PRESS REVIEW FOREIGN OF WORLD COMMENT ON THE WAR DAILY SURVEY INFORMATIONTHE MINISTRY OF RECEIVED BY TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS COMPILED FROM 75. 12th April, 1940 No. SPITZERLANDL "GERMANY PLAYING ALLIES' GAME. The wisdom of the German attack on Norway is .questioned in today's Swiss Press, The GAZETTE DE LAUSANNE, the Liberal newspaper, writes: "One seeks vainlyfor the advantage Reich's penetrating Norway. detachments of the The which made surprise landings at coastal towns can only receive supplies from the sea. The Allies can much more than can easily support the small Norwegian army Germany her expeditionary force. out her fleet on "By sending this adventure, Germany is simply playingthe Allies' game. In operations against weakly escorted transports, the Allies' superiority in destroyers will soon play an important part." Stating that it is noteworthy that German official reports repeatedly use the phrase "all is going according to plan", DER BUND, the Radical Democratic newspaper, declares: "This is an admission that the German plan of occupation already existed and was worked out to the smallest detail." The Zurich newspaper VOLKSRSCHT, the Social Democratic organ, writes: "The violation of two more small, peaceful, neutral peoples is having its effect through­out the world, although the conclusions that the world will draw are not yet and create clear. By speed audacity, Germany wished to an impression of strength and in this she was for internal political reasons doubtless momentarily successful. But the challenge British and French prestige requires that proof must to the be given of sea might." the provincial Radical Democratic organ. This paper adds: "We can look back only with disgust upon the German trick last year of offering the Northern neutrals non-aggression pacts. Only Denmark accepted the pact and inihis it was declared that in no case would either side resort to war. In the no value Sympathy for Denmark and Norway is expressed in the ST GALLER TA.GBLATT, circumstances, attaches to new German protestations that she does not intend, now or in the future, to infringe the territorial integrity or political independence of the occupied countries." BELGIUM: GERMANY'S’SUICIDAL STROKE". The general view of today's Belgian Press is that Germany's invasion of Norway is not so successful as was first thought to be the case. the LIBRE BELGIQUE, the Conservative organ, states: "After losing first the and LE the game, Allies are hourly regaining precious ground," PEUPLE, Socialist newspaper,writes: "The British Admiralty has been reproached by certain neutral journalists for lack of foresight. reasonably expect it to Can one foresee a suicidal stroke from the enemy, or even if they had foreseen it, to prevent such an act of folly. "The information at present received, implies that the German adventure in Norway is becoming a veritable disaster. " Almost without exception the Belgian papers emphasise, by headlines and of the far and communiques the importance Allied successes so many journals compare Norway's attitude of defiance with Belgium's in 1914, time, At the same the Press supports the Belgian Governments decision to .aintain a policy of neutrality and points out that such a decision must be backed by a deteminatioa to resist aggression. FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW WORLD COMMENT ON THE WARDAILY SURVEY OF INFORMA TIONBY THE MINISTRY OFREPORTS RECEIVEDFROM TELEGRAPHICCOMPILED 75* 12th April, 1940 w No. U. S. A: BRITISH ADIHRALTY *S ATTITUDE PRAISED. The belief that the British Admiralty is adopting the right course in its attitude towards the release of news of the naval action being fought off Norway is expressed in today’s NEW YORK TIMES. Recalling the premature release of news of the battle of Jutland in the war of 1914-18, this paper states: "The Admiralty is wise to keep silent. The validity of two facts is now established beyond question. With splendid courage Norway has mustered her small army in a desperate effort at resistance. The second fact is that the British fleet has begun the action with courage a and full realisation of the critical importance of the issue." The NEw YORK HERALD TRIBUNE speculates on the consequences of victory for either side in the "It is clear that victory for one naval battle, and adds: or the other side might be enough in its direct effects to decide the v/ar..... the war The possibility of Germany’s winning must be faced." A Stockholm dispatch to the NEW-YORK TIKES states that Allied mining activity in the Skagerrak will sever the German lines of communication. References to the U. S. attitude to the German invasions of Denmark and Norway were contained in an article in the WASHINGTON POST, which stated: "It must now be asked whether the subjection of Scandinavia to Nazi domination is regarded as a matter of no real consequence to the United States. If so, then Hitler may rest assured that any further blows he has in preparation will also be accepted tolerantly by a country unable to distinguish between security and the temporary immunity now vouchsafed, us. " Westbrook Pegler, the well-known columnist, in contrast with his usual attitude, condemned Germany. He wrote: "Any American business man who has attempted to operate in, or with, Germany can testify that it is folly to trust a German business firm under Nazi rule. Many great public improvements in Germany were paid for with money that Americans loaned in good faith and which Hitler then confiscated in bad faith. There is no excuse to for pretending think, so as to avoid a terrible decision, that the Nazis exclude the United States from their plan to conquer or dominate the peoples of the world and use them as robots to produce the means of sup-porting a chosen people. "The German is told that he is on a higher level. Americans are very frankly regarded, as mongrels or vermin. They offend the sight and the finer sensibilities of the chosen -people. To say that one hundred million patriots to arms to defeat the Nazis Hitler will spring is to beg the question because will not attack by arms until he has first disrupted and. corrupted his " "Germany whose propaganda in the United. States has largely been directed to keeping alive isolationist sentiment, has cancelled, whatever success she might have attained by the lightning invasion of Denmark and Norway," affirmed, the CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER. "Reaction toihis new inexcusable act of aggression will be far reaching on this side of the Atlantic, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland have always been held in the highest by Americans, they should be esteem That destroyed on the Nazi pretext of ’protecting* them and that Germany should extend her barbarous government to the most orderly and civilised countries in Europe, can only anger free men everywhere, " FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW WORLD COMMENT ON THE WAR DAILY SURVEY OF THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION REPORTS RECEIVED BY COMPILED FROM TELEGRAPHIC 75 l2th April, 1940 ‘ XT No. J..EDEIT: RUSSIA HATCHING DEVELOP! ENTS. -t-h... -•m ¦ .1 u—. >!¦ ¦ .¦¦¦¦l l¦ "Russia is keeping an eye on developments and there are rumours of long talks between the German Ambassador and the Russian Government. " This statement was made by the STOCKHOLMS TIDNII.GEN in an article which began by pointing out that despite the Danish surrender in order to spare the of an attack in the people war "it is possible that the country will be the object future and will suffer as a result of the blockade. "The British hope to entice the German fleet out to fight has now been fulfilled., but they have so far not succeeded in landing troops to help Norway. It is on that that the final issue depends. It would not be much help to defeat the German fleet and allow the Germans to remain in Southern Norway." After the reference to Russia keeping an eye on developments the article continued: "There is also news of Russian troop concentrations and the final Russian attitude will probably depend on whether Germany or the Allies win. " DAGENS NYHETER, the Liberal organ, stated yesterday: ’’The German statement declared that the action was taken to protect Norwegian neutrality, but the German Government appeared to doubt the Norwegian Government's appreciation of this explanation so strongly that they counted on armed resistance and. instructed their Minister in Oslo to inform M, Koht that this resistance would be broken down. " themselves did not Continuing, this paper pointed out that the Germans maintain that the invasion but that it was rather British mine-laying caused the due to the alleged Allied plans against Scandinavia, and. added: "But hitherto no German communique claims that the protection of Norway's peace, if successful, to " would be very advantageous the German war machine. Turning to the question of the U. S.A* DAGENS NYHETER added: "No doubt , exists as to the impression in America, where Mr, Roosevelt advised the Isolationists to think more about the implications of the European struggle than they have been doing. The President has never made any secret of what he thinks of the dangers of an Allied, defeat, and American policy has supported, the Allies since the outbreak of war. This policy is the best answer to Nazi propaganda in America attempting to convince Americans that Germany is fighting to save Europe from the Plutocracies. " The SOCIAL DEMOKRATEN pointed out the proximity of Sweden and Norway and the danger to Sweden of a German, victory in Norway. This x>aper stressed that so far the fighting had not been all to Germany*s advantage, and added: "German troops at Narvik are in a very difficult position since the British are sinking supply ships and other losses also are reported. "If the Allies succeed in cutting Germany off from Norway German troops would be isolated and. it would be impossible for the Nazis to pass through Sweden in view of Swedish neutrality which Germany has specially requested." "The German occupation of Norway seems to have met with a number of serious reversesI', affirmed the GOTEBORGS MORGONPOST,--Can Germany now demand a passage for troops over Sweden? If Gerinary--Bttcceeds in Norway England's situation is precaritms-,--bu't-even-so-'idie'"i)osition is not bright for Germany. " FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW DAILY SURVEY OF WORLD COMMENT ON THE WAR INFORMATIONTHE OF REPORTS RECEIVED BY MINISTRY COMPILED FROM TELEGRAPHIC 12th April, 1940. No. 75. GERIANY: NAZI PAPERS CONTRADICT THEMSELVES. In an effort to convince its readers that the naval battle off Norway is proceeding successfully from the Nazi point of view the German Press has con­ - tradicted itself some papers denied that a large battle was in progress, yet nearly all of them were full of alleged German victories at sea. The LOKAL ANZNIGRR wrote last night: "The story of an alleged great sea " battle is a fantastic fairy-tale. Similarly the DEUTSCHE ALLGE; LINE ZEITUNG declared: "The Anglo-French reports have followed, each other so rapidly that it is clear they can hardly have been examined. There is not a word of truth in the story of a great sea battle. The only fight that took place was at Narvik where three British destroyers were annihilated and disabled, another British destroyer was " The ANGRIFF said: "The alleged, sea battle was supposed at first to have raged, over a front of 250 miles, but in the English newspapers the front grew to 1600 miles and. the sea battle to be the greatest battle in world history.” In contrast with these statements the German Press and. wireless were full of a constant stream of alleged German sea and. air victories, and so often was the Nazi hymn of hate "Denn wir fahren gegen Engelland" (For we are off to fight against England) sung over possible to give only the wireless that it was one verse instead, of the usual two. The KOELNISCHE ZEITuNG used the headline "Ten Hours Lead. Before Unsuccessful action of Western Powers” and. wrote in a leading article: "According to unimpeachable evidence in the possession of the Reich Government the Western Powers intended, to occupy the whole of Scandinavia. The Anglo-French troops were then to advance south as quickly as possible and invade Germany. This flank attack prepared by the to which, judging by -past experience, western Powers the Scandinavian States would have offered no resistance, has now been forestalled by Germany through the Fuehrer’s bold decision.” further mention is made of the possibility of Dr. Goebbels publishing documents con­taining the "unimpeachable evidence”, which no doubt would be about as genuine as the last German .,hite Book, p;.-? ¦ described, by one American paper as "cooked, up propaganda. " This line is adopted by a number of German newspapers, although no A message issued by the German News Agency for publication in today’s papers ”improves” upon Nr. Churchill’s statement in the H ouse of Commons on the Rodney in two ways. First of all it says that Nr. Churchill admitted that the Rodney had been hit by several heavy bombs and then it argues that the Rodney 9 was not at Bergen at all. A/ell-informed, circles in Berlin',' it contends "know that the Rodney was so severely damaged, by direct hits in the raid on Scapa Flow on I‘arch l6th that she could, not -possibly have accompanied the British transports for the intended, occupation of Bergen. .evidently heavy damage the Rodney at Scapa longer be kept secret in Bngland, " to Flow could no The LOKYL ..UTZEIGER warned Sweden against printing reports favourable to the Some of the and wireless stations Allies, stating: 51 Swedish newspapers It has accepted the British lies with the utmost willingness. evidently escaped Swedish Government has proclaimed, its unconditional them that the neutrality and that this neutrality implies an attitude of reserve towards " obviously false and transparently tendentious reports. FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW DAILY SURVEY OF WORLD COMMENT ON THE WAR FROM TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS RECEIVED BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION COMPILED 75 l2th April, 1940 No. TURKEY: NORiA.Y * S INVASION "v/ILL CONTRIBUTE TO GERMANY * S DEFEAT." to the will contribute to her defeat." "Far from contributing the victory of Germany, latest developments This comment on the latest events in Norwegian waters was made in ULUS, the Ankara newspaper, which declared: "The German pretext that they only forestalled an Allied invasion of Scandinavia, is comparable only with other specious pretexts for the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia and Poland. The Nazi attack on Scandinavia had been carefully prepared or else the occupation could not have been effected so widely and swiftly* " CUMHURIf'ET wrote yesterday: "Once again it has been proved that the Totalitarians do not attach value to International Law. this Nevertheless, German reaction to an intensification of the blockade should be viewed with satisfaction, for it proves to neutral States that the present war, although apparently directed against the Allies, also constitutes a threat to their existence. The best answer to the German allegation that the Allies pro-to invade posed Norway is provided by the Norwegian denial that they had any such intention." After stating that the invasion of Scandinavia had once more proved how impossible it was to rely on German pledges, YENI SABAH declared: "The only language by Germany is that of strength. If all countries, understood great or small, grasp the situation properly and perform their duty accordingly, the Nazi plague .ould be stamped out in a shorter time." TAN, referring specifically to the Allies' mining of Norwegian waters, affirmed: "The measure -was the result of Norway failing to observe her of obligations strict neutrality." HUNGARY: REACTION TO NAVAL BATTLE. Though some Hungarian newspapers printed Berlin reports stating that the naval battle off Norway being won by the Germans, NEMZETI UJSAG, the Catholic organ, used the headline: "British Fleet Scatters German Transports in Skagerrak." also This paper declared yesterday that American public feeling was in favour of intervention* growing MAGYAR N'I.'ZET, the Christian Conservative newspaper, published Italian reports favouring the German point of view but added: "It would be a mistake to believe that the issue of the Scandinavian action will itself suffice to decide the issue of the German-Allied conflict*" The PESTER LLOYD ABENDBLATT had a leading article on the problem of collective collaboration on international territories and pointed out that recently frequent acts of shbotage had been reported in areas subject to international jurisdiction,, It was added: "The question arises whether some form of common control should not be established in the interests of the parties concerned. The strengthening of local police on a basis of parity may be the possible solution.” FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW DAILY SURVEY OF WORLD COMMENT ON THE WAR COMPILED FROM TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS RECEIVED BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION No. 75* 12thApril, 1940 EGYPT: ARAB SYMPATHY FOR ALLIES 1 IDEALS. Arab sympathy for the democratic ideals of Britain and France was referred to in AL AHRAM. Mahamed Ali Allouba Pasha, a Cabinet minister well-known for his interest stated in an interview with this paper: "we Arabs and Moslems in Arab affairs, in supporting the Allies and bearing the burdens of the international crisis, do so prompted by our conscience and our beliefs. Our religion and our traditions preach democracy which is no other than the freedom of consultation and justice, in defence of which the Allies entered the war. Our aims and efforts meet on a common ground, which is to ward, off from ourselves and the Allies the menace of those who disregard rights and. violate liberties. "We and the Allies have similar feelings which prompt us to stand up for right, the establishment of peace and. the spreading of justice. If our ally is victorious we shall all reax? 'the fruits of victory and shall emerge stronger and more united since hardships unite hearts and, bring the peoples together." BRAZIL: ROYAL NAVY’S "GREATEST FEAT". The action being fought by the British Navy off Norway is described by the GORREIO DA MAMA as "one of the greatest feats of a navy already covered in glory. " to This paper adds: "Only the Baltic remains open Germany. If Narvik is a so important that Germany attempted, such des-perate adventure, and. assuming that British troops are already there, Nazism has lost a decisive card v/hich may forecast the end of the war. " 0 JORNAL ridiculed the .German claim that the Allies intended to invade Scandinavia and emphasised that German preparations were made long before the attack. This also criticised S andinavia and. the paper c neutrals generally for not rallying to the Allies* side. URUGUAY: BELIEF IN BRITL iH _NAVY* S SUPREMACY. in the Belief supremacy of the British Navy was expressed, in the Honte Video newspaper EL PAI3# In an editorial article entitled "Rule Britannia”, this journal declared: to make "The Allies have at last decided, their strength felt where argument and the neutrals from their inaction. reasoning failed to move "Pear of Hitlerist atrocities was bringing about a singular neutrality imposed, by fear, according to which every action of the barbarians had. to be tolerated,while the civilised nations were expected, to to international conform law to the last comma of the most remote convention. "This situation could not continue. The Allies had to make it understood that they too, were in a position to use force as efficiently as their enemies. We would then "be faced with the strange paradox that only then would the fear-stricken "begin to think for themselves. The British Navy is on the move and has shown that Britannia may the civilised world "be thankful. „ ~. continues to " rule the waves, FOREIGN PRESS REVIEW DAILY SURVEY OF WORLD COMMENT ON THE WAR REPORTS RECEIVED BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION FROM TELEGRAPHICCOMPILED 1940 No. 75 12th April, HULLMD: "HAoSIVS HELP OF BRITISH NAVY." "The manly courage of the Norwegians and the massive help of the British Navy" were expressions used by HET VOLK, the organ of the Social Democratic Labouf Party, in commenting on the latest events in Norway. This paper added: "It now seems possible that the policy of aggression is going to end in failure." This writer strongly supported the Norwegian interpretation of neutrality and rejected the suggestion that other neutrals should now, prepare, with the Allies,for a possible violation of their own rights because "This would give Germany an excuse to fall upon us." The UTRECHTSNIEUWSBLAD v/rote: "The Germans have underestimated the Norwegians just as they have a ain underestimated the British Navy, In the last war, England was compared with a whale an unwieldy mass, but woe to others - when he gets going. "Now we see England in full action, full of activity and daring. She has had the shock she needed, and it is due to the greatness of the Germans to say that they alone have been able to give that shock. . It is also their fate. England, for the time being, is as if unchained. We are curious to see the moral effect on the German people when it discovers how it has been misled and what a the British are in the North Sea." power - 12/4/40 No. 1. FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE (MORNING) The following official communique was issued from French G.H.Q. this morning:­ REPORT. NOTHING TO 12/4/40 -NO: 2. Ministry of Health. Appeal for stretcher hearers at Hospitals, The Minister of Health has advised hospitals to recruit volunteers to act as stretcher bearers in the event or other which of air raids, in any emergency entails the moving large numbers of patients. of Men available for this work are asked to apply, preferably in writing, nearest large general hospital, to the voluntary and municipal, They they should state whether could attend at night or during the day, or both. They would only be called on when their services were required, and the work would consist of loading and unloading ambulances at the hospitals and in carrying stretcher cases inside the hospitals. Suitable instruction and practice would be given to accepted volunteers. MINISTRY OP HEALTH. - 12.4.40 No.3. R.A.F. BOMB STAVANGER AERODROME. The Air Ministry announces Two attacks were carried out yesterday evening by aircraft of the R.A.F. against the enemy who have occupied Stavanger aerodrome,One of our aircraft has failed to return. In the first, the enemy aerodrome was subjected to a very heavy attack by a formation of bombers. Our aircraft were met with .anti aircraft fire but strong dropped their bombs with accuracy and in addition to doing other set fire to damage the petrol dump. In the second co.se another formation of our aircraft carried out a low flying attack and raked with machine gun fire a large number of enemy aircraft which were drawn up on the landing ground. Much damage was seen to have been done. AIR AFFAIRS. 12 Not for public' t.ion before noon, Friday, April 12, 1940. PAPER TO BE READ AT SPRING MEETING OP THE INSTITUTE OP PUBLIC CLEANSING AT MANCHESTER ON APRIL 12TH,1940 "THE PROGRESS Off THE MUNICIPAL SALVAGE SCHEME" 3y J.C. Dawes, 0.-8.E., M.l.Mech.E*, Deputy Controller of Salvage, Ministry of Supply. Municipal salvage is not a new venture. Nearly all the refuse disposal plants erected in this country, since the last war have been of a type which makes salvage work possible. There were at the beginning of the present war no less than 70 of these tons of plants in England ana Scotland; .no less than 1,600,000 refuse per annum were, passed through the English plants, and some salvage work v/as done at each of them. / At many of them salvage operations were carried on intensively. In addition, some 20 Local Authorities have what are usually referred to as "organic" salvage plants for the reduction of abattoir and fish wastes to and fertilisers. feeding meals No to has other country, my knowledge, municipal refuse salvage plants of same type. In fact, comparatively few the it is municipal salvage plants of any type are used abroad and correct to say that more salvage work from domestic refuse has been done in Great Britain since the last war than in all the Continental countries combined. The modern refuse disposal plant of the separation or "salvage" type, as we know it, was as a result of introduced the activities of the National Salvage Council which was set up in 1917, and during, the last 20 years hundreds of' thousands of tons of useful materials have "been salved from house refuse and sold for millions of pounds. Soon after the present war commenced the Government, realising the importance of salvage work, decided to set up another organisation, not a Council this time, hut a special Department within the Ministry of Supply,, As you know, one of the first decisions taken Ly the new Department v/as to ask for monthly Salvage Returns from all Local Authorities in England and Wales v/hose districts have populations of 10,000 or over, and from districts in Scotland with populations of 5,000 or over. The first monthly Return was for November, 1939,'when it was found that the Local Authorities referred to were selling salved materials at the rate of 26,731 tons per month of a value of about £30,000, or £360,000 per annum. Tonnage details are given later. These figures can fairly be taken as representing the pre-war salvage operations of the Local Authorities in England and Wales because the new Department did not begin to function until the end of that month when the official Salvage Circular was the sent to all Local Authorities. The figures given represent value of salved materials sold, but they do not tell the whole story because they do not include the value of what might be called "indirect" salvage work which includes the sale or utilisation of steam for the generation of electricity or other purposes with a of coal. The value of this form of utilisation consequent saving might be estimated at £6,000 to £7,000 per month. /Again 2 Again, there is the increased value of reclaimed or improved land as a result of controlled tipping, but be no figure can given for this. If it v/ere possible to , give a figure if. would be substantial. The figures are,\ however, sufficient testimony to the pre-war determination-of the officers responsible to assist incidentally, their own ratepayers, as and when possible; but good as they may be for peace-time operations, they are not good enough to meet war-time needs. They serve one in that be used as a basis for public cleansing operations industry, and, can useful purpose they from which to calculate the value of the additional salvage work undertaken as a result of war-time activities, and, as I propose to show, they have now been considerably improved upon, but lest any should feel a sense of satisfaction at the improvement which has already teiken place, I must remind them that much further progress is absolutely essential in the national interest. I have referred to the figures of November, 1939 the of as a basis, because Salvage Department the Ministry of Supply came into being during November 1939, and issued its first general Salvage Circular on 30th November 1939* When the Returns for December were available it was found that a slight increase had taken place both.as regards value and the tons and tonnage, figures being 30,056 £32,869, whilst those for January of the present year were still better at 35,073 tons and £35,577, but the weather conditions this month were bad and interfered with during routine collection work, The tonnage figures for February are not yet available but the value is an the approximately £42,000, increase of over figure of November 1939* . Many Local Authorities now have excellent salvage schemes in progress, notwithstanding local difficulties experienced in the early stages, but many others are still doing comparatively little. As a matter of fact the negative Returns for February numbered 341 and represented a population 6-J-million; the 550 of positive Returns received represented a population of 32 million. The reason so many Local Authorities do no others do to be salvage work and many very little appears a mistaken conception of the relative importance, of salvage work at this critical period of the nation1 s be history; it must clearly understood, however, by every Local Authority and especially those with routine refuse collection services, that the salvage of such waste materials as paper, metals, bones, textiles and foodstuffs for livestock is equal in importance to munitions production, and the other war services, of which no one ever dreams of doubting the urgency. When the salvage of the materials to which I have referred, as well ,as others, receives the attention its importance now demands the results will, I hope, be very different from the figures given earlier in this paper and will render unnecessary the consideration of any form of compulsion. /When Y J When this important fact is generally realised it will be found that thousands of tons of waste paper, metals, bones and textiles, all of which are now important war materials, are available for collection in our own country. These materials ought to be, and in plain language, must be made available for our industries. I feel Sure that the Local Authorities will give the help necessary to secure this, and I am certain that the householders of the land are now prepared to do their part, provided they are told precisely what their Local Authorities expect of them, The waste materials I have singled out for emphasis are not the only 'ones required. For instance, the matter of collecting household kitchen waste has become urgent in many districts where the is other shortage of pig food now acute and, as you know, waste materials 'are scheduled in Salvage Circular No.l. I hope no one will mind my stating the present salvage position in plain terms; Ido so because it is necessary and to encourage Local Authorities and their officials to give the country the very best assistance possible. There are and will continue to he isolated cases where collections of, very'.small quantities of waste materials may not he practical, or economical, as for instance, in. remote hamlets, but .by far the greater part of the population, over four-fifths, is served by refuse collection services, and these services can become salvage services even if it means modifying the refuse collection arrangements should this become necessary. This has already“been done in a few hut cases, only a few; in the great majority of cases no important modification has been found necessary in order to proceed with salvage operations. . ¦ Effective municipal salvage work in war time means much, more than local collections and sales of waste materials.; it saves the lives of merchant seamen as well it ensures as their ships; it saves currency; regular materials supplies of raw to vital industries; it helps to the Air Force and keep the Expeditionary Force, the Navy supplied with equipment and munitions, and, indirectly, it helps with their food supplies• These immensely are important facts must he grasped and appreciated if we forward our maximum effort to win the war in the to put shortest possible time. I have often heard such remarks as these: "We have instructed the men to accept waste materials when are or "We have sent out leaflets hut the they offered”, response has heen poor”, or "The men are fully occupied with their normal work and cannot do more”, and so on, hut, on examination, these are often in the nature of excuses - and reveal a lack of enthusiasm the will in other words, to salve is not present. No has said that the materials are not one ever there to he salved, and no one has questioned the need for salving them, hut some have taken the view that if the Government want the materials they ought to introduce a national scheme to obtain them apart from the local /refuse 4 refuse collection services. No doubt this could be but what of the time done, and the cost? Think of the staff and equipment which would be needed to duplicate an existing routine service. Why increase the cost of to the war unnecessarily and add the already, heavy burden of taxation? The effective answer, however, is that many Local Authorities, large and small, have clearly demonstrated that the waste materials so urgently needed can be salved by grafting salvage schemes on to their refuse collection organisation. Many such schemes are now working smoothly and well and producing the desired results. If the standard reached in the best organised districts were .to become the standard in all districts the increased figures I have quoted would be by at least four times. In 25 towns the latest available figures show that salvage work at the rate of fully £35. per annum per thousand of the population is now being carried out; in 10 of these towns the figure is over £5O. At the other end of the scale many districts are still submitting nil returns and in many the figure is well under £5. per thousand. I am not suggesting that a fixed standard is practicable for all towns, because local conditions and methods of refuse collection and disposal make differences unavoidable. Further, most of or over the Local Authorities returning a figure of £35. have refuse separation plants, but not all of them; three dispose of the refuse by controlled tipping; what I is do seriously suggest that, given the nec-essary the towns below determination, present figures for the the £35. limit can be substantially increased and I hope and believe they will be and in the very near future. This "being a meeting of Public Cleansing Officers you will expect me to give you some detailed figures, because I know and understand your special interest in such data. The following are taken from and the Departmental Monthly Returns for November December, 1939 and January, 1940­ 1940 Value SALES January TonsSALVAGE 31st £ 33464 14464 7684979 7798 6013 1058 538922193 4211205 1520 1799 111417774 17962 1644 16623 -9392075 1925 2065 82325 70611219(42988) 815 5061247 1780 1882 — £96540 £42685 £139225 86276 2392768 3270 42988 91853 1940: 1940: 1940. OF TOTAL to Value months Tons 3 £ 20982 12482 8541 5923 3293 2144 399914901 308812542 --105 1101429 2804 2405 (6424)11414 (36564) 657 158 15361 February February for 29th DEPARTMENT JANUARY ST 31 TO 1939 NOVEMBER 1ST JANUARY Value Tons Value Tons Value £ 12630 5518 £ 7637 4993 3190 2328 £ 10923 374 3336575 14352688 2721 2380 532 450 785 114 3934795 7667 839 4600 1136 • 4 4 4 4 0584 8003411 205 3698059 2-443 2730 1852 1755 -347 816 492 8221380 41126 1497398 4120(21983) 27 25295 223 6976478 (1249)'20734) -725 378 439 250 834 67298 322 635 1262 -£35577 31 (approximately)106 948 1758 21983 35073 29269 Value 3130 -301 376 148 742 340 £32869 to 1939 November 1st months 4 for FROMSALVAGE -MONTHS 3 SUPPIY FOR OF SALES SALVAGE DIRECT DECEMBER Tons Value Tons 4391 £ 6844 4079 19502441 383 591 5926719 1241 5037 1781 » 4 4790 4741 1188 174 346 5432 » 4 4 69 22 3104581 4655(11269 50 37 4 4 4 4638 --4 4 4 4 4 4 4 •8712590 1120 (27i57(8553) 94 23 71 4230 4 6 488 64 5691041 1126930056 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ¦ TOTAL GRAND MINISTRY SALVAGE MUNICIPAL NOVEMBER Value Tons Value £ 9911 4555 £ 6501 3410 189 3567559 1101 2380 1440 1254 290 479 422 133 3756260 4863 12133264 1082 28496 572 4644 48 -317 670 197 409 19130 24724m(9736) --• 4 « 4 216 549 —291 403 280 £28094 1 76 32 33.779 9439736 26724 58158 Dust4 4 4 # OP RETURN Tons ! MATERIAL 2910 1645 Clean Other Paper " ' 770 4390 ! Scrap"ucLJLS Scrap" l.iw "Destructor"Black 01 p * • . 1100 • • . Metals Scrap Other Non-Ferrous Textiles Bottles • • • • 837• • • 2346 •1461 (2459)(7277) (Free)(Free)Purposes Purposes Dust AgricultureBrickmaking AgricultureCinder Other Other"Cullet" "Screened " " "For ManureJars Fuel £ • *> • • *• • Fertilisers BloodMeal OrganicMeat Dried Bones 4 . 670 • • . • Screened FreeFish ousCondemned Meal & Meal scellaneHousehold Bone Fats Waste Fish Mi TOTAL: 6 I had hoped to include the detailed figures for February, but this has not been possible because of the in delay in sending the Monthly Return Forms. As a matter of fact, the .whole of the Returns for February have not yet been received. On this point we should like it to be noted that returns, should'be sent in by the 15th of the following month. I can, however, tell you that the value of the salvage sold during February, in so far. as we know from the Returns sent in, is £42,685. ' You will be able to make many interesting deductions from the above data. For instance, the tonnage is the of waste paper increasing; figure for February was above and 6,773 tons, or, 23% that for January, 50% above that for November last; but the proportion of clean paper (60%) is too low,, much too low; we should like to see the clean paper tonnage increased four or five times. As regards ferrous metals the figures show fluctuations with a downward tendency, but the non-ferrous figures appear to be moving in the right direction. Textiles, too, have shown marked changes. The bone collections which are of very great importance, .are .poor but are improving; none of those results can be considered satisfactory for war time. You will be particularly interested in the figures for the collection of kitchen waste for pig food; the latest available show that 58 Local Authorities are now collecting, but in some places the amounts are quite small as yet. According to the Returns the surplus sold in January was 343 tons; 2.6 Local Authorities were keeping 3,651 pigs, but I think it can be taken that this figure is an understatement, in the above In assessing the figures given table it must be kept in mind that districts with and and under populations under 10,000 in England Wales, 5,000 in Scotland, are excluded; that the weather conditions in January seriously interfered with all collection work and that no creuit can be shown to indicate the value to waste merchants, dealers and voluntary collectors of the publicity work undertaken by many Local Authorities. It can, however, be taken for granted that this had the effect of waste material into the normal trade channels. turning much To sum up; the general inference to he drawn from the figures, and from the experiences of the Salvage Department the Ministry of Supply, is that the municipal of salvage scheme is now gaining momentum after a rather slow beginning. Over 550 Local Authorities out of a possible 1,112 are now making positive monthly Returns, but the amount of is not with work being done yet nearly enough, the result that the tonnage of the available waste material now being collected is insufficient to meet the needs of industry. The signs arc that the tonnage will he increased the before long, hut important question is how long, and hy how much? I appeal to the Cleansing Officers present, and to every Local Authority represented, to make every effort to schemes possible organise their local salvage cn the best possible lines and make available the greatest in the possible tonnage shortest possible time. /Before 7 Before I conclude I must a tribute to the pay work of the Honorary District Advisers of the Salvage Department. We have placed at the disposal of Local Authorities expert and sound practical advice and it is gratifying to know that the gentlemen who are acting as Honorary District Advisers have been kept very busy some of them exceptionally busy. This clearly proves that the Local Authorities value such advice and assistance, and at headquarters we know that as a result of the untiring efforts of the Honorary Advisers many Authorities have started salvage schemes or further developed these they had in being. It has been said for generations that if one wants'to “get a'good job done one must go to a busy man. We invited very busy men to act as our Honorary District Advisers and they have fully demonstrated the truth of the old saying. Ministry of Supply, Press Office, Adelphi, W.C.2. SH387. - 12/4/40 No. 5. R#A.P. ATTACK ENEMY SHIPS IN KATTEGAT The Air Ministry announces; During last night Royal Air Force bomber aircraft carried out attacks in force on enemy transport and supply vessels in the Kattegat and in the Great and Little Belts to the South# Preliminary reports indicate that among the objectives attacked was a vessel of about 8,000 tons, which blew up with a violent explosion and must have been carrying ammunition. AIR AFFAIRS No. 6. 12.4.40. MINES DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCEMENT. Petrol Coupons. BASIC RATION BOOKS. The current Basic Ration Books for private cars and motor cycles expire on the 30th April* 1 Few hooks to cover the period of three months Ist May to 31st July will he available on and after Monday next, the 15th April, at Local Taxation Offices and at Post Offices at which motor licensing business is transacted* of the must he at The Registration Book vehicle produced the time of application,, PETROL FOR FARMERS. Farmers and that others engaged in agriculture are reminded application for petrol allowances for use during the months of May and June should he made to the Divisional Petroleum Officer at once, The special application forms required can he obtained at Local Taxation Offices or at Post Offices at which motor licensing business is transacted and also from the County Secretaries of the National Farmers’Union, should he The Registration Rooks of any registered vehicles enclosed* It should he noted that farmers’ •private motor cars and lorries operating on carriers* licences should, nou he included in these applications* Current ”F” unit coupons issued for farmers1 petrol requirements are, as already announced, valid only for two calendar months from the date of issue stamped on the coupons Dean Stanley Street, Millhank, S.W. 1c 12th April, 1940, 900. 12.4.40. - 12/4/40 No.7. AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN. Not to be quoted as an Air Ministry announcement. AIR ATTACK ON GERMAN WARSHIP. An account is now available from one of our bombers taking part in the attack on enemy warships off the Norwegian coast on Tuesday, when at least one German cruiser was destroyed in the Bergen Fjord. The attacking formation of aircraft kept well above the clouds while crossing the North Sea* As the aircraft neared the Norwegian coast, the clouds thinned and eventually disappeared The thus preventing any surprise attack. aircraft approached Near two German Bergen in full view of the enemy. the Fjord cruisers and two destroyers were clearly visible, and within a few seconds the bombers were subjected to intense anti-aircraft fire. In the words of one bomb aimer "One of the cruisers was particularly antagonistic and was singled out for attack. We climbed several thousand feet, circled above the ship, and then flew away, later turning back to make the normal approach before attacking. Several bombs were dropped, one of which hit the ship with a terrific explosion. The warship emitted volumes of black smoke and ceased to fire at When we first reached the Fjord the cruiser was at anchor. Later, it moved about half a mile towards the main bay and then us. remained stationary". The crew of this aircraft were making their second operational flight: the first was when they took part in the raid on Sylt. The homh aimer had come from Johannesburg to join the R.A.P.: the captain of the aircraft is a native of Melbourne. - NOTE: This refers to Press Bureau Bulletins 10/4/40 No.B. and 11/4/40 No. 4* - AIR AFFAIRS. - 12/4/40. No. 8. EMPIRE AIR SCHEME R. A. F. EXPERTS ARRIVE IN AUSTRALIA. The first batch of officers and airmen from the Royal Air Force have arrived in Australia from England, and more under are expected soon to assist in the training of air crews the Empire Air Scheme* They are specialists in various branches of service aviation, including armament,, photography and engineering. The R 0 A, F„ instructors will be assigned to new Air Schools which have been established at various points throughout Australia and to technical schools. Australia has undertaken to men under the train 50,000 scheme, about half of whom will be pilots, gunners, wireless operators observers, ground personnel. and and the remainder To help raise the 50,000 men required, travelling recruiting units have been established at centres through- country out Australia to interview and enlist volunteers for the Royal Australian Air Force. Working in conjunction with recruiting sub-committees the travelling units will move about each State to the larger country towns, staying long enough in each place to absorb all These to the eligible men, travelling units are supplementary Central R A. F. recruiting depots which have been established in c each State capital and in Newcastle, New South Wales» BLOOD TRANSFUSION UNIT. The Australian Red a Cross Society has given mobile ’’Blood Bank” to the Second A 0 LF to enable transfusions to be e made with greater promptness in the field than ever before* The "Blood ’Bank" comprises a transport and refrigerating van, which carries 80 bottles of stored blood, and a service vehicle providing facilities for sterilisation, distillation of water, repair of transfusion apparatus, and the collection of blood from do2. rs o o DOMINION AND COLONIAL. AFFAIRS 12/4/40 -No 9 AUSTRALIA’S NEWSPRINT PRODUCTION TO START IN SEPTEMBER _ After many years of careful planning, the nev/sprint industry in Tasmania will probably start production in September. The announcement by the Australian Newsprint Mills, Pty.Ltd. comes at a time when Australia’s newsprint supplies afe threatened by wartime production and shipping difficulties* American and northern European softv/oods have long-hut provided the material from which newsprint is made, Australian scientists have devised a means of utilising Australia’s vast forests of hardwoods for paper manufacture. Alreay in Tasmania fine papers are from hardwoods, being made and now a process has been evolved whereby newsprint can be successfully and economically produced G DOMINION AND COLONIAL AFFAIRS• - 12/4/40 No.10. PRESS NOTICE* 1* The Admiralty give notice that the following area in the North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat is dangerous owing to - mines: Limit: from Dutch Territorial waters northward to latitude 56 degrees North, thence to a position in Latitude 60 degrees North, Longitude 4 degrees East, (a) West Longitude 5 degrees East (b) North Limits Latitude 60 degrees North to the Norwegian coast, thence South and East along the coast to Swedish territorial waters. (c) East Limit: Swedish territorial waters* (d) South Limit• (1) In the Kattegat Latitude 57 degrees North# (2) In the Skagerrak and North Sea, the Danish and German coasts and Dutch Territorial waterso 2, No mines will he laid in a channel extending ten miles - on either side of a line joining the following positions: (i) Ramskar Light latitude 58 degrees 46 minutes north, longitude 11 degrees 00 minutes East* (ii) Latitude 57 degrees 30 minutes North* longitude* 7 degrees 50 minutes East* (iii) Latitude 57 degrees 30 minutes North* longitude 4 degrees 38 minutes East* ADMIRALTY, S OW.I - 12/4/40 No. 11. WAR MARRIAGES IN AUSTRALIA* War wedding "bells are ringing in Australia in the last six months,. The Commonwealth Statistician states that in the last three months of last year, there were 2,462 more marriages than in the same period of 1938* The total number was 19>173# than 20/ of the bridegrooms gave their More occupations as "soldier"; DOMINION AND COLONIAL AFFAIRS. - 12/4/40 No. 12. PRESS NOTICE The following is an English translation of a speech which was to have been delivered by M. Hambro, President of the Norwegian Storting, on the Swedish wireless yesterday, April Hi ’’All who listen know roughly what is happening in Norway these days, and now that I have opportunity to send a -greeting from the Norwegian Government it is not to expatiate on details of military operations but simply to give expression to the steadfast and united determination and trust which activates Parliament and the Government. When, during the meeting held by Parliament at Hamar, the President enquired whether the parties desired, as usual, time for discussion and consideration, the reply came back that there were no longer groups or parties but a united people. "Never has the Norwegian Storting "been more calm or more dignified than in these days, strengthened by the natural balance and the unshakable sense of national duty of the King and Crown Prince; from the moment I stepped from the train in Stockholm, where I was met by a group of my compatriots of military age whose only wish was to serve Norway, every hour has been crowded evidence of with sympathy and generosity. Offers of gifts have streamed in. Early in the morning there came from a Swedish friend of Norway a cheque for 10,000 Crowns £6OO as a first contribution. ’'Through the Norwegian Legation in Finland offers have come from the Danish, English and French Ambulance Corps to proceed to Norway where their services may he of the greatest A the importance. report, too, has come, through legation contact of the with military chiefs in Norway-, determination which fills hoth them and their troops. Despite all the immense difficulties and they should in no way he underestimated mobilisation is proceeding. 2 With every hour greater strength and co-ordination is attained by the leaders of the country and throughout the Norwegian legations there is ceaseless activity* Nowhere does one see any signs of surrendering the country. Until the Government succeeds in re-establishing a nation-wide broadcasting system news from Norway and by the authorities statements will so far as is possible be sent out in Norwegian and English by « the British wireless only from news which comes direct from the Norwegian Government or is sent out in this way will the Norwegian people be able to have reliable information of what has happened and what is to be done. will be to the is being organised on all fronts Overwhelming streams of volunteers All possible help given country and already a are rushing to report at the Norwegian legations, especially in Finland where the young veterans of the heroic Finnish defence are willing to fight once more for the liberty of peoples and national The has independence. Norwegian people begun its days of trial but however long this trial lasts it will be short - by comparison with the life of the people., However hard, the ind.ivid.ual is pressed every suffering he hears in patience is a stone in the future edifice which these times are helping to construct., Most of us are faced with a period of heavy strain what we never believed could happen has - come to we are threatened by every conceivable type of pass ­Every one of us will call to mind the words of the old weapon. not and my - Norwegian psalm "And yet my heart was dismayed, soul .was faithful and steadfast in life, in death I know thy way, I am acquainted with both". 3 The worst thing for so many people is to he without news of their dearest ones, without knowledge of where they - are whether they are alive or dead, injured or unscathed. All who wish to reach those they love and are most concerned for, should take these words as a personal greeting from husband to wife, father to son ”he of good cheer, and - - confident, show worthy, he yet calm he none of you in douhts of your nation’s fate, of the success that awaits us, you are in the minds of your dearest ones, and in their prayers - let your love shine through your courage and your trust there is much as a race which we have failed to do, much we have to learn when all this is over, hut we shall have won the security we needed, we shall have learnt successful concord from the spirit of sacrifice which has lain so long unused deep in our hearts, there is hut one thought which lies uppermost in our minds God hless the land of our fathers, - may it hloom and flourish, may it endure and he strong. The - country sends greetings to one and all a united, strong people, groping its way through darkness and distress, trusting implicitly in the day to come, when right shall prevail and people shall he free. ” PRESS BUREAU. - AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN 12/4/40. No.13. an (Wot to be quoted as Air Ministry Announcement). R. A. F. OVER BALTIC* GERMAN AMMUNITION SHIP SUNK. Bomber command aircraft were in action over the Baltic last night and attacks were made on enemy ships over a wide area extending from Oslo Fjord in the North to the Baltic coast of Germany. One large vessel apparently an ammunition ship, was hit by a heavy bomb and blown up: a line of eight to ten vessels was attacked in the narrow waters of the great belt: a 5,000-ton supply ship .is believed to have been damaged, and bombing attacks were also made on a German Seaplane base on the Baltic coast. The ammunition ship was one of a formation of eight grey-painted vessels which were seen steaming at high speed through the great belt, heading north. A direct hit was registered on the ammunition ship which blew up with such force that the attacking aircraft were rocked by the force of the explosion. Further north, in the Baltic, another formation of enemy ships, steaming in line ahead, was attacked and heavily bombed, but the results could not be observed in the darkness* A 5,000-ton supply ship intercepted off the Southern end of Langeland just before midnight, was attacked and probably damaged by two large bombs which were seen to burst close to her stern. This attack was met by anti­ aircraft fire from the ship or from nearby shore batteries which was ineffective. NOTE. this refers to Air Ministry Issue No.s* (12/4/40) AIR AFFAIRS THE ; ECR TARY to the IHNI TRY OF TRANSPORT makes the following announcement:­ RETURN of the EU! ©ERL' OP PERSONS died in reported to have G-REAT BRITAIN' during the month of March, 1940, as a result of ROAD ACCIDENT;' , with comparable figures for the corresponding period in 1939, ;On roads subject On roads not ,to a speed limit. subject to a Total. Classification of Persons, sneed limit. 1 1939 1940 1939 1940 1959 1940 '* * * Pedestrians (i) under 15 years of age (ii) 15 andyears of age over Drivers of mechanically-rrouelled | i 64 123 62 187 8 38 | ; 7 66 72 164 69 253 vehicles other than motor cj^cles i 7 ' 4 12 9 19 13 Motor Cyclists 20 15 41 i 25 61 40 Pillion Passengers 1 - 8 9 9 9 Pedal Cyclists (i) under 15 years of age (ii) 15 years of age and i 2 10 4 ! i 4 6 14 over 45 27 58 i 34 81 61 Other Persons 26 20 19 1 17 45 37 1 - All Persons 289 325 168 \ 171 457 496 A detailed statement is attached showing the total figures reported by .JACK POLICE DISTRICT during the month of March, 1940, respectively, with comparable figures for the corresponding period in 1939, Analysis of figures for Parch, 1940, to show the fatalities during "hours of darkness" and "other hours" respectively. Classification of Persons, On roads subject On roads not to a speed limit. subject to a Total. speed limit. Hiring-During During iDuring During During hours of other hours of |other hours of other darkness.hours. darknessjhours, darkness.hours. 359 16 465 of and over 122 G5 53 13 175 78 pedestrians (i) under 15 years of age (ii) 15 years age Drivers of mechanically-propelled vehicles other than motor cycles 2 2 3 6 5 8 3 12 10 13 motor Cyclists 15 27 45 45 - Pillion Passengers - 4 115 Pedal Cyclists (i) under 15 years of age 1 9 and (ii) 15 years of age 9 IS 1618 25 36 Other Persons 2 18 6 11 8 29 over All Persons 142 183 93 78 235 261 2 - ROAD ACCIDENTS GREAT BRITAIN. Statement showing for EACH POLICE DISTRICT the number of persons reported to have died during the month of March, 1940, as a result of road accidents compared with the corresponding period in 19390 Police Districto 0 England B edfordshire Bedford County Bedford Luton Berkshire Berks County Reading Windsor Buck!ngharnshire Buckingham County Chepping Wyeombe Cambridgeshir e Cambridge County Cambridge Isle of Ely Cheshire Chegter County Birkenhead Chester Congleton Hyde Macclesfield Stalybridge Stockport Wallasey Cornwall Cornwall County Penzance Cumberland & Westmorland WestmorlandCumberland & Carlisle Kendal Derbyshire Derby County Chesterfield Derby GrlOSSOp Devonshire Devon County Exeter Plymouth Tiverton Dorset County During hours of darkness» 2 - — 3 — — 2 - 1 1 3 2 - 1 — — — 1 1 3 —* i i i 1940 During other hours e Total. 1 -2 3 -2 5 1 8 1 4 6 — 1 3 3 1 — — — 1 1 l i I — 1 2 6 5 1 1 — —* 2 1 2 3 1 4 - % o 7 K 6 - 1 2 3 1939 3 1 4 2 — —11 3 — *• 11 1 — 1 1 2 5 5 3 2 — 4 - - 3 1940 Police District. During hours During Total 1939. of darkness. other hours. Durham Durham County 3 4 7 16 Gateshead - 1 1 2 Hartlepool 1 - 1 South Shields 1 — 1 Sundorland - 1 1 2 Essex Essex. County 5 6 11 3 Col Chester - ~ — Southend-on-Sea - 2 2 1 C-louce stershire Gloucester County 6 4 10 11 Bri stol 5 2 7 3 Hampshire Bouthampton County 5 3 8 4 Isle of Wight 2 2 Portsmouth - 1 1 3 Southampton 1 - 1 2 Winchester - - Herefordshire Hereford C ounty 1 1 2 Hereford - - — 1 Hertfcrdsnire Here ford C ounty 3 3 6 3 St, Albans - - - - Huntingdon County 2 2 4 1 Kent Kent County 2 9 11 11 Canterbury ... - - Dover - - — — Folkestone — 1 1 1 Gravesend -­ — — Maidstone - — Margate - - - - Ramsgate ~ - - - Rochester - - - Tunbridge Wells — 1 1 - Lancashire Lancast er County 8 4 12 16 Accrington - 1 1 - A shto n-under-Lyne - - - - Baoup 1 - 1 - B arro w-in-Furne ss 1 - 1 1 Blackburn - - - B laGirooo 1 1 - 1 - Bolton — 1. 1 2 Bootle - - - 2 Burnley 1 - 1 1 Cl1theroe •* - - t Lancaster 1 - 1 - Liverpool ... 5 5 5 Manchester 10 4 14 2 Oldham - •» - 3 Preston 1 - 1 - 4 Police District i j ! | During hours of darkness.| 1940 During other hours* Total, 1939 Lancashire (cont'd.)Rochdale Stc Helens Salford Southport Warrington Wigan 1 2 1 2 — 1 2 1 1 1 i 2 o O 3 1 3 1 o 2 — Leicestershire Leicester County Leicester 1 1 1 1 2 2 t i ( 6 1 Lincolnshire Lincoln Boston County 4 — 1 5 8 Grantham Grimsby Lincoln —. — - - — i JL - 1 London City Metropolitan 19 39 58 1 66 Monmouthshire Monmouth County Newport — - •Mi 1 1 2 2 Norfolk Norfolk County Great Yarmouth King* s Lynn Norwich Northamptonshire Northampton County Northampton Peterborough Liberty Peterborough Northumber1and j 2 — -2 -1 - 2 1 -4 1 - 4 1 6 1 1* |i ! 1 j ! i lI i 2 2 4 1 - Northumberland County Newcastle-upon-Tyne Tynemouth Nottinghamshire Nottingham County Newark 1 --1 — 2 2 -4 _ ! 3 3 ~ 5 ! ! ji i 1 3 4 Nottingham 5 3 8 3 Oxfordshire i i Oxford County Oxford 1 - 1 - 2 - 6 2 Rutland County — 1 1 i i mm. 5 Police District*. 1940 Salop Salop County Shrewsbury Somersetshire i During hours During of darkness.! other hours# | I i i 2 1 —|i t ji I r » Total, . r 3 ' 1939 -1 Somerset Bath County 4 1 7 - 11 1 8 Bridgwater — W mm i Staffordshire i Stafford County Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke-on-Trent 4 -1 3 1 * 7 1 1 IS i Walsall 1 1 2 1 Wo1verharap ton 1 •m 1 i i 2 Suffolk Suffolk Bast Suffolk Vest Ipswich County County 2 - 1 1 «• 3 1 - i i 2 1 Surrey Surrey County Cuildford 2 - 1 3 - ! i ! 7 2 Reigate Sussex ' Sussex Bast Sussex West Brighton Eastbourne County County — 1 1 1 — -3 2 1 — 1 | j -4 3 2 - | j{! ? 1 l 1 1 Ha stings Hove -— 1 1 ! i l i ¥ Warwickshire Warwick County Birmingham Coventry Leamington 3 2 -— | 3 6 1 6 8 1 ! • 6 9 4 Wiltshire ! Wilts County Salisbury 1 - 3 - - i i 4 Worcestershire Y/orc ester County Dudley Kidderminster i 2 -** 1 1 — j ! 3 i mm j 5 -2 Worcester 1 ! 1 2 Yorkshire » l 1 • T i i i | East Riding County Kingston-upon-Hull North Riding County Middlesbrough Scarborough York 1 l ! ! 2 2 - \ i 1 1 j -1 -- : i 1 -5 2 - jf !i 4 5 4 3 - 6 • 1940 Police District* During hours of darkness* During other hour s * Total. 1939 Yorkshire (continued West Riding County Barnsley Bradford Dewsbury Doncaster Halifax Huddersfield Leeds Ro therham Sheffield Wakefield * 15 o 2 -1 5 -4­- 6 -1 -n ... ... o -* O iU — 21 2 3 -2 — -8 -6 ~ 21 -5 --1 — 7 1 6 1 Total- England 192 216 410 395 Wales-, Anglesey County - 1 1 - Brecon County - 2 1 - Caernarvon County 1 ... 1 - Cardigan County 1 - 1 - Carmarthenshire Carmarthen County Carmarthen o (Ct — -¦ ... 2 — -1 D en'bigh Coun ty 1 1 2 o Flint County Glamorganshire Glamorgan County Cardiff Merthyr Tydfil Neath Swansea ; ji o -L --1 1 1 ---1 1 4 1 --2 i -8 2 -1 - Merioneth County - - - Montgomery County 5 1 4 2 Pembroke County 1 2 X~7 o - Radnor Total, County Wales, ¦ ‘™ 14 ... 9 93 j IS Police District Scotland » Aberdeenshire Aberdeen County Aberdeen Angus Angus County Arbroath Dundee Argyll County Ayrshire Ayr County Ayr Kilmarnock Banff County Berwick County Bute County Caithness County Clackmannan County Dumfries County Dunbartonshire Dunbarton County Dumbarton East Lothian County Fifeshire Fife County Dunfermline Kirkcaldy Inverness-shire Inverness County Inverness Kincardine County Kircudbright County Lanarkshire Lanark County Airdrie Coatbridge G-lasgo?/ Hamilton Motherwell & Wishaw 7 During hours of darkness. 1 1 - - - 5 - — - - - •­ - - 1 — 1 - - 1 — - - 1 - - 4 - — 1940 During other hours . 2 1 - 1 - 5 1 - - - - - - 1 1 - - - — 1 - - 2 - 1 14 - — Total . 1 3 1 - - 8 1 — - - - - 1 2* — 1 - - 1 1 - ... rj o — 1 18 — 1939. j T 8 - 1 1 - 3 - — - - - - 1 |3 ~ - - - 1 1 — — - 2 1 - 13 1 - 1 Midlothian . Midlothian County 1 2 136 Edinburgh 8 1940. Police Distract.. Buring hours of darkness« During other hours* Total. 1939c • Moray & Nairn County -* Orkney County - - - 1 Peebles County - - - - Perthshire & Kinross Perth & Kinross County Perth 1 — 1 — 2 — 1 Renfrewshire Renfrew Comity Greenock Paisley 2 -1 1 -— 3 — 1 2 Ross and Cromarty County 1 - 1 - Roxburgh County 4 - 4 - Selkirk County Stirling County -1 -2 -3 — 2 Sunderland County West Lothian County -2 -1 -3 — 2 Wigtown County - - - — Zetland Zetland Lerwick County — u mrn - Total, Scotland Total Great Britain 29 235 34 261 63 496 46 457 Ministry of Transport, 12th April, 1940. 12th April, 1940. No, 15 M.a.F. 191 OF MINISTRY AGRICULTURE ANNOUNCEMENT MOHS FOOD FROM THE FaHM. Kale for Winter Feed. Kale is of double interest to farmers at the present moment, because not only is it a crop safe to grow on ploughed up and one that can be sown to the end of June or even grass mid-July, it provides produced feeding but also a valuable home to stuff from August April. The Ministry of Agriculture have just published a new "Growmore" leaflet on the subject., No. 27, single copies of which are obtainable free on application to 10, Whitehall Place, S*W. 1. It gives details for feeding it to cattle, sheep and pigs* The Kale are crops heavy yielding, marrow-stem, for example, will sometimes exceed 30 tons per acre, although 15 to 20 tons are more usually obtained. Its feeding value swedes is high, exceeding that of especially in protein and mineral content. 12/4/40 No. 16. - Broadcast Verbatim Home Service. BOARD OP TRADE AIR!QUITCEMENT, In view of the uncertainties in the military and political situation at present existing with regard to Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and Russian ports on the Baltic and Arctic Seas, the Board of Trade have made an Order, which comes into force immediately, prohibiting the exportation, except under licence, of all goods from the United Kingdom to those destinations. All outstanding licences for exports to these destinations have been revoked. The Order does Greenland and the Faroe Islands. not apply to Iceland, Board of Trade, 12th April, 1940. 12.14. 40 No 17 NATIONAL FOOD CAMPAIGN . Appointment of Lecturers etc A. In connexion with the National Pood Campaign, the Ministry of Pood is relying upon co-operation the of local Education Authorities, commercial undertakings such as Gas and Electricity Companies, Women’s Institutes, Townswomen’s Guilds, etc., who employ their own staffs of lecturers and demonstrators. In these circumstances there is no occasion to make additional appointments staff of the Ministry who are, therefore, to the unable to consider any such applications. Any vacancies which may arise in future will he filled in consultation with the Ministry of Labour and National Service. MINISTRY OFFOOD - 12/4/40 No. 18. AMENDMENT OP FEEDING STUFFS (MAXIMUM PRICES) ORDER 1940. The Minister of Pood has made an Order, which is to come into force on Monday 15th April, amending the above Order. Apart from certain minor drafting amendments, Order a new the substitutes Schedule for the First Schedule of the principal Order. Since the principal Order was made in January, the prices of sacks and bags have receded from the very high level then prevailing. The prices of nearly all the home produced cereal feeding-stuffs that are sold in bags, gross weight, have consequently been reduced by 5/­per ton, and the deductions that must be made when such feeding-stuffs are sold nett weight, have been reduced accordingly0 A number of additional commodities are included in the new Schedule. The more important are as follows: Cut or kibbled wheat £9.17*6d per ton gross, sacks included »t it itit Wheat provender mixture £9. 5•Od it »f itit Flaked or rolled wheat mixture £10. 7«6d Barley meal and maize meal if itit mixture £9, 7.6d tr Home grown oats, crushed,rolled or cattle ground £13» O.Od it it it it it• it .M Home grown oats,Sussex ground £1 3.1 Od it Home grown oats, clipped £13. 2.6, ti (excluding sacks ) The prices prescribed for feeding meat meal and meat and bone meal, for feeding bone flour and for unground meat and bone (greaves) were announced on the 24th Marcho The maximum for home price grown beans, viz•£lo per ton, remains unaltered and applies to all such beans except:-spring field beans which are certified by the buyer to be bought for the of purpose sowing; cluster, tic beans, runner, climbing and dwsKf French, and kidney, Seville, broad and soya beans.. As recently announced, prices for dried sugar beet delivered in April, May and June are the same as those for beet delivered in March. MINISTRY OFFOOD. - 12.4.40. No. 19. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED OR BROADCAST BEFORE THE MORNING OF 13th APRIL. COLONIAL SECRETARY,. BRITISH HONDURAS. It is announced by the Colonial Office that Mr. R.E.Turnbull, Colonial Administrative Service, Officer Class has IV of the Malayan Civil Service, been selected for appointment as Colonial Secretary, British Honduras, in succession to Mr. W. Johnston, who has been Leone. appointed as Comptroller of Gustoms, Sierra DOMINION AND COLONIAL AFFAIRS The War Office, S.W.I. 12th April, 1940. is the latest list of German The followingPrisoners of War. Rank Christian Name(s) Surname Where from Age Leutnant Rudolf Gustav Adolf BEHNISCH Tillendorf 27 Oberstleutnant Hans HEFELE Utwingen 34 \ Unteroffizier Albert Wilhelm Johannes Heinrich. WEBER. Iserlohn i/Westfalen 26 Unteroffizier Alfred BAIHLS Oberkirch The following list of ENEMY DEAD is issued for publication. Surname Christian Particulars Place and Date Names on Identity Rank Unit of Death or of Disc Finding of Body Quadt Rudolf ' 62750 T 1 Olt. Air Force Washed on the ashore j j i Northumberland coast.6.4*40. Hartung i Gustav ? 62750 2. i i Pel. Air Force Washed ashore on the Northumberland » i j coast.5.4.40. ITunderling 62750 Uoff. Air Washed ashore ! 25. Force on the Northumberland j I . coast. 6.4*40. I2th April, 1940. No 21 . M.A.F. 192 JOINT ¦n.lNOUi CEMENT BY AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENTS - LINSEED a YaLUaBLE CROP F'OR LaTE SORING now Arrangements have been made to provide a market for all the linseed which farmers this season. The grow Ministry of Food will purchase linseed which is surplus to farmersT requirements for stock feeding,, The price to be paid for good sound seed will be the marnet price of imported linseed in this country next autumn Growers will also have o the option of obtaining 10 cwt of linseed cake for each ton of linseed delivered. Linseed is a useful crop for sowing as late as May it is on newly ploughed grassland., especially because comparatively immune to damage by wireworm and rabbits. Supplies of seed suitable for sowing can be obtained through merchants and practical advice about growing linseed is given in Growmore leaflet No. 13 which may be obtained free from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, 10, Whitehall Place, London, S.W. 1. - 12/4/40 No. 22 PRESS NOTICE The Minister of Supply to-day received a deputation to discuss questions relating to the taking over of the 1940 Home wool clip. The deputation consisted of representatives of the National Farmers Union, Ulster Farmers Union, National Farmers Union and Chamber of Agriculture of Scotland, Scottish Sheep Breed Societies, Highland Agricultural Society, Land and Property Federation of Scotland and the Northern Pastoral Club,. MINISTRY OF SUPPLY. As this script is issued in 12/4/40 - No. 23 advance it should he checked hythe actuajThroadcast .9. 20 9735 - -p.m. NOT FOR PUBLICATION BEFORE 9.35 p.m. TODAY. ONCE A WEEK A TALK BY »ONLOOKER”. Broadcast in the 8.8.C. Home Service at 9,20 p.m, on Friday, April 12th, 19*4-0. The great and moving events in Scandinavia during this pastweek have rivetted our attention. History is being made; and these momentous happenings, which may well be decisive in their effect the and upon war so upon the world, have occupied our minds to the exclusion of well-nigh all else. I'm sure that’s just how you felt; eager for every scrap of news; buying up papers as they came out; listening to the the wireless; and praying that this latest treachery of Hitler should receive its swift retribution. Well, much still remains obscure; and undoubtedly there are great events impending, But certain things are plain for all to see. Tonight will not he wasted if we reflect on some of these things. When the news of* the invasion of Denmark and Norway was made known, there was one instantaneous reaction,. If anything had been needed to steel the resolve of the Hitler had Allied peoples, certainly supplied it. Once again was it made plain that nobody in the world is safe from the savage violence of Germany; that the pledged word of Hitler is less than nothing; and that the weak and no helpless can expect mercy. Think of Denmark tonight„ of you know that little Many country and perhaps have happy memories of its great peace-loving than to be people. Denmark certainly desired no more a good neighbour; she had practically no army or navy; and was content to live in peace. She had accepted the offer of Germany for a non-aggression pact which was to last for ten years and which used the solemn words ’'that in no circumstances will Germany and 2 Denmark go to war or employ any kind of force against each other. " That was less than a year ago and tonight the whole of Denmark is - in German hands. Already the peaceful Danish people are feeling the lash of the oppressor; and already they are being treated as a conquered people; and all their lives made subject to German domination. And If m sure that you felt a great oppression of spirit to think that the nakedly evil things of this world should have such that the bully should be able to trample upon the defenceless; power; and that innocent people should be thrust into such Unmerited suffer­ ing* For Danish people are just like you and me, loving their homes and concerned about their land, their children, their businesses, - their jobs and the things which make up life and now it T s all gone, and they must obey a brutal and serve his conqueror in all things, purposes. had had her sunk And what Norway done? She seen ships without warning when pursuing their lawful trade; had seen she her seamen murdered; and despite all her efforts to placate the powerful tyrant she had been living in perpetual fear of what Germany would do. She was too weak to protest in the only way that Germany can - and and ‘then without warning she is invaded, her ports are seized, her capital is taken; and she is plunged into all the horrors of understand, and endured the murders, the suffering, the loss modern war. Such is the new page of German v/ickedness, and all the signs and portents are that there is more to follow. worth while to discuss Now, it scarcely seems the pretext that the German action was taken because mines were laid in Norwegian waters. Nobody now doubts that the plans had been long and carefully laid, and that Germany* s attitude to Scandinavia has been long one course of lying hypocrisy. But this at least is clear that the closing of the corridor through Norwegian waters was regarded by the Germans as momentous, even vital. Not only did the Swedish iron ore pass down that route, but by reason of Norwegian neutrality Germany was able to draw supplies from the outside world as well. What the real reasons may be for the invasion of Scandinavia time but all the Hitler has will reveal; experts seem to agree that committed the gravest strategical mistake. Lord Halifax said on Wednesday that the German action might be the result of some internal weakness in Germany, of which we were not wholly aware; but Mr. Churchill has said that it certai.nly doubles the efficiency of the Blockade of Germany by destroying " this neutral "accursed corridor. Whatever the real truth may he it seems tolerably plain that the economic warfare ceaselessly carried on by the Allies, and of which the closing of this sea-route was the latest example, played a great part in forcing Hitler to a decision. It may be that the food of Denmark was the great temptation# There are many signs of shortage already appearing in Germany, despite the immense efforts the Government is making. Severe rationing, rigid control, the development of every conceivable kind of substitute, the the husbanding of resources which have been accumulated, ingen­ - uity displayed in cheating the blockade all these things have not been enough to prevent the signs of shortage appearing. s /Denmark1 3 Denmark’s butter, bacon and were sent in immense eggs quantities to Britain every year. They will come no more during the war and Germany will have that immediate benefit. She will also have the benefit of the Danish stocks of petroleum, which is another vital German need; and it is certain that Germany will seize all the stocks of any commodity of which she is short which are in Danish hands. But when this immediate benefit is and it can last over, but for a short time, Germany's position may be worse than ever. to be The population of Denmark will have provided for; and the main Danish industries are utterly dependent on imported feeding-stuffs and fertilisers from overseas. Seventy per cent, of the maize required for pig fodder (and Denmark has three million pigs) comes from the Americas, as do the stocks of wheat oil-seeds for cattle-cake come and rye; and practically all the from the British Empire; and fertilisers in great quantities from overseas. All these are now instantly cut off by the supplies operation of the blockade and dairying industry the Danish is in danger of being destroyed. Moreover, Britain paid for the dairy produce of Denmark by exporting coal, metal, rubber, textiles, and none of these things will now be sent. Germany has already enough trouble in supplying her own people with these things, but with Denmark added, the shortage will be pronounced and will fall - heavily on the Danish people, and on the German people as well. It is this factor which leads to the belief that the invasion of Scandinavia is but the prelude to further lightning aggression elsewhere; for in this case Time is on the side of the Allies and the deadly enemy of Hitler. But the Blockade which works slowly but with infinite sureness, will not be relaxed, and as in the last war, despite the changed conditions, will develop into a complete stranglehold, and in conjunction with the fighting forces will as surely bring Germany to her knees. And in this connection there’s one point which has appeared in many of your letters which needs a little clear thinking. The aims of economic warfare against Germany, which is usually described as the Blockade is simply to reduce Germany’s of all kinds powers to fight by preventing goods from reaching her. This inevitably, and of necessity, includes foodstuffs of all kinds; and gives rise to the charge made by the enemy that such conduct is waging war on women and children, rather than on the armed forces. The making of that change shows some knowledge of the British people, for in the midst of war, charges of inhumanity are greatly resented. It is perhaps well to say, in passing, that Germany who makes this charge as part of her propaganda has Been continually engaged in a submarine campaign of indiscriminate sinkage, and reckless and illegal sowing of murderous mines in order to stop cargoes of foodstuffs reaching this country; and boasts to her own people that Britain is blockaded and will be starved into submission. It scarcely lies in Germany’s mouth to make the charge at all.’ But in October of last year Soviet Russia added her voice to that of the enemy in protest and it is interesting now /to -k- to recall the words used then. Russia said: "It is known that the universally recognised Principles of international law do not permit the air bombardment of the peaceful population, women, children and aged people. On the same grounds the Soviet Government deems it not permissible to de­prive the peaceful population of foodstuffs, fuel and clothing This protest came before that self-same Government had not only rained bombs on the peaceful population of Finland, but had deprived many of the women, children and aged people of that land of their very homest But the falsity of the comparison is obvious at once. Despite every form of air-raid precaution which any Govern­ment can devise, no Government can give complete immunity to its people! If people are killed or injured they are killed or injured by enemy action. But the German Government, if they wanted to do are so> perfectly well able to save their people from hunger and want. They have only got to direct their policy to that end and make use of the resources and which ho Blockade v/hich they possess, can affect* Britain cannot prevent the German people being properly fed; they can’t prevent the materials which should be used for food being used for munitions. The matter is entirely in the hands of the German Govern ment. That is the complete and final answer to the charge. In a v/ord, the protests from both these sources are a tri­ the bute to efficiency of our economic warfare: and the appeal to considerations of humanity are completely hypocritical* For to-day, in the matter of foodstuffs it is impossible to make any distinction betYireen the armed forces and the civilian population* Whole nations with all their resources and populations are mobilised for the struggle. And nowhere more-so than in Germany. Field-Marshal Goering put the alternative of "Guns or Butter" as a part of German policy, deliberately to he followed. Ever since the Nazi Party came to power in Germany there has "been a shortage of 'fats* for human consumption. This had nothing to do with Blockade: it was due to German policy and parti­cularly the policy of Re-armament* Pats are not only human food: they are also food for guns: they are used for explosives. To allow would "be to Germany to import Lard, or Bacon, or Butter for example, present her directly with food for guns, for they are so used without thought for‘the v/omen and children. To allow Germany to import grain or potatoes, for example, would he to present her directly with fuel for her Tanks and Aeroplanes, for they are used hy Germany to make spirit for this purpose* In a Y/ord if food was not conditional contraband of war, German armaments could he most powerfully increased without hindrance as these examples show. And when I that the German Government have it within say their power prevent their civilian population from suffering to hunger, I am only saying what those who have made a life-study of the situation declare to "be the truth* 5­ is and In respect of Pood, Germany practically self-supporting, if she devotes the food for her people to making munitions of war she cannot complain if Britain stops the supplies. Listen to Sir William Beveridge -He says: ’'Every year since Hitler came to Power there has been more fat in Germany: but every year since Hitler came to Power there has been for the German people less fat than they wanted, and less than they had before then. The German guns have swallowed it]’1. And there’s something perhaps more important still! If foodstuffs were removed from the contraband list, and the enemy was allowed to import them freely and use them for war purposes, as he undoubtedly would, this war would be enormously prolonged. to T.he great ambition of all right-minded people is not prolong this war by one day beyond what is necessary. - Every day the war lasts means loss of valuable lives - the lives of our and airmen and nobody could soldiers, sailors, contemplate a weakening of our economic warfare which would result in that.’ In all our pride of the last week in the wonderful achieve­ ments on land and sea, high in the skies, or on the tempestuous waters, there has been the saddening thought of the brave lives laid down: and to prolong the war by one day when we have a weapon in our hands to shorten it, and to throw that weapon away would be worse than - - folly it would be a crime] This weapon of economic warfare - universally recognised by international jurists is being re-and value is that morselessly applied: its greatest for all of us without doubt, it brings our victory nearer. BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN, 12/4/40 No. 24. an (Not to be quoted as Air Ministry Announcement) AIR FIGHT OVER BERGEN FJORD A Wireless Operator in a Coastal Command Aircraft continued to send left hand after he had messages with his been shot in through the right elbow an air battle today (Friday). The aircraft, a Hudson, was on reconnaissance in a Fjord near Bergen when it met a Dornier Flying Boat* There was a short sharp fighto Several good hursts of machine-gun fire entered the Dornier which, however, escaped into the clouds* The Hudson was also struck in several places. After the Wireless Operator 1 s injury had been dressed he insisted on carrying on tapping the key with his left hand. He sent messages reporting the fight and the reconnaissance result of the to his base. The air-gunner in the rear turret had a narrow escape. He had fired several hursts when a defect developed in one of his guns He hent down to remedy it* As he did so, a stream o - of “bullets struck the turret exactly where his head had "been a second before. The only damage was a shattered panel. AIR AFFAIRS, - 12/4/40. No. 25. FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE (EVENING) Paris, Friday, April 12, 1940. The following official communique was issued this evening from French General Headquarters-’­ ARTILLERY ACTIVITY BETWEEN THE VOSGES AND THE RHINE. - AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN. 12/4/40 No.26. R.A.F. RAID ON NAZIS AT STAVANGER. toBe as an (Not quoted Air Ministry announcement). In an audacious Bombing raid By British aircraft last (Thursday) night, considerable damage was done to the air fields at Numerous German Stavanger in Norway. fighter and Bomber aeroplanes were wrecked By machine gun fire?, and many of the staff and aircraft personnel were killed* The raid was carried out by Wellington bombers of the Coastal Command, accompanied by long-range fighters. The dived fighters arrived at Stavanger first, uponthe the aerodrome, taking the enemy by surprise* They sprayed air field, aircraft and hangars with bullets before the anti-aircraft defences could be brought into action. Between them, they seriously damaged three Junkers Bombers and, it is estimated, killed or injured twenty of the personnel in this initial attack the aerodrome* The moment the attack upon finished and the British aircraft Began to climb for a further anti-aircraft fire Broke out. They escaped damage'* offensive, intense machine-gun and Half an hour later the Wellington bombers arrived* the down on Stavanger in another Approaching from East, they swept surprise attack, dropping heavy bombs* Immediately, the bombers were met by intense but inaccurate, anti-aircraft fire Despite this they returned to o the attack, machine-gunning enemy machine-gun posts, anti-aircraft batteries, hangars, and aircraft on the ground* Consideraßle damage was done and a great fire started. By this time many German fighter aircraft had reached the seen© attacked raiders from neighbouring aerodromes and they the as their Bask they were about to return, completed* A fierce Battle was waged, "but only one of the British aircraft failed to return to its Base. NOTE: This refers to Air Ministry Bulletin Issue N0.3 of today (12/4/40) AIR AFFAIRS. AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN 12/4/40 No. 27 tobe as an (Not quoted Air Ministry Announcement) GERMAN SUPPLY SHIP BOMBED The German Supply Ship which was successfully bombed by the R. A* P. in Danish waters last (Thursday) night was first detected by the light of a parachute flare dropped by the attacking aircraft. ’’The night was pitch dark" said the Captain of one of , the British aircraft, describing his experiences today, "and at first there appeared to be very little traffic in the target area f Then we spotted a faint, small light bobbing on the dark surface water. of the It seemed worth investigation, so coming down low, we turned sharply towards it and released a flare* parachute The dazzling light made the sea almost as bright as day, and below us we saw about ten coloured ships steaming north in grey company at about ten knots* ’’Flaming onions and anti-aircraft fire came sailing up at us as we manoeuvred into position, and, with our target clearly illuminated by the slowly descending flares,we launched our attack* We dropped several bombs in quick succession, and it was the last to go that found the target. There was an almighty explosion, as if an ammunition store had been blown up or a boiler exploded* We were jerked about thirty feet upwards by the force of the explosion, and our tail gunner, when ire had recovered his balance, reported that sparks of fire could be seen shooting out from the ship.” of this has The Captain aircraft, a Squadron Leader who been in the R* A. P. since he was seventeen and a was also half, the pilot of the-first aircraft to bomb Sylt during the recent raid on that island. .His second pilot last night, a young New Zealander and former wool-buyer, also has a previous exploit to his credit, having "been a member of the crew who, last , brought their bomber safely home across the North Sea after the greater part of the covering of one wing had been stripped off over Germany. NOTE: This refers to Air Ministry Issue N0.13 today 12/4/40 (R.A. F. over Baltic) AIR AFFAIRS. - 1 2/4/40. No. 28. FOP THE INFORMATION OP THE PRESS* The Prime Minister of Sweden, Mr, P.A. Hansson, broadcasting from Motala to-night said:­ "We have tried to be neutral from the beginning and will continue so but we are our own judges in the matter of neutrality. No foreign country can make use of us. So far no demands have been received and should they be they will be rejected. We must remain calm, The Government has complete control and is aware of its responsibility’'. After appealing for unity the Prime Minister said:­ “If war comes to our country we will fight to our preserve liberty. ” - 12/4/40 No. 29. AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN. R.A.F. IN SKAGERRAK BATTLE. The Air Ministry announces Extensive reconnaissances by aircraft of the Royal Air Force have been carried out over the North Sea and Skagerrak to-day in search of enemy naval forces. Reports so far received indicate that one formation of bombers penetrated into Kristiansand Fjord and attacked two German v/arships. Our aircraft encountered of heavy anti-aircraft and fighter opposition and in the course the engagement five of them were brought down. The full extent of the enemy’s losses is not known but at least two enemy fighters were shot down in flames and others were seen to be seriously damaged. AIR AFFAIRS. 12.4.40 -NO: 30 THIS EVENING MR. BJARNE BRAATOY BROADCAST IN THE GERMAN NEWS BULLETIN. THE FOLLOWING TRANSLATION IS FOR THE INFORMATION __ _ OF . : SITUATION IH NORWAY, by BJASNE ERAATOY. Have people in Germany really no idea of what is happening in the far North in the name of the German people? Will they really allow it >Q who have happen that peace-loving people never at any time done any-the thing against the German people who, on contrary, have only met Germans with friendship and understanding, should "be hunted from house ; nd home, should he forced to take up arms in order to defend the most * elementary right of a free people, the right to settle its own affairs without interference from outside? Imagine what things look like now in Oslo. That peaceful capital with a population of only 200,000 lies on the Oslo fjord, surrounded by wooded mountains, peaceful and unimposing, but nevertheless the home of a spiritual heritage in the past given something which centuries has to the German people also. Prom there numberless Germans have started and have their way home again. There, and elsewhere in Norway, they have found people off on their wanderings through Norway, through Oslo made who understood German and were glad to shew their ancient hospitality. And how these Norwegians have been paid back! The armed protection of the German troops is, for us Northernsan insult, At the first threat of armed interference we had to evacuate Oslo. Old and peace-loving people have had to leave everything and go away. Children were fetched from school and sent away too, Everything happened in an orderly way, We Norwegians are also capable of organisation but without having to receive commands The same happened in all threatened o towns. And why? Because the ermans, under Nazi rule, have won such areputation throughout the world that not even the conciousness of our military inferiority to a great Power, such as the Reich, could lake peaceful subjection appear to us the better fate. Better to flee !.q the woods and mountains, and from there to resist as best we can. That’s what we’ve done,, Without any consulation with any foreign Power our Government turned down the incredible demands of the German Minister out of hand thedemand to hand over Norway to the miscalled r protective rule” of the Third Reich, Our Parliament unanimously Followed the lead of the Government, Our people have everywhere approved the policy of our Government, While we have the means we are fighting, not without success. We shall go on fighting. And we shall not stop fighting, even if the Germans should win, which won’t happen. Our people can’t be reduced to serfs. By their invasion the Nazi rulers have taken on themselves even more than the /hopeless attempt to tame Norwegians in the Nazi manner, because of this invasion the whole world has woken up and become aware of the full danger of the situation Do people in German really not realise that in recent years the whole world, above all the American world, has turned its eyes on the social development in the far North?. In recent years not only German tourists but travellers and students from all over the world have become familiar with the which progress has been made in the Nordic countries particularly since the world economic crisis. Everywhere people kno from personal observation that Tr this progress has been achieved by methods of freedomp It / 2 "Diktat” from above or from outside which has It is no imposed of the brought about the building developments Oslo of today. The townspeople themselves took a part in the work through their democratic right to vote and through their elected the representatives. The fishing boats of new fishing waters are called after co-operatives of the Norwegian coastal our Prime Minister, because he and his Government collaborated in the development of the up-to-date organisation which built these boats. The fishermen sayi?Uook at my new Nygaardsvold5!, because our Prime Minister’s name is Nygaardsvold. to He and his Government need no armed police force Under this Government protect them, nor any system of spying, everyone is perfectly free to say and do what they like, even to travel abroad if they want. The Norwegians are free in every sense of the word, and, incidentally, a far reaching equalisation of the ownership of property has been brought about. The Norwegians are also free to make the decision that they would rather to the enforced domination of a suffer than submit to the attitude of the foreign Power, This background Norwegians to the German invader is known throughout the world. But perhaps it is not known to the Germans. Perhaps it is not known inside Germany that Germany is making war against the Norwegiansi "Perhaps it is not known inside Germany that German soldiers, and detachments of the German Air Force and Fleets have forced their and used armed way into Norwegian ports violence against us peaceful men and women. Perhaps it is not known inside that German troops, have been harrying Germany Norwegians on own soil, starting from Oslo,and that our their Government has had to retire from Oslo to Hamar, from Hamar to Elverum, and from Elverum to Nybergsund in the deepest forests - of Norway, that our King is up at the Front, but that this Front is on Norwegian soil, where the German troops, who are fighting there, got absolutely no whatever. have business I ask the German women. What business have your sons, your husbands, and your friends up there? Why should they die there? Because you must no think that a fight with us is going to be carried on without any losses on your side. On the contrary, you may be men quite sure already that the great majority of your young are never going to see their homes again. Don’t you believe what they tell you at home. The positions up there are as good as lost for Germany. But it isn’t enough that people should begin to grasp this inside Germany. They’ve got to wake up at long last also to this fact, that a whole world is turning against Germany, and r not onl3 against the Nazi rulers, who are swelling so big in their own deceased imaginations. In the last resort the responsibility weighs down on the German people, if the German people does not begin to shake off this barbarian gang. I am speaking here not at all about the military results, not first and foremost a question of power politics. It's a question above all of the human ties between peoples when this dark struggle is finally over How, then, will the outside world c regard the German people? How will any sort of collaboration be possible unless forces are revealed in the German people which appeal to other nations in a quite different way from that in which Germany under its present masters does. The question which I, as a Norwegian, have the right and the duty to put to you in this: Do you want to return to the way of real humanity, or do you want to shut yourselves completely off from human society? BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION, 12.4.40 -No. 31. DANISH SHINING. FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE PRESS, NOT TO BE QUOTED AS AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT BUT IT MAY BF REFERRED TO AS COMING FROM AM uAUTHORITATIVE SOURCE". Owing to the German invasion of Denmark, Danish ships are now technically of enemy character, and if they are to continue in service at all they can only do so under an Allied flag.' They will be formally seized and put into prize after which they will be requisitioned and used for the benefit of the Allies. This seizure, although in form similar to the seizure of German ships, will affect both the owners and the crews in quite a different manner. The masters and crews will be welcomed and invited to serve, if they wish to do so, under the British or French flag. If they do so, they will not, of be treated as enemies. course, So far as owners are concerned compensation will in due course arranged for the use of ships although be the it will be necessary to arrange the terms so that no benefit can pass to German control during the war. Naturally no details about this can yet be announced. It will thus be’ seen that it is to the benefit of all parties interested in these ships: that they should come into Allied possession, for the alternative is that they take shelter in neutral ports, where they must remain immobilised for the remainder of the war. MINISTRY OF SHIPPING-.