18/11/39 No. l. FRENCH OFFICIAL CO£;U"\/Il]NIQUE (Morning) The following communique was issued this morning by the French G. H. Q: ­ Nothing of importe.nce to report on the Front during the night. Yeater.day enemy aircraft flew over French territory. ++++++++++ 18/11/39 -No. 2. MINES DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCEMENT The motoring public are reminded that the new petrol rationing period begins on November 23rd. Applications for extra petrol allowances should not be made except in cases of essential need. If they are required, they should be forwarded at once to the appropriate Divisional Petroleum Officer. The correct forms to be used for applications in respect of supplementary allowances are R(MS)l for private cars, and R(MS)2 for motor-cycles, tricycles and autocycles. These forms can be obtained at local Taxation Offices or Post Offices at which motor licensing business is transacted. The Registration Book of the vehicle must be enclosed with the application. PRESS NOTICL. 18/11/39 WIRELESS OPERATORS AND WATCHES (EERCHANT SHIPS) ORDER, 1939. BY COLILLAND OF THE LORDS COLil:ISSIONERS OF THE ADMIRALTY. In pursuance of Regulations 45 of the Defence Regulations, 1939, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty hereby make the following order:­ 1. Every British ship to ·which the Merchant Shipping (Wireless Telegraphy) Rules, 1938, apply, whose hours at sea exceed eights not being a ship of war or a Dominion ship, shall be provided with not less than two operators if so required by the Admiralty or a person authorised. by the Admiralty. 2. Every British ship to which the llerchant Shipping (Wireless Telegraphy) Rules, 1938, apply, not 'being a shi? of war or a Dominion ship, shall, when at sea, maintain such wireless watches as may be ordered by the Admiralty or a person authorised by the Adrniralty, and in the a·bsence of other insti•uctions from such authority shall, when at sea, maintain wireless watches as follows:­ (a) When three or more operators are carrieds a continuous watch. (b) When two operators are carried, then (i) if the hours at sea do not exceed 48, a continuous watch; and (ii) if the hours at sea exceed 48, for not less than sixteen hou~s a day, including the times specified in the last colLlliill of the Schedule to this Order. (c) When one operator only is available, then for not less than eight hours a day, including the times specified in the penultimate column of the Schedule to this Order, provided that, if the hours at sea do not exceed eights wireless watch shall be kept during the whole time that the ship is nt sea. 3. Wireless watches in accordance with this Order shall be maintained by an operator, notwithstanding that the ship may be provided r1i th an auto alarm or sirnilar device. 4. For the purpose of this Order the persons authorised by the Admiralty include the Senior Na~al Officer of any port, the Officer in charge of any convoy, any Officer appointed for naval control service duties and any Officer appointed by any of the aforesaid Officers or by the Admiralt;)r to act in these r11atters. 5. This order shall corn.e into force forthwith and may be cited ~.s the Wireless Operators and \Natches (Merchant Ships) Order, 1939. By Comrnand of their Lordships (Signed) R. H. A. CARTER ADMIRALTY 9 So W. I. 17th Novemb :::r, 1939. AREA OF ZONES tr;-·_____._. F-!astern Atlantic Ocean; Mea.iterranean; North sea; Baltic; ·western Artie sea. B. Indian Ocean; eastern portion of Artie Ocean c. China Sea; western por­ tion of Pacific Ocean D. . Central portion of Pacific Ocean E. Eastern portion of Pacific Ocean F. -· 2 ­SCHEDULE. TIMES OF WATCH. ZONE LIMI'rS. HOURS OF WATCH ------4---·-·------G"-·~11~J'.•_. . WEST Meridian 300 W., coast of Greenland. Eastern limit of zone A. Eastern limit of ·zone B. E2stern limit of zone c. ___ .__,,<------­ 1 . . i 2 Operator 1 Operators EAST ~+------..l---1---­ Meridian 30° E. to coast of Africa. Eastern limit of the Mediterranean, Blo.ck and Baltic Seas. Meridian · 30° E. to the north of Norway. Meridian 80° E. West Coast of Ceylon to J\dam's Bridge, thence westward round the coast of India. Meridian 160°E•• Meridian 14c0W. Eastern limit Meridian ~o0W. of zone D. south of he coast of Jooerica; west coast of .r'\merica 108-10 ,12-14 16-18 20-22 I 04-06 08-10 112-14 !16--18 1 00-02 04-06 08-10 12-14 00-02 04-06 08-10 120-22 i 00-02 04-06 16-18 I 20-22 I I i I I I 00-06 08-14 16-18 20-22 00-02 04-10 12-14 16-18 20-24 00-06 08-10 12-14 16-22 00-02 04-06 08-10 12-18 20-24 00-02 04-06 08-14 16-22 Western portion Meridian 70° Meri di an 30° I00-02 I 00-02 o:r Atlantic Ocean; w.,south vv., coast of 112-14 . I 04-10 Gulf of Mexico of the coast Greenland. 16-18 . 12-18 of i\merica; 20-22 I 20-22 east coast "I of 11111erica. \i 11 1, -----~----·------+-----------+-----·-·­ EMPIRE AFFAIRS? 1C?ill/39 No. l+o lJLSTER I'\J~J31P~ IT J2Al~li NO RELAX-_l}TIO~ OF BLACK.::.QQT R~S'..L1RICTIONS Some members of the Ulster Par·liament have been urging a relaxation of the black:--out regul~;. tions in the Province 9 especially in view of the end. of "surruner time", but Lord Craigavon has replied that the regulations cannot be modifiedo "We must take these things in our stride", he has stated. "The black-out regulations are a mere trifle when we think of what has to be a.one by the men at the Front, in the air and on the seas. 11 The Royal A"h" Force had complained, he said9 that the standard of black-out rras not as high as it was in other pa1'ts of the United Kingdom., Ulster could not postpone the perfection of its arrangements in that di1"ection. Naturally they were in close touch with the Defence Forces 9 and the Royal Air Force wanted Ulster• to be complet ely blacked out at night. +++++++ (•181-1."ll) Wt. 491175-5258 10,000 41'9 T.S. 677 (4615-..•9) Wt. 19354--5724 20,000 7/39 T.S. 677 MINISTRY OF LABOUR. Press Notice THE RELEASE OF ME.i.""J FROM SERVICE IN HIS MJ...J""°ESTY 'S FORCES. The Ministry of Labour and National Service announces that many applications are being received from employers who wish to secure the return to their employment of men who have been called up for service in His Majesty's Forces either as reservists, as Territorials, or under the Military Training Act, 1939, or the National Service (Armed Forces) Act, 1939, and the follovv-ing steps have already been taken to assist employers in this way 1. Men in the Territorial .Army belonging to the important industrial occupations reserved at the ages of 18, 21 or 23 in the Schedule of Reserved Occupations published in September, 1939, who are of or above the age of r eservation for their occupation, are being given the opportunity to take their discharge and return to their Civil employrnent, provided:­ (a) that they officers; are not officers, warrant officers, or non-commissioned (b) that they are unit; not serving in an anti-aircraft or coast defence (c) that they are corresponding not employed in the Army in a to their civil occupation. service trade The release of men under these arrangements is being completed as quickly as possible but it necessarily takes time. It is hoped that it will shortly be possible to arrange for the release of men in the same categories from anti-aircraft and coast defence units, and also from the National Defence Companies. It may also be possible to arrange for the release of certain airmen in Units of the Balloon Barrage. 2. In addition to Territorials already released or to be released under these arrangements, a number of individual Territorials have been released as a result of applications made by Government Departments on behalf of firms engaged on work of essential national importance. Numbers of the Auxiliary Air Force and Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve have similarly been released. 3, The calling-up of a number of Service Reservists has been postponed for a period to enable their employers to make provision to meet the the position resulting from their departure. 4. Men called up for the Royal Navy, Army or Royal Air Force under the Military Training Act belonging to occupations reserved at the age of 18 in the Schedule of Reserved Occupations published in September, 1939, have been released provided they were not being employed in the Forces in a Service trade corresponding to their civil occupation. In connection with (1) and (4) above, it should be noted that the arrangements for release do not extend to men belonging to occupations for which the age of reservation has (as has been announced in the Press from time to time) been reduced to 18, 21 or 23 since the Schedule of Reserved Occupations was published in September last. 1. From now onwards, the release of any men from the Forces other than men still due to be discharged under the arrangements referred to above can be considered only in the most exceptional circumstances. If an employer nevertheless feels that it is essential to make application for the release of a man serving in the Forces, the proper course is for him to explain the circumstances to the Government contracting Department on whose work he is principally engaged or, if he is not engaged on such work, to the Government Department most concerned with his industry, (e.g. in the case of agricultural workers the Ministry of .Agriculture, and in the case of miners, the Mines Department) or, failing such a Department, to the Board of Trade. The Department concerned, if fully satisfied as to the special merits, in the national interest, of the case will discuss the possibility of release with the Service Department concerned. It should, however, be clearly understood:­ (a) that the release of men from the Royal Navy, Army or Royal Air Force can now be granted only in very special cases, up to a strictly limited number, where it can be established that work of vital national importance is being held up by the absence of the man concerned; (b) that the Service Departments cannot, in any event, release a man who is operationally vital to the Forces. In particular, no Army Reservists can be released. (c) that applications direct to the Service Departments cannot be entertained. Press Office, Ministry of Labour and National Service. Telephone No: Whitehall 6200. 18th November, 1939. H.Q.478-500 K.I. EMPIRE AFFAIRS. 18/11/39 -No. 6. NEW ULSTER UNIT. An Ulster section Divisional Unit of the Royal Army Ordance Corps is shortly to be raised and it will be ancillary to the new Ulster Anti-aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. Applications for enlistment are now being received, the categories of men required including armament artificers, fitters, blacksmiths, electricians, mechanical fitters and coppersmiths. Recruiting for the Auxiliary l·,;ilitary Pioneer Corps is proceeding very satisfactorily. The National Defence Companies in Horthern Ireland have now a Territorial regiment designation and in future will be known as the 6th (Home Defence) Battalion, the Royal Ulster Rifles. lS/11/39 No.•7~ DEAD AND PRISONERS OF WAR. NAMES BROADCAST TO GERM.ANY IN B. B. C. GERMAN NEWS, A'J.1 8. 30 P. M. ON DEAD. Adolph Schmidt Gustav Decker Conrad K (?) Wendel NOVEMBER 16th. 13~ 10.. 39. 1Buried at St.James Cemetery,Dover. Died at Sea Buried at &ea. -Do. -i 14.. 10. 390 I Buried at St.James Cemetery, Dover. -Do. ­ 13.. 10. 39. -Do. ­ -Do.­ -Do. ­ (Nos. E.D.l to E.D.5.) NAMES BROADCAST TO GERMANY IN B. B. C. GERMAN NEWS AT 8. 30 P. M. ON NOVEMBER 17tl:i:.. I r I 16.. 10. 39 \Buried at Roayth. Seydel (or Seide~. Unteroffizier -' Died at Sea or (Dornier 18) i l ] c. 10, 39. I 16. lOo 390FJ.ieger -iDied Firth Schleicher GefliegerBruno Reimann Air Force Gotlieb Kowalke Air Force Unteroffizier Hugo Sauer Air Force WAR OFFICE s.. w. 1. of Forth Died near Dalkeith -Do. ­28. 10., 39. Washed ashore 13.10~39. near Whitby. (Nos. E.D~6 to E.D.10) 18.11,39 -No. 8. SOUTH AFRICA'S TWO NEW UNITS PIGEON§ MOBILISED The establishrnent of two new units of the Active Citizen Force was gazetted in South Africa yesterday9 The South African /i.ir Force Radio Signal Company, and the South Lfrica Pigeon Service. Recruiting for other Units is going brisklyg and most of them arie now rapidly reaching full war strength. ---000-­ EMPIRE .AFFi:..IRS 18.11.39 -No. 9. GENERii.L SMUTS 1 ELECTION TRIUMPH The South li.frican Government have a majority of 12 in the newly elected Senate, General Smuts having 28 supporters out of a total of 44 Members~ One Parliamentary and eight provincial by-elections are necessitated by the results. --oOo-­ )6 Board of Education Announ~ement. 18/11/39. -. NO·, 11. REOPENING O~ TECHNICAL SCHOOLS. CONDITIONS RELAXED. The Board of Education have sanctioned the reopening of Technical Schools, Evening Institutes and other institutions of Further Education, provided that in every case ade~uate air raid protection was available in or accessible to the institution, and that the number of students would not be so great as to impede their rapid and orderly evacuation to a place of safety. The Government h~ve been surveying the position of these institutions and have been glad to find that for the most part they are now op8n or are in process of opening. It is, however, apparent that the work of some of them is considerably restricted by the re~uirement that the number of students admitted must not exceed that for which available shelter can be provided. In view of the importance of the work of these institutions from the point of view of maintenance of national efficiency and morale, the Government have been c onsidering what relaxatioh they can make to meet the situationo Refuge accommodation must, of course, be made available either in suitably strong parts of the building or in other parts suitably protected, but the refuge accommodation need not be for the f'ull numbers who might be attending the institution. Subject to this the Government arc now prepared to permit full reopening of these institutiora on the understanding that in the event of serio_us bombing they would either be cl osed or their activities would again be rest~cted to the extent of ~he protection avai~able. It will, of course, be understood that attendance at all these institutions is voluntary. It is understood that Technical Institutions in Scotland have alre.aey reopened. INDIAN AFFAIRS. 18/11/39 -No.12. Prof'ound loyalty to his Majesty the King Emperor and whole hearted sympathy with the British cause has just been placed on record by the Coorg Legislative Council at the opening of its current session. The Council offers its fUllest co-operation and has asked that a permanent unit o~ Coorg inhabitants should be formed in the Regular Indian Army. 18/11/39 -No.13. The Skeikh of Bahrein on the occasion of the Id-Ul-Fitr has stressed the gratitude which Moslems in the Persian Gulf owed to Great Britain for her help and protection both now and in the past,,. He warmly welcomed the alliance between Britain9 France and Turk~y and stated that all Moslems were on the side of the democratic powers in their fight ~gainst Hitlerism. ++++++++ Press Notice. SALVAGE CONTROLLER. ']he Minister of Supply has appointed Mr. H.G. Jud