walsall 1 - 1 1 3 1 4 1 Wolverhampton Suffolk 2 2 4 3 Suffolk East County West 3 1 4 2 Suffolk County -2 2 2 Ipswich Surrey 9 5 14 12 Surrey County -1 1 Guildford - 2 1 3 - Reigate Sussex -1 1 2 Sussex East County Sussex West County 3 1 4 6 - - 1- Brighton Eastbourne 1 -1 - 1 -1 - Hastings Hove 2 -2 - Warwickshire 8 3 11 8 Warwick County 3 22 19 Birmingham 19 3 5 2 2 Coventry Leamington Wiltshire 5 9 14 3 Wilts County Salisbury Worcestershire 2 12 7 Worcester 10 County 3 -3 - Dudley Kidderminster Worcester 1 -1 - Yorkshire 8 2 10 3 East Riding County 2 7 3 5 Kingston-upon-Hull 10 4 14 7 North Riding County 1 2 -2 Middlesbrough - - 3- Scarborough 1 York 2 -2 7 1939 Police District During hours During other Total 1938 of darkness hours Yorkshire (continued) West Riding County 32 1 33 22 Barnsley Bradford 3 4 7 1 Dewsbury 2 -2 3 Doncaster 4 -4 - Halifax 3 -3 2 Huddersfield 3 -3 2 Leeds 12 4 16 10 Rotherham 4 - 4 1 Sheffield 10 4 14 11 Wakefield 3 -3 - Total, England 738 218 956 599 Wales. Anglesey County 1 - 1 - Brecon County - - 1- Caernarvon County 4 1 5 - Cardigan County 1 - 1 2 Carmarthenshire Carmarthen County 3 - 3 4 Carmarthen Denbigh County 4 2 6 3 Flint County 1 1 2 2 G1amorganshire 12 3 15 9 Glamorgan County Cardiff 6 1 7 1 Merthyr Tydfil 1 - 1 - Neath 2 - 2 - Swansea - - - - Merioneth County - - - - Montgomery County 2 - 2 1 Pembroke 1 - 1 1 County Radnor 1 - 1 - County Wales 39 8 47 24 Total, 1939. Police District. During During hours of other Total 1938 darkness. hours. Scotland Aberdeenshire Aberdeen County 4 1 5 4 Aberdeen 4 -4 1 Angus Angus County 2 -2 1 Arbroath Dundee 5 1 6 1 Argyll County 1 -1 3 Ayrshire Ayr County 6 2 8 2 Ayr Kilmarnock - - - 1 - - - - Banff County - - - - Berwick County 2 -2 2 Bute County Caithness County -1 1 - Clackmannan County - - - 1 Dumfries County 2 - 2 4 Dunbartonshire Dunbarton County 3 1 4 3 Dumbarton - - - 1 East Lothian County - - -3 Fifeshire Fife 3 1 4 2 County Dunfermline Kirkcaldy 1 -1 - Inverness-shire Inverness County 2 -2 - Inverness Kincardine County 2 -2 1 Kirkcudbright County 1 -1 - Lanarkshire Lanark 9 2 11 7 County Airdrie - - 1- Coatbridge - - - 1 Glasgow 37 11 48 11 Hamilton - - - 2 Motherwell & Wishaw 2 -2 - Midlothian Midlothian County - 1 1 1 3 1 4 2 Edinburgh 9 1939. 1938. Police District. During hours During Total or darkness. other hours. Moray & Nairn County 2 2 4 - Orkney County - - - - - - - - Peebles County Perthshire & Kinross Perth & Kinross County 4 2 6 - Perth 1 - 1 1 Renfrewshire Renfrew County 4 2 6 - Greenock 3 - 3 1 Paisley 7 1 8 - Ross & Cromarty County - - - - Roxburgh County - 2 2 - Selkirk County 1 - 1 - Stirling County 6 2 8 1 Sutherland County - - - - West Lothian County 1 1 2 2 Wigtown County Zetland Zetland County Lerwick - - - - - - - - - - - - Total, Scotland 118 34 152 60 Great Britain 895 260 1,156 683 Total, Ministry of Transport, 15th January, l940. 15/1/40 - No.5 PRESS NOTICE The ”A.R.P. Marines" are the latest addition to the ranks of the Civil Defence volunteers. The term is a nickname, but it illustrates the extent to which the Civil Defence forces even during the present lull are daily engaged in valuable services in many directions, as well as their adaptability and readiness to undertake fresh and arduous activities. The Germans' war on shipping has brought the "A.R.P. Marines" into existence. Ships are torpedoed or mined at sea and there are casualties who need immediate attention. There is a call to the shore for First Aid Parties and A.R.P. Squads are summoned. So valuable has their work been that special squads have been formed of men with experience of ships, and they stand by at various ports ready to go to sea the moment the call comes, as it does at all hours of the day and night. These are the men who in the East Coast ports have been dubbed the "A.R.P. Marines". Even the laconic words of a routine report to the Ministry of Home Security from an East Coast A.R.P. Controller cannot conceal the drama behind their work. "22.30 hours (10.30 p.m.) Call for assistance received. A.R.P. Controller and two First Aid Parties went out in Customs tug and took off from destroyer 16 casualties from S.S.......... Survivors suffering from shock and exposure were taken to hospital by 00.30 hours (12.30 midnight) Senior Naval Officer, Grimsby, reports that it was a foul night, and all the A.R.P. arrangements were excellent". On another occasion two First Aid Parties went out in a trawler to a ship three miles off the shore which had on hoard the survivors of another ship which had been torpedoed. There was a heavy sea running and the casualties had to be transferred from the ship to the trawler under difficult and dangerous conditions. There were fifteen persons, all suffering from extensive superficial burns. It was not possible to use stretchers and every case had to be handled with the greatest care, one especially as he had a broken spine. The squads administered first-aid treatment under these conditions, took the casualties off and landed them. What is true of the "A.R.P. Marines" holds good also for the other Civil Defence Services. Here is a story of the Auxiliary Firemen. The men manning an A.F.S. Sub-station on the outskirts of a certain town saw a large British aeroplane circling round obviously in difficulties. Seeing that a crash was imminent, the A.F.S. men turned out and pursued the aeroplane on their powerful pump. The machine finally crashed on top of two houses, setting them on fire. Disregarding the/ - 2 - Disregarding the danger from the petrol in the aeroplane’s tanks and the unexploded bombs which it was carrying, and without waiting for special foam apparatus to deal with a petrol fire, the volunteer foremen got to work and in less than two minutes were pumping a thousand gallons of water a minute on to the blazing houses. All over the country the A.F.S. men are turning out day and night to every fire that occurs. They can be found working up to their waists in flooded basements; clambering from one building to another across makeshift bridges improvised from scaling ladders at dizzy heights above the ground; perched in- securely on sloping roofs while they direct their jets on to the flames. At the recent Mot comb Street fire, and one of the biggest blazes in London in recent 200 Auxiliary years, over Firemen were on duty. Repair and demolition parties have repeatedly been called into action in the last few weeks in many parts of the country in railway accidents feed other mishaps, and survivors from these as well as from shipping disasters have been cared for at all hours of the day and night by the A.R.P. ambulances and Stretcher Parties. Within the last few days A.R.P. Squads have been in action in two large-scale accidents. When an underground rail- way lift crashed in Liverpool last Wednesday and 50 people were severely injured, A.R.P. Services were mobilised within a few minutes to deal with the casualties. Twenty-six ambulances and their crews attended together with a number of stretcher parties. The A.R.P. emergency medical teams at Birkenhead General Hospital and other A.R.P. Emergency services came into action. At the Stretford railway accident on the same day two A c R 0 P 0 ambulances, twelve A.R.P. first-aid volunteers, and twelve Auxiliary Firemen took a leading part in the rescue work. MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY. 15/1/40 No. 5 IMPORT LICENSING DEPARTMENT Press Notice Strawboard At the request of the Ministry of Supply, the Board of Trade have issued an Order prohibiting the importation, except under licence, of Strawboard (not including corrugated board), lined or unlined. The purpose of this Order is not to restrict supplies of strawboard, but to enable the Paper Controller to arrange purchases of these materials in the most advantageous manner through, as far as possible, the normal trade channels and to put such materials as are available to the best use. The Order will come into force on Monday 22nd January,l94 0, but no licences will be required for goods despatched to the United Kingdom before that date. Applications for import licences should be submitted in duplicate direct to the Paper Controller, Ministry of Supply, Great Western Hotel, Reading, who will forward them to the Import Licensing Department with his recommendations. Import Licensing Department, Board of Trade, 25, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.2. 15th January, 1940. 15.1.40 No.6 C.4. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED BEFORE TUESDAY, 16th JANUARY, 1940. CONTROL OF COTTON. PRESS NOTICE. As was expected, experience has shown that certain additions are necessary to the schedules of spinners' margins appended to the Control of the Cotton Industry (No.2) Order, 1940. (The Control of the Cotton Industry (No.l) Order was made in 1939.) The Minister of Supply has accordingly made the Control of the Cotton Industry (No.3) Order, which adds four new schedules to Appendix II relating to American type yarns. The opportunity has also been taken to make certain amendments in the wording of the No.2 Order, and in the seven schedules relating to American type coarse ring yarns. Copies of the new Order may be purchased from H.M. Stationery Office or any bookseller. Ministry of Supply, The Adelphi, W.C.2. 15th January, 1940. 15/1/40 - No.7. MINISTRY OF FOOD ANNOUNCEMENT NEW GENERAL LICENCE UNDER THE HOME-GROWN WHEAT (CONTROL) ORDER, 1939. The Minister of Food has made a new General Licence under the Home-Grown Wheat (Control) Order, 1939 revoking the General Licence made under that Order on the 23rd November, 1939. The effect of the new General Licence is that an approved buyer of wheat is now permitted to sell or use in the United Kingdom during any calendar month, for purposes other than flour milling or for seed, not more than one-third of his total purchases of miliable wheat from registered growers during such month, after deducting from such total purchases the amount of any miliable wheat purchased by him during that month for use as seed. In addition an approved buyer who is not also a flour miller may use for such other purposes any quantities of miliable wheat purchased by him from other approved buyers. There is no restriction on the quantity of home-grown miliable wheat which an approved buyer may sell for seed. The Licence came into operation on 13th January, 1940. 15/1/40 - No. 8. MINISTRY OF FOOD ANNOUNCEMENT PARCELS OF FOODSTUFFS FROM EIRE. The attention of the Ministry of Food has been drawn to newspaper advertisements from firms outside the United Kingdom offering to send to this country small consignments of butter and bacon. In this connection the Ministry of Food draw attention to the Rationing Order, 1939, (S.R, & 0. 1856) under which it is an offence to obtain or attempt to obtain or to supply or attempt to supply any rationed food in excess of the ration. It is an offence under the Order, therefore, to send abroad for parcels of butter and bacon. For the present the Ministry do not contemplate interfering with the delivery of small parcels of these foods sent to addresses in this country, provided they are bona fide gifts. URGENT NEWS. A.M.Bulletin No.324. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED BEFORE THE MORNING NEWSPAPERS OF THE 17TH OF JANUARY, 1940, OR BROADCAST BEFORE 8 A.M. G.M.T. ON THE 17TH OF JANUARY, 1940. ROYAL AIR FORCE AWARDS. The Air Ministry announces:- The King has been graciously pleased to of the approve following awards to members of the Royal Air Force in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Squadron Leader (Acting Wing Commander) Richard KELLETT, A.F.C. This officer displayed coolness and determination courage, in leading his squadron and a combined formation of 24 aircraft in operations over an enemy naval base in December, 1939, which resulted in the infliction of heavy casualties on enemy aircraft. In spite of the formidable opposition by aircraft and ground defences he so controlled the formation for which he was personally responsible that casualties were slight. By his personal example and cool leadership he won the confidence of all pilots under him. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Pilot Officer Cedric Alan Sykes GREENHILL. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. Aircraftman 1st Class Leonard James BRITTON. Pilot Officer Greenhill and Aircraftman Britton were pilot and rear gunner respectively of an Anson aircraft which, while on reconnaissance duty over the North Sea during November, 1939. was attacked by a Heinkel seaplane. Pilot Officer Greenhill returned the attack, and by using to the full the manoeuvrability of his aircraft gradually took the initiative. Aircraftman Britton showed his ability by firing whenever possible. The enemy aircraft was finally shot down hy Pilot Officer Greenhill, who delivered a short hurst from his front gun. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. Aircraftman 1st Class Charles Ronald DRIVER. Aircraftman Driver was the front gunner in an aircraft engaged in operations over an enemy naval base in December, 1939. Although the aircraft was subjected to very heavy fire he remained at his post until both the front guns were put out of action and the flooring was shot away or in flames. He put out the flames with his hands. By this time the petrol system had been severely damaged. Aircraftman Driver went to the hand petrol pump and continued manual pumping until shortage of petrol caused the aircraft to land in the sea. Despite these exertions Aircraftman Driver subsequently succeeded in launching the dinghy, and assisted in saving the remainder of the crew, some of whom were wounded. It was largely due to his exertions that the crew of this aircraft were brought to safety. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. Aircraftman 1st Class James John MULLINEAUX. Aircraftman Mullineaux was rear gunner in an aircraft of a formation which carried out operations over an enemy naval base in December, 1939. In spite of heavy enemy anti-aircraft fire and repeated attacks he displayed great courage and coolness, bringing down by well and controlled accurate marksmanship, one enemy fighter in flames. In conjunction with his under turret gunner he destroyed a second aircraft. Awarded the Medal of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service. Sergeant Benjamin Joseph TRAYNOR. The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales Own Yorkshire Regiment). (Territorial Army). Leading Aircraftman Alfred GORRING. In October, 1939, a Whitley aircraft while taking off from an R.A.F. station with a crew of nine, stores and 3O,OO0 rounds of ammunition, crashed, exploded and burst into flames. Sergeant and Aircraftman Traynor Leading Gorring ran to the scene, and, despite the fire and continually exploding ammunition, extricated an airman who had been badly injured. During this operation the oxygen tank blew up, but the men were not deterred from their gallant action, which resulted in the saving of the airman's life. One other airman crawled from the rear turret of the aircraft. The remaining members of the crew were killed. NOTES ON CAREERS. Wing Commander Kellett won the non-stop long distance flight record for Great Britain in November, 1938. Piloting a Vickers Wellesley aircraft, he led the flight from Ismailia, Egypt to Darwin, Australia, a distance of over 7,158 miles. For this feat of endurance and skill, which has consider- able significance from the standpoint of Imperial defence, W/Cdr. Kellett was awarded the A.F.C. He was born in October, 1905 at East Stonehouse, Devon, He He educated waswas granted ata Bedford commission School in and at and 1925, thewas R. A.F.College, Cranwell. promoted Flying Officer 1927, in 1930 and Squadron Leader 1937. He in Flight Lieutenant has been since November last. Acting Wing Commander His service has included several years in Iraq where he was at one time adjutant of a squadron and later engaged on engineering and staff duties. In 1936 he was seconded for service with the Japanese Army. He holds the Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure. Pilot Officer GREENHILL is 22 years old. He was educated at GUDEBRIDGE Park School, Hemel Hempstead and Bedford School. He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1937 as Sergeant pilot and received a short service commission as Acting Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force in 1938. He was graded Pilot 4. Officer last summer. Aircraftman BRITTON was born at Romford, Essex, in 1913. He was formerly motor driver and shop assistant. He the a joined R.A.F. in 1935 as aircraftman. Aircraftman DRIVER was born at Swansea, Glamorganshire in 1921. His home is at Stockton on Tees, County Durham. Although he was born in Wales he is not Welsh, his father being a Yorkshire- man and his mother Scottish. After leaving school he became a clerk in his father’s wool-buying business, but joined the Royal Air Force in November, 1938. Aircraftman MULLINEAUX was born at Birmingham in 1918 and his home is at Witton, Birmingham. He was a fitter improver before joining the R.A.F. three years ago. He has already been in four engagements with the enemy as a gunner. Sergeant TRAYNOR is aged 36. From 1922 to 1934 he served with the Durham Light Infantry. Aircraftman GORRING lives at Newcastle-on-Tyne. He was born in 1906. He is a rivetter by trade and joined the R.A.F. in 1925. He was transferred to the Reserve in 1933 and was mobilised on the outbreak of war. He has served in India and was awarded the Indian General Service Medal. (Official photographs of some of the personnel mentioned above have been released and are available through the usual Photographic Agencies). Press & Publicity Branch, Air Ministry, King Charles Street, Whitehall, S.W.1. 17th January, 1940. For the information of the Press. Gas Propelled Vehicles. Further concessions to the gas propelled vehicle are indicated in draft regulations which the Minister of Transport has circulated to representative organisations to-day. To remove the disadvantage which would otherwise result from the extra weight of the gas equipment, a weight allowance has already been given for taxation purposes. The draft regulations propose similar weight allowances, for purposes other than taxation, and will obviate difficulties as to lower speed limits, drawing of trailers, "vocational" licences and attendants on trailers. Ministry of Transport, Metropole Buildings, Northumberland Avenue, W.C.2. 15th January, 1940. 640. 15/1/40 No. 11 EMPIRE AFFAIRS - ZEESEN'S FOUL STREAM General Smuts denounces Nazi propaganda General Smuts, Prime Minister of South Africa, in a message issued today to members of the Truth Legion, the organisation recently formed to combat enemy propaganda in the Union, says:- "Propaganda is becoming a more dangerous method of attack than rifles or guns. Through the air and the Press and all other insidious forms of propaganda a sustain- ed attack is made against the people singled out for attack. Their mind and their very souls are drenched in a foul stream of poisonous propaganda until they become an easy prey to the aggressor. They are deceived with continuous lies until their minds are utterly confused, their will- power undermined and their resistance easily overcome. "This is a new scientific and psychological tech- nique of aggression which is being applied to South Africa and has been in process of application a good while back. The passions and prejudices of people are being continually mobilised and racial feeling exploited and exacerbated; the past is continually being distorted and raked up in order to set the various sections by the ears and to create in- ternal tension and strife. "Over all and linking it all up in one continuous barrage of aggression, is the Zeesen Radio, which pours out its deadly poison gas for the unsuspecting public. It is this insidious lying propaganda that we have to fight in South Africa. "We cannot retaliate in kind. We cannot meet lie with lie. In any case our feeble voice would not reach the aggressor in Central Europe. The only means of defence is for us to spread the truth as against the lies, to create goodwill as against mischievous and insidious malice, to hold aloft the light as against the mental darkness and moral black- out with which we are menaced. Let us have faith in truth and its all conquering powers.". 15/1/40 - No 12. FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE (Evening) The following Official Communique has been Issued by French G.H.Q:- Activity of patrols and of the artillery. Local Encounters between the reconnaissance units. Not to be quoted as an Air Ministry announcement R.A.F. BOMB SUBMARINE enemy submarine was bombed in the North Sea today by an aircraft of the R.A.F, Coastal Command, The submarine was sighted at a distance of several miles. At the same time its crew apparently observed the aircraft The airmen saw the conning tower hatch close suddenly, The submarine began to submerge. The pilot dived towards the submarine at an angle of 45 degrees all the time "lining up" his target in the bomb sight. As he flattened out from his dive he released a salvo of bombs which fell in close proximity to the submarine. The enemy was at this time fully submerged but still near the surface. When the disturbance caused by the bursting bombs had subsided a greenish brown greasy patch forty yards in circum- ference and surrounded by masses of bubbles began to spread over the position. Describing the attack the pilot said said "We "We had -just just come into into a clear patch of weather after flying many miles through rain and clouds. I was having a snack at the time. My air gunner put observer's !" his head out of the hatch and I heard him shout "Look He pointed to the horizon. I saw what seemed to be a rowing boat with a little trail of foam behind several miles away. In a few seconds I was sure it was a U-boat. I nearly choked as I bolted down a mouthful of sandwich and threw the coffee flask in my hand into the corner of the aircraft. I opened up to full a glimpse of the the submarine as it crash dived* One moment the waves were breaking against its hull; the next it had disappeared. 2 By that time we were diving on it at full speed. Our bombs seemed to strike very near the U-boat and there was a terrific uprush of water after the explosion, We cruised around for some time but saw no further sign of the enemy submarine. AIR AFFAIRS.