Wednesday, March sth 1941* M I N I S T R Y 0 P INFOR M A T I 0 N.. NEWS BULLETIN . No. 304. MINISTRY OF SUPPLY APPOINTMENT. In order to ensure closer co-ordination of the work of the Timber Control in connection with the supply and distribution of Mining Timber, it has been decided to establish a Pitwood Department of the Control in charge of Mr. Pearson Bell (Assistant Controller). Mr. Bell will direct the executive work of this Department both at Head- quarters and in the District Pitwood Offices. - Ministry of Supply. M. 0.1, 1. ANOTHER LION HAS WINGS, One of the Spitfires purchased by the Basutoland War Fund is to be named Tau Ea Likhoele (Lion of Likhoele)« The latter is a prominent mountain in the Mafeteng District of Basutoland and is also the Sesuto name of Mr. William Scott, M. 8.E., of Mafeteng who has contributed over £4,000 to various war funds. - Dominions Office Press Section. M. 0.1, 2, REFRESHMENTS IN PUBLIC AIR RAID SHELTERS IN NOTTINGHAM. % The Minister of Food has made an Order authorising the NottingJ|am Borough Council to provide refreshments in public air raid shelters within the Council Area and regulating the conditions under which refreshments may be supplied. The Order is on the same lines as those issued on November 6, 1940, applying to the London Metropolitan and City police districts and on later dates applying to Coventry, Liverpool and other towns< Persons or firms appointed as caterers in the shelters will specially be licensed and will work under the general direction of the Borough Council. - Ministry of Food. M.0.1,. 3. CANADIAN ARMY HOCKEY CHAMPIONS,. By defeating the Royal Canadian Engineers in the final, the Western Quebec Regiment have become hockey champions of the Canadian Army in England. The match was played before a large attendance, including Lieut.-General A.G.L. McNaughton, Canadian Corps Commander, and Mrs, McNaughton, Major-General Victor Odium and Major-General G.,R, Pearkes, V. C. At the close, General McNaughton presented the Vincent Massey trophy to the He "It winners. said; was an example of the finest hockey to be seen anywhere. The series of matches has been marked by splendid play and good sportsmanship". - Ministry of Information. M.0.1. 4. MALAY RULERS TO PAY INCOME TAX, The Sultan of Perak and the Sultan of Selangor, although notlegally liable, have notified their intention of voluntarily paying Income Tax. Perak and Selangor are two of the four Federated Malay States. Income Tax was recently introduced into the Federated Malay States for the first time. Incomes up to £576 a year are exempt; a tax of 2 per cent, is imposed on incomes up to £720 a year; and thereafter the tax increases to a maximum of 8 per cent, on incomes of £3,400 a year and over. - Colonial Office Press Section. M.0.1,. 5» (Cont’d) M.0.1. News Bulletin No. 304 Page 2+ ICELAND AND THE FAROE ISLANDS - Relaxation of Export Control.. Under a. Board of Trade Order signed today which conies into force tomorrow z 6th March, 1941?- certain classes of goods, which require licences for export to certain specified destinations, ("0” destinations in the Export Control List) will no longer require licences for export to Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Export licences will still he required for other goods in the Export Control List exported to these destinations. The Order (S;R« & 0,1941? N 0.282), also makes certain minor in the list of goods requiring export licences. Board of Trade M. 0.1.6, ,_. r AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN Noi 31901 / ->N6, 'l,'"'/ ,J ‘-7 J_. _ u I. ••■ • ? J ■ ---N ; ' ”". s ' "” Air I-toistry News ’Service. .?• ;) .-.-joj ■•■ '■• ; -■ ■<; "''/’l- R.A, F* LANGUAG-g . ■■••• ; ’\/> ' '. : ■;•■'■- ■’ l ••■'"" ■' ■ ’•" • . new ----- -■■’ .- So fary. this war has produced fewer/words than the last, and on vc was part of the ' army, ■''army. ' ..- ■ . .. of the simplest, and most familiar words have a highly technical Some meaning, when used by the th A, F. Thus "cannon"’usually suggests an old fashioned, kind of gun but in the’h.A.F, it meAhs'a shell-firing gun operated by hydraulic from the - - power aero-engine, "’Sriefing" referp.to .the final instructions given before going out on a raid. Other, terms, are more fanciful, the "pulpit" or the'"office” are the ,l < B,A*F s new names for the cockpit, "flaming onions" are anti-aircraft shells : which, burst into a series of fire balls intended to set aircraft.on fire, ’’driving the train”’ means leading two squadrons into battle, to "peel offis to curve away from another aircraft, the movement aS One aircraft comes close up to another aircraft and then curves quickly is supposed to resemble the away act of peeling the skin off a banana. nv-l • • • - There are a few more familiar terms which may require definition* A "landfall" as used by airmen is the same as when used by sailorsj it refers to the first sight of land after crossing water. A "power dive” is a dive on the objective with the throttle fully open, "Dive bombing" means diving Vertically, or almost vertically, on the objective before releasing the bombs ftom a low altitude. A "shallow dive"' is a less steep descent at. forty-five . degrees or usually less from the horizontal* "Pinpointing the target" means locating the target exactly, -“De-icing" means freeing the aircraft from ice, various devices are used to prevent the accretion of ice* A "box barrage" is an anti-aircraft barrage which completely encircles’ an area as from- attack by enemy aircraft, . • -\u: "Flak” of anti-aircraft course means fire, it is derived from the German "flieger abwehr kanone" - the gun that’-drives off aircraft* pt To be checked against delivery. 5/jA-I - No. 4. MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE’S WARNING. Minister for Agriculture, at Speech by the Rt. Hon. R.S. Hudson, M.P., Hereford March sth, at 1.45 on Wednesday, p»m. Air Force. We have in this country built up a highly efficient Navy, Army and Each for their size the most efficient in the world as recent events have proved. at the rebuilding agriculture. There is no efficient But, same time, we are now an reason why that, too, should not also be the most efficient in the world, as indeed it once was, and not so very long ago either. We have the soil, the climate and is old skill has not-been forgotten. Rather it the men. The war showing that the only lay sleeping. Your efforts and the work of the Committees have already gone some way towards repairing the damage of the past neglect. I confidently look forward coming months revealing further progress towards our goaj. the to the restoration of our countryside. The first and most important of our aims must be victory, the overwhelming defeat and destruction of that evil thing Hitlerism and all it stands for. The release of the nations of Europe from their present slavery. Do not let us, as a nation, under-rate cur task, We are advancing day by day towards the climax of the greatest threat to our very existence that this country has ever known. You in agriculture have a decisive part to play. As the Prime Minister said, you are in the very front line of our defence. As the war spreads the demands on our shipping must in the nature of things become more and more severe; for we must meet and boat the enemy on whatever part of the earth there seems good of You have in the which will be opportunity so doing. your part caning battle, widespread, ferocious and long drawn out. You by hook or by crook, by every art known to you, with all the assistance and guidance we at headquarters and the County Committees of producing locally can give*, you have the task every ounce of food you and that with less and lees imports of feedingstuffs to do it with. can, I have never pretended that it is an easy task, or that it won’t mean every kind of difficulty, even hardship. It will demand all your efforts, all your courage. But I am sure you will agree with me not only that it must be done but that it will be done. Second only in importance to winning victory, I place determination to see that all the results of our war-time efforts are not dissipated when peace returns. We must that gains Never again must land be allowed to sink see our are pegged. our to the condition frem which for the past 20 months we have been striving so mightily to reclaim it. What was the characteristic of farming during the 20 years after the last war? Surely it was that to meet a new sot of conditions farmers had, over large areas of the country, to change their methods, to abandon old and well tried practices, and to adopt system that was essentially artificial in that it depended for its success a ©n unlimited supplies of cheap imported feedingstuffs rather than on heme produce. As I said the other day, lam not blaming farmers. On the contrary, they showed great ingenuity in adapting their husbandry to suit the market. But from the point of view of soil fertility, of good farming practice, the changes on the whole were for the worse. It often meant farming on the cheap, it put a premium on not losing money, a most important consideration from the farmers * point of view. But I believe anyone who has the true stuff of the farming in his bones,would agree that farming on cheap is bad business from the national of view”. point You in Hereford suffered less disastrous counties. Thanks changes than seme largely to to your fine natural pastures you never changed over wholeheartedly producing milk from imported raw materials and using fields as mere exercising grounds. Even, however, in this county there were changes for the worse in this direction. But by and large you remained a beef producing county and more than a quarter of your Herefordshire land remained under the But natural and economic conditions plough. /in - 2 - in the two sister counties, Gloucester and Worcester, increased the temptation to turn over to milk production on purely grass farms, to forget the arts of the plough, to become tenders of cows rather than farmers. I do not believe that any of you ever really approved of the changes that were forced on you. it have to have complete alteration. There is Be that as may, today we got a little land that has ever been cultivated that can today be regarded as not very The soil has become the nation’s life and it must be made to produce worth farming. food for man and beast. You have already done great things, Hereford ploughed up 27,000 acres in the last war. In a few weeks you will have ploughed up nearly since this No effort but the of which will 60,000 acres war began. mean one success lam sure but serve as the spur to still more. Both Gloucester and Worcester too have done their bit and actually will soon have as much or more land under the to plough than in 1918 in spite of the considerable areas of land that have been lost agriculture. As I travel about the country I often hear of complaints from people aggrieved at having to plough up their best grassland. People should not be chary about ploughing up their best pastures. The nation needs as never before every bit of cereals we can squeeze out of the soil. The best grass fields will give you much better results than the very poor fields. Don’t neglect even the latter; they will pay for improvement and we shall need all the grass,* all the hay, all the silage I gather that frem the grassland remaining after the ploughing quota is filled up. in Herefordshire the county ploughing task has been obtained by persuasion and not by compulsion and that owing to the generally high level of farming in the county the War Agricultural Committee have not had, except in a very few cases, to terminate tenancies or turn men out of their farms. That is, I think, a fact of which Herefordshire farmers can legitimately be proud and one on which I should like myself to congratulate you all. In thanking farmers for the efforts they have made I am sure they would be the first to that I should also include a special word of thanks to the workers agree on the farms and to their wives. The mon have worked long hours, in all weathers, toiling away at a day to day task that tends to become irksome and monotonous when they do not see the of victory at the end of figureevery furrow. It is so easy under such conditions to forget the end we must all have in view. Yet none are serving thoir country more essentially than those men of the fields who have stood by the land through good times and bad. In this .respect one thing has been concerning me deeply. The services are well fed. The black-coated workers have restaurants and canteens to supplement domestic rations and there are works canteens for the industrial workers. But for the farm man, doing hard manual labour out of doors, these facilities do not exist, nor even at the moment adequate supplies of cheese to eke out the meat. I can assure you, however, you have not been forgotten. I have taken it up with my colleague, Lord Woolton. I found I was knocking at an open door. He is fully aware of your needs and is urgently trying to find means to deal with the situation. Let me turn now to a number of questions of interest on which I should like to a word, such as rationing, summer-time, labour and the call-up, and particular say crops such as potatoes, onions, carrots etc. First Rationing. The scheme we have introduced is complicated, necessarily so I am afraid, because of the great diversity of conditions on individual farms, hardly any two of which present the same problem, and because of the need to bogin in the middle of the We farming year. are having our teething troubles. That was bound to happen. But I believe we are gradually getting them. With over patience and good will on all sides we shall succeed. /Some ~ 3 - Some may cry: why have a rationing scheme? The answer is threefold. In the first place conditions on Z'.ndivj.dual farms have chr-uged in the last few years. Distribution of feeding stuffs based on conditions of 1919 is no longer suitable in 1941 That o is one reason why we have these agricultural returns at more frequent intervals. There was another on March 4th. May 1 take this opportunity to appeal to you to make those returns carefully and accurately. It is not only that obtain figures that are reliable we may an important ~ matter at all times, but particularly so just now when the nation must give such careful thought to the state of its larder* Bit also accurate returns are necessary to ensure equitable distribution of the very limited supplies of feeding stuffs that are available? I’our rations will be distributed on the basis of these returns. A few may be found for there are black sheep in - every flock - of such low public spirit that they would deli?erat.’l’ inflate the numbers of their livestock returned to get more rations or understate stocks of cereals on the farm c Such men, of course, would be robbing their fellow farmers out of feeding stuffs they badly need just as much as if they stole them of the barno Ido not anticipate much difficulty of that kind from such an industry as yours. But should there be any so base, I would remind them that there are very heavy penalties for such anti-social. behaviour and wo have provided a means of checking up on any suspected cases. To revert to the other reason for introducing a rationing scheme; available supplies in fact potential the demand and therefore are considerably less than it is essor'lal to have some machinery that will enable these reduced supplies to be distributed fairly as between the large purchaser and the small purchaser; between the man who could pay cash and the man who had to ask for credit. Thirdly, we must direct the feeling stuffs to those kinds of livestock which in the national interest have the best claim, i.e. dairy cows and working horses, must have and these agricultural and urban, priority over beef cattle and sheep, in turn over pigs and poultry. But I would like to emphasise once again that a ratiosing scheme does not of itself create rations. The feeding stuffs situation is becomingly increasingly serious As o you will have seen from the press announcement the present unit value of the coupon will have to be reduced by half as from April Ist, Further reductions in the ration may well, and probably will, come, although the near approach of the grass feeding season may postpone this evil day. This will mean • that the numbers of our livestocks will have to he adjusted so that larger a acreage of our land can directly grow human food. It is most important that farmers should realise this and know that the time is cn the way when they must cut down the numbers of their livestock to keep the remainder properly fed. Yfith the best will in the world will be unable to shipping our resources maintain, let alone increase, -die There will be supplies of imported feeding stuffs* less. So any farmer who is hanging on to his stock in the hope of an improvement in the imported feeding stuffs position will, fear- get an unpleasant surprise. The advi.ee I would give you. although it is advice you will hardly welcome, is that you should begin thinking now aJbout the possibility of 'having to cut down. I have repeatedly stressed in all nr; public utterances the need to become more and self-supporting. Any poultryman, for whose birds become broody more example, or go off their lay would do well to cull them ruthlessly o There will be less food for pigs and fo’’ sheep. Even famous beef herds to be your may have reduced, and you would do 'well < login now selecting the best from the worst. Stock will have to be fed of more economically, making the maximum use roughages, swill or other waste materials and fat stock will have to be turned out in a leaner and less finished condition. Grass fatteners of cattle, for example, should not wait until their beasts fully fat, and cause a glut in the autmmn, but bring out are more at a less mature stage in the summer. There is scope too for more efficient use of the pastures that remain*. In peace time a good deal of our grassland was not fully utilised. The experience under the drought conditions of last summer has point.al the way. With 4 million acres less grassland, we cannot afford pre-war wastage, but every acre must be fully stocked this summer, and helped to do this by a judicious application of fertilisers. /lift Department - 4 - My Department is already busy on the problem of reduction, devising methods whereby flocks and herds could be reduced with the least individual hardship and with fairness to all, decently and in order. VFe made a start on pigs, You read on Monday that to encourage the earlier marketing of pigs we are offering a higher •'ice for a limited period. I shall look also to the great breed societies who have done so much to make British bloodstock highly prized all over the world, to co-operate in this. Tfe shall see to it that our livestock, whatever casualties they mry suffer in war, are in a position afterwards to replenish not only our own flocks of who have to here and herds, but to supply the requirements buyers overseas come if they want the best. As some consolation for our troubles, the standard of our livestock may well be even higher in the caning years because of the necessity to cull drastically the more unsatisfactory animals in the present emergency. I am not a little worried at reports I get to the effect that seme milk producers are rather complacent about the situation, thinking that, since milk has priority, all the feeding stuffs will be available for its production. They apparently assume that if any shortage occurs, it will be met by cutting down everyone ~lse but themselves. A few even further and adopt what I may call a dog-in-the- go manger attitude. They assert that if the Government want the milk, they will just have to provide the feeding stuffs, and on a more generous scale than at present. Gentlemen, our life as a nation depends today upon our ships, Much as we want the milk, there is no doubt what the answer would be if it came to a straight decision between full milk supplies or losing the war. The few, and lam glad that they are only a few, who talk in that rather irresponsible way do not see the problem clearly. They are really saying that, to save themselves extra trouble and effort, our fighting forces are to go short of aeroplanes, tanks and munitions and we are to risk losing the war and sacrifice thousands of lives they may produce milk so that under the comfortable peace-time conditions, I say to you again, dairy farmers included, don’t count upon the arrival of tho rations lorry. You are only safe if you grow your cwn requirements. Begin making plans immediately, if you have not done so already, for self-sufficiency. We must produce at heme the raw material to make the milk. The difficulty in this respect, I know, is to grow protein. Beans only be grown on heavy land, and spring beans are an uncertain crop. There are, W other alternatives, kale etc. Their possibilities should be borne in course, peas, mind where the land is suitable. Silage is the best hope in many cases. lam glad that so now using many more are this excellent method of making in summer a high quality feeding stuff that, in its best form, can be preserved for winter use to replace concentrates. It needs care in making and, as in most things, experience pays. But the rules simple and the process and are equipment cheap, So much for cutting down, which is neververy pleasant thing to have to think a about. But our war-time policy means expansion also and in other directions we want ounce of the crops you are being every encouraged to produce - not only cereals and roots but also sugar beet, carrots and potatoes. onions, The new prices are reasonable, in sane cases even generous. You are asked in this part of the country to grow largely increased acreages of onions. The Ministry of Food have promised to buy the whole crop at £25 a ton. At that price even the inexperienced man should « very good return. * a The same is true of carrots. Again the Mini stry of Food Will buy the whole crop fit for human consumption at prices ranging from £6 in the autumn to £9 a ton in May. Again the price should amply cover the cost of production. We have arranged for the school holidays to be adjusted so that there will be ample supply of juvenile labour to help in the planting. Potatoes are an expensive crop to grow and many fanners may need finance before the crop is sold. As I told you sane "while ago the Banks have premised to finance the increased food production campaign. The new guarantee of a market and satisfactory prices should enable the . On^c>n and carrot crops to be financed ’ easily during the progress of the growing season. I hope that with this encouragement farmers will not hesitate any longer to ensure the increased acreage the nation needs. With regard to spring cropping, I might mention that the nation’s need of cereals is in this order wheat, barley, oats. I have never found a fanner who is - particularly fond of spring wheat, but there are probably certain areas where it is growing. The improved varieties of seed now available have made it a much l§ss uncertain crop than it was. I hope, too, that land in the no present §merggncy on which it is at all possible to grow a reasonable crop or a catch crop r will be left fallow. /Next - 5 - content with generous with the fertilisers. To be a Next fertilisers. Be middling cfop these days is not only unpatriotic, it is false economy. At the current prices of fertilisers and the prices guaranteed, the most profitable thing will be to apply enough fertiliser to grow the heaviest crop that will stand on its legs until harvest. dressings Top of cereals can be applied any time up to * the first week top-dressings are particularly valuable for heavy in May. Late heavier crops liable to lodging, since they give little increase in straw but a yield in grain. I was impressed by the remark of a farmer recently who had. been ploughing derelict land where nothing but solid chalk is found when the four or. five inches of top soil are peeled off. He grew crops of barley that paid him last year on the worst of that soil. This is what he said: "I wouldn't have worked at it before the war. Only Hitler and the County Executive Officer drove me into it. But it has taught me a lot. I have learnt that with modern implements and our latest knowledge of fertilisers you can plough almost anything and get a decent crop". There have, I know, been delays in the deliveries of sulphate of ammonia. This has now been dealt with. Special measures have been taken and, as a result, I am informed that orders have been caught up and practically all those outstanding were delivered by the end of last week. The way is clear, although there is not much time, to order more sulphate. As regards superphosphate and compounds lam afraid no new orders can be fulfilled this season, for the producers of these fertilisers have already orders on their books for every ton they can produce for delivery before the end of April. I may remark in passing that despite great difficulties we have succeeded in making available this year quantities well in excess of last year and still more than the year before. Now about Summer Time. lam fully aware of the farmers' objections. I sat for an agricultural constituency in the North in the 1924 Parliament, and I well remember the arguments that used to go on then. Last year we had Summer Time extended through the winter. That added very materially to farmers' difficulties. But they were faced willingly, and overcome. Now we are to have two hours Summer Time instead of though fortunately it is limited to the three months May, June, one, July and the first nine days of August. (3rd May 9th August) The decision the - Cabinet had-.to take was no easy one. There were strong arguments both ways. The case was examined in the greatest detail, I can assure On the one hand you. you have essential munitions industries such aircraft vital if want as production - we to win. Every hour's daylight is priceless. Docks every additional hour's - daylight means a quicker turn round of our ships, What with losses, diversions, must make the maximum ptc. we use of what tonnage we have available. The shorter the / ship's stay in port the voyages it can makw in more a year. Railways - you have all felt yourselves, in the matter of fertilisers, what Every delays on a railway mean. additional hour of daylight better and means quicker clearance of the marshalling yards, and so on. On the other hand are the admitted difficulties of agriculture, troubles about milk, delay owing to the d©w in problem of getting the hay in, the the man who has to get up by the clock but go to bed by the sun. Very serious considerations especially at a time when asking for ever ’increased efforts to we are produce food. Well as I said, the most careful thought was given to all aspects of the problem and we finally came to the conclusion that a balance of national on interest in war time the undoubted of summer time of added hour advantages an outweighed the admitted disadvantages. Ido not conceal from you or from myself that among the farming community the decision is bound to be unpopular. However, I am sure that you will accept it as being in the nation's best interest, and that you will make whatever effort is needed to conquer difficulties overcome and the in which many of you will undoubtedly be involved this simmer, If it's any consolation to you I may tell you that the original proposal was for the period to run from April Ist to September JOth, May to the of is beginning August v better, at all events, than that. /A w I •* -6- A final word about labour. As I have been at pains to make clear in every speech I have made, the increased food production campaign in itself rendered more labour essential. For the most part we must look for help to women. I am glad to be able to tell you that recruiting for the '..’omen’s Land Anay is proceeding steadily. Uhat is even more encouraging is that demands from u farmers are coming in even faster still. As I saida , Chelmsford, I do not know whether farmers generally appreciate that if a farmer can himself find a suitable girl and can provide proper facilities for training it is possible for him to arrange in approved cases for the girl, is she is willing, to be enrolled in the Women’s Land Army. When this has been done, he can go ahead with the training as if the Women’s Land Army had supplied the girl in the first instance and for the training period he will receive an allowance of 15/ • a week for her board and s lodging if she lives on the farm while she will receive from the Government a personal allowance of 10s. a week. I commend to your notice the remarks of Mr. Tom J ones, Chaiman of the He appeals to all in the rural Shropshire National Farmers’ Union branch. women areas Shropshire to help plant the 15,000 acres of potatoes the farmers of the of county are going to grow this year. By working from 9 a »m. until noon and from 2 to 4 p.m. Mr. Jones contends that five women would plant as many potatoes as an ordinary farmer would ridge up and cover with a single ridge plough in a day. By working these hours the housewife would have time to prepare the family meals. No farmer would object to paying a fair wage. “Ladies,” says Mr. Jones, ”0o to it.” I am sure that a great deal could be done by local appeals by the National Farmers’ Union to women, e span tally to those in country areas who have been evacuated from our bombed towns. • On the other hand when enormous numbers of young men arc wanted as soldiers, sailors and airmen and every industry (including the munitions industry) is being called on to contribute its share it would be wrong and certainly not in the interests of the industry itself for agriculture alone to make no further . contribution. The boot is indeed rather on the other foot. As I round the I continually being told of the of farmers and of who regard country am sons men it as a grievance that they are not allowed to volunteer. Some time ago a couple of young farmers went to enlist. Then they were asked their job they, said farmers. They were told to go back and get on with their work. They had a consultation and went again later and when asked the same question they simply said sportsmen and gentlemen. To-day they are in the Army and doing great work and loving it. I know that there are thousands of men on farms all over the country who longing to get into uniform and get at the enemy, are but I would like to emphasise that their highest responsibility to-day is their work the land. on They must remember that responsibility without glory oalls for a very special kind of courage. As you know, we are going to keep the key men on the farms and I would just say to these key men, cheer up. If they do their job as vrell as they can, they are doing as good a job as anyone in the war. After all, whenever it is reported that bombs were dropped but fell in rural areas, we all feel relieved. But it does mean that the bombs fell on farms. I know one county in the south of England where they have had 7,000 bombs on their fields and farm buildings. So that there is no need to grumble because the job is too safe. Remember that our soldiers, sailors and airmen are fighting brilliantly all over the world, If they have any fear it is about their people at home. If the key men of agriculture can see that the wives and children of the fighting men have plenty of good, nourishing, fresh food in spite of active service farming, then they can be perfectly happy that they are doing their bit. If they insist on doing more than can join the Home Guard, and then if Hitler tries invasion the Germans will I am sure find what the Yeomen of England can do when they are playing on their home ground. Nevertheless I know that many farmers are worried at prospect of losing the men owing to the call-up, and especially at not knowing yet which men they are to lose. I have had further talks with the Minister of Labour and National Service about in view of this difficulty. I am glad to be able to say that the importance of food production and the labour requirements during the next few months, the Minister of Labour has been able to see his way to agreeing that no-one shall be called up from a farm till after the harvest. The necessary machinery will be put -7- into operation to select the men who will he called up so that the farmer will he likely to lose after the harvest. He know as soon as possible whom is can thus steps to get members take of the Women’s Land Army to train during the intervening period* There is one word, of warning I havQ, been, asked by the, Minister of Labour to add> though I hope it is unnecessary* Farmers will, of course, derive no advantages if in anticipation of the call-up they stand off older men to try and protect their sons from military service* In other words anyone who attempts to retain his younger workers, and particularly sons, by standing off older men will derive no advantages and will be treated in the same way as if they had kept on their older workers. I hope this announcement will serve to allay any misapprehensions among the farming community that may still exist* With the whole existing labour force, with the volunteers from the Women*s Land Army homing forward, with now Italian and in the holidays the help of schoolchildren, prisoners, the labour prospect looks less dark than it has done for some time. I gave at Chelmsford some interesting particulars showing how the numbers of workers on agricultural holdings had actually increased materially in Essex, and Suffolk between 1938 and 1940* I have had similar information taken out for Hereford, Worcester and Gloucester. All three show not, as you might imagine, decreases but actually increases between 1938 and 194-O* And of course in those two years the number of tractors in the three counties has grown very materially indeed. word is this* I My final said in a broadcast last month that unless we all work for all we are worth we may next winter hear a child say ”I*m hungry*” That, gentlemen, was no figure of speech. It is stark-reality. I cannot sufficiently impress on you the seriousness of the situation nor the magnitude of the effort we have to make to ensure victory. I for my part will do my best to make your job as easy as war-time circumstances permit; we will do our best to provide you with the essential tools, machinery, fertilisers, a supply of labour and a reasonable return for your pains. The result, however, depends on you, individually and collectively, on you, on your wives, on your men and on their wives. I believe the country will not call on you in vain. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, 5/3/U1 - No. 8. VILLAGIO DUCA^DEGLI,_ABRUZ,ZI Villagio Duca degli Abruzzi is an agricul- tural colony and experimental farm, the principal installation of the sort in Italian Somaliland. It was founded by*the Societa Agricola Italo- Somala, under the presidency of the late Duke of the Abruzzi, who is buried there. In 1920 the Society was granted a concession of over 62,000 acres on the two banks of the Webi Shebeli, in the centre of the great Somaliland plain. The river was dammed and an irrigation system installed and the area under cultivation has been steadily expanded in 1935-6 it comprised - about 10,500 acres given over to cotton, grain (with two harvests a year), cane sugar, bananas, maize, fruit and vegetables. Farming is on modern lines and tractors have replaced the local oxen a step which was virtually - enforced by the increase of the tse-tse fly due to irrigation. There is a sugar factory and a dis- tillery on the spot, and the labourers live in 16 model villages and are all small holders: altogether*' the population numbers of whom 200 some 9,000 are Italians. . - The place is connected with Mogadishu by rail. Its capture will be invaluable to us, as it can supply the army with food and simplify the question of transport over vast distances. MILITARY AFFAIRS ( MINISTRY OF INFORMATION ) 5/3/W - N0.9. ITALIAN , SOMALILAND. While most of the interior of Italian Somaliland is unproductive and much is sheer desert, this is not true of the coastal area and land bordering the Webi Shebeli, the great river system which cuts across the country from N.W. to S.E. and then turns to follow the coast line. This dune country, which enjoys a moderate but regular rainfall, has a light sandy soil, rich in phosphates, covered with grass which affords admirable pasturage for sheep and goats. vr the soil is nen irrigated, immensely productive. One of the main crops is bananas, which are exported to Italy. The trade in these is such that the exploiting company owns seven ships of 3?5OO tons, specially fitted with refrigerators, etc., each carrying a cargo of 900 tons of fruit. Another crop is cotton, grows freely on the Juba river and in the which plantations of Villagi-o degli Abruzzi (the yield of the latter is about Luca 26,000 bushels): the cotton is long in the staple and peculiarly lustrous. The Villagio plantations produced, in 1937? over 2,000,000 bushels of sugar-cane. crop recently exploited (10,000 bushels in 1937) is A that of ground-nuts, valuable for the manufacture of vegetable oil as well as of cattle cake, etc. : since Italy was importing from abroad ground-nuts to the value of 200 million lire per annum. the development of the industry in her own colony was obviously of prime importance. MILITARY AFFAIRS; (MINISTRY OF INFOWTION). 5/3/41. No, 10, BOMBAY f S £40,000 FOR AIRCRAFT. The Minister of Aircraft Production acknowledges with gratitude the following gifts towards the purchase of Aircraft • ' • ■ 5* a l niore than I want to talk for five minutes about something that matters anything else in the proper use of land, except the competence of the farmer himself r , It is confidence, An assurance in the mind of the farmer and labourer alike, that if they do their work properly they may rely upon obtaining a decent living 0 Such an assurance must also cover a sufficient time ahead. Because when a man has done his best he must still rely upon the forces of nature which take their time. The wind and the rain, the sunshine and the frost must play their parts and the times of their coming are not of man's appointing. This makes it the more important that there should be a system of prices under afterthe long period nature ordains, the cultivator will find that which, he has not laboured at a loss o There are millions- yes millions - of acres of good land in this country that not much food could and they ought. Everybody are producing as they as as knows it e Ido not mean fancy food products, but things that the land, if properly treated, is suited to produce and that the people need. This widespread under-cultivation has been responsible for the disastrous decline of or.r lovely countryside. The land, as we gradually getting worse; starved say, has been ’let go’ of the food it needs; beneficent plough withheld; the drains becoming more the and more choked, and poor grasses and weeds crowding out the nutritious herbage. All is revealing to those of who have eyes to see, that here neglect us - a neglect that bespeaks a lack of enterprise and confidence. The industry Just now is making heroic efforts to redeem this neglect. ; They are all engaged, from the Minister in Whitehall to the tractor-driver in the field, We shall produce much more food this year than we did last, and. more stHl next year. But, as I said Nature demands time. Two years, three years, even more in some cases, of expenditure and labour will be needed to much of the land into fruitful order so that get to be confidence in the future is imperative if the work and expenditure are courageously undertaken., I believe that the industry can have that confidence today more surely than at any time I remember, I will tell you why*. assurances for the By agreement with all Parties the Government has given duration of the it has far more important and year after. But taken war a a decision in resolving to try and frame a policy commanding the support of all parties that is designed to secure the prosperous use of British land in the . future. to It is indeed in this time of inspiring national agreement right that, make noble endeavour. fight together in the defence of liberty, we should so an enough goodwill and enough good sense Tbc? ieve most sincerely that there is of all It is right and necessary amongst mon parties to make agreement possible. that will not be also to make the now and thereby establish arrangements undone in any postwar* reaction. saner If, out of tHe hope that stirs in all of us for a safer, ' - hereafter, we achieve „as I believe we shall, an agreement that ie .^4, s for pr restoration of them, shall our neglected fields and life amongst we coming generations a nobsle heritage and a recompense for our present suffering. forward with My message, therefore, today is - Be of good cheer and go confidence, CORPORATION . 5/3/LSI -N0.16. BREAD SUBSIDY: EXTENSION OF PERIOD. The arrangements for the payment of the "bread, subsidy were originally made for three months from December 2nd, 194-0, to February 28th, 194-1- The period will be extended for a further two months from March Ist to April 30th, 194-1- Claim forms in respect of the second eight weeks of the subsidy, i.e. from January 26th to March 22nd, 194-1 inclusive, will be » available at Local Food Offices on March 22nd. There has been considerable delay in making claims for the first eight weeks of the subsidy, i.e. from December 2nd, 194-0? to January 25th, 194-1? inclusive, and the Ministry of Food urges bakers to send in their claims as soon as possible. The Ministry cannot recognise claims for payment indefinitely, and all claim forms for the first eight weeks must be returned before Saturday, March 22nd. MINISTRY OP FOOD. ’ 5/3/Ul. No>l7,_ FLASH« It is learnt in London that a second enemy "bomber was destroyed by anti-aircraft gunfire last night* Both enemy aircraft fell into the sea, one off the coast of South Wales and the other off the Kent coast. 5/3/k1„ Wo. 18. TEA FOR INDUSTRIAL. BUSINESS AND CLERICAL WORKERS. ■■"■’■ '• ■'>' H" M■» fill f ,--f ~*•—l .I Wt 4lf I. IIIQH»-|—I 111 ■ ■ Wfc II I ' <**>" ">■— ■ ■ »W- 1 "■•""I 1 I The Ministry of Food, has extended for a further period the arrangements by which groups of industrial, business and clerical workers may obtain tea for consumption during their working hours. Retailers who hold current forms for the supply of tea for this purpose, many of which are on the point of expiring, may regard these as extended for a further period of eight weeks. There is no need for the time being to apply to the Local Food Offices for the renewal of forms- MINISTRY. OF FOOD. BRITISH PILOT CAPTURES 100. An East African correspondent describes how one of our pilots took prisoner 100 enemy natives in Abyssinia. He was on a.reconnaissance flight when he saw the ’’Banda” scattering in the bush. When he dived tomachine-gun them they raised the white flag and immediately formed themselves apparently to march off to the nearest British post. The pilot again dived to assure himself of the 1 enemy s good intentions, whereupon the native soldiers, misconstruing his motives threw down their weapons and raised their hands, The pilot signalled to the British post and circled about the ’’Banda” until their capture was completed. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AIR MINISTRY NO, 3192 5/3/41 * N0,21. H»Q., R.A.F, Middle East, Wednesday March 5 *• WDLE EAST COMMUNIQUE. Bomber aircraft of the R,A»F, yesterday attacked enemy warships off Himare, A large formation of enemy fighters escorting the warships was engaged y our fighters. Nine of the enemy aircraft were shot down and others damaged. Another attack was made by cur bombers on enemy warships off Valona. On all fronts in Italian East Africa air support by both bomber and fighter aircraft was given to cur advancing troops. From all these operations two of our aircraft have not yet returned. 5/3/W -N0.,22. PHYSICAL TPJ\IN' 'NG FOH YOUI4G- WQNKERS. : The First Investigation. Details of the first investigation physical 'training and recreation for during working hours are announced today (Wednesday) by the Board of Education. A scheme was starred last Monday at the ‘parks ’Yorks of Messrs Mather & Platts Ltd. cf Manchester to test of P.T. the effects of daily periods f during working hours on the continued physical well-being productive capacity in and the workshop. It is hoped that similar investigations will shortly be con- ducted by Messrs. Montague Burtons Ltd., of Leeds and by other firms, all working in close cooperation with the Board of Education and Local Education Authorities. This scheme was drawn up by a highly expert body, including the Director of Education for Manchester, H.M. Inspectors for Physical and Technical Train- ing, the Schools Medical Officer of Health, the .Chief Inspector of Schools for Manchester, the Chief Organiser of Physical for Manchester, the Employment Manager at the Parks the Principal of the Parks Forks Day Works., Continuation School, and the firm’s P.T. Instructor* 48 boy apprentices of 16 years of age are selected at each centre and divided into two groups of 24 each, each croup being arranged to represent a fair cross-section of worker, every step being taken to ensure equality in the grading of the two groups. One group are given 45 minutes P.T. per day on six days a week for three months. The other im.ll have no P.. and will remain at work. The two group groups will bo compared by three tests applied at the beginning and end of the three months period, consisting of a very thorough medical examination, intelligence tests, and reports on the amount of production. The medical examination was arranged by Dr. \foolham, the Medical Officer to the Manchester Local Education Authority, and Lord Dawson of Penn, who was present, expressed his admiration for the scheme. Miss Marian Kaye, an Inspector of Schools under the Manchester Local Education Authority, is responsible for the intelligence tests.. The physical training will cover a complete course of exercises and gymnastic work, but the recreational side is to be emphasised and will include games, boxing, wrestling and athletic vzork. The games will include relay races, individual ball games and team ball games such as handball, post ball, circular pillar ball, scrimmage, skittle ball and rugby touch. Meekly reports will be made by the Production Department of the firm, giving the efficiency figures of each boy under observation and a more detailed report will be made monthly covering such points as intelligence and initiative, quality of work done and general conduct. 4—l-4-4-4* 4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4" 4-4-4* BOAPD OF EDUCATION. 5/.W - NO: 23* STATEMENT FOR PUBLICATION An arrangement was recently concluded "between the United Kingdom and Sweden, whereby five Swedish ships, one of these sailing from a United Kingdom port, will be permitted to enter Gothenburg from overseas every month. It is a condition of this arrangement that none of these ships will call at any enemy or enemy controlled port, further, that for every vessel entering the Baltic one must previously have sailed from that area. The continuation of this traffic depends on these vessels not being interfered with in any way by the enemy. MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC WARFARE 5.3.41. -No. 24. cairo' coi/wnique. . The following official communique was issued at G.H.Q., Cairo:- LIBYA, ERITREA AND ITALIAN SOLAALILAND - Nothing of importance to report. ABYSSINIA - In the Gojjam patriot forces yesterday occupied the important Italian fort of BURYE and are now harassing the Italian column which is withdrawing towards DEBRA MARCOS. In this area 1,500 Italian irregular and 200 Colonial troops have deserted with their weapons to join the patriots. +-?-'-+++++++++ MILITARY AFFAIRS (Ministry of Information) 5/3/U1 - NO: 25. . CONCENTRATION OF PRODUCTION Discussions with The President of the Board of Trade has discussed with the Federation of British Industries the Government’s policy of bringing about the concentration of production in certain industries. The conditions which will have to be •satisfied by firms in carrying out this policy were considered. The Federation of British Industries’ representatives expressed their readiness to explain the policy of O Government to their members, and to help their members to work out the necessary arrangements as requested by the Board of BOARD OP TRADE. 5,5.41 Mo, 26 The Press Service of the Free French states that General de Larminat, High Commissioner for Free French Africa, has received a visit from Sir Bernard Bourdiilon, Governor of Nigeria, who has just completed a few days* stay in Brazzaville capital of Free French Equatorial Africa. Governor-General Ebroud'was among the military and civil representatives who welcomed Sir Bernard, who was accompanied by the British Consul-General and Colonel Williams, head of the British Mission. He also visited the Military School of Colonna d’ Ornano, the St. Cyr of Free Africa, French from which will come France’s future military leaders. Sir Bernard was received by the commander of the school and after touring the classrooms he was cheered by the cadets, who sang the Marseillaise and ”God save the King,” Sir Bernard’s visit took place at the moment that the forces of Free French Equatorial Africa captured Kufra, thus further strengthening the bonds of friendship and the collaboration between the British territories and the French colonies which have rallied to General de Gaulle. Ministry of Information, 5.3.41 - No.. 27* The Free French Press Service states:- ‘Nov; that the Free French Forces have captured Kufra it is interesting to recall certain passages from the book written by Marshal Graziani, called "Paix Romaine-en-Libye", which was published after his forces had captured Kufra in 1931. The oasis of Kufra had been defended by a few Arab troops and after making considerable preparations employing 7,000 camels, and several thousand camel drivers, artillery units, 20 aeroplanes, 300 lorries and armoured car units, the Italians took Kufra after an "herios" battle ' lasting three hours. Marshal Graziani wrote: “Now we can say without fear of contradiction that the occupation by force of Kufra is the first Saharan operation ever undertaken which undeniably gives first place in desert operations and is the fruit of methodical organisation. lam talking about the miracle of organisation which stupifies cur English and French neighbours. None can boast of ever having undertaken a Saharan campaign like this with such small forces in the' immense Fezzan Desert, The French cannot to hope compare with us. With pride we can affirm our absolute superiority which will stun our severest critics beyond the Alps and overseas". march towards the He concluded: “Kufra is a step in the great symbolic realisation of the great indestructible destiny of Kufra is symbolic Italy. of the race which is rising and being created by looking further afield". It is worth noting that Kufra was well fortified and defended by a strong Italian force ins’tead of a few as was the case in 195’1. Moreover, the French force which took Kufra had to cross 600 miles of desert and had not at its disposal as many.camels, aeroplanes and armoured cars as the Italians had in their carefully-planned attack. -i—l--| —| —j.-|—[—|—|—|—| MINISTRY OF .INFORMATION. 5.3. UK N0.28, NOT TO BE PUBLISHED BEFORE THE MORNING PAPER'"- OF THURSDAY 6th 'march,/or to "bFbrcadcast before 7 a.m. of that date. 19U1 irr TRADING TTH THE ENEMY. BULGARIA. The Board of Trade announce that Bulgaria is enemy territory for the purposes of Trading with the Enemy Act. It is accordingly a punishable offence to have commercial, financial or other intercourse or dealings with or for the benefit of any person in that territory. Inquiries should be addressed to the Trading with the Enemy branch, 2U, Kingsway, London, w.c. 2. BOARD OF TRADE. 5.3.41 - No. 29, PICTURES OF WAR SUBJECTS., IMPORTANT ADDITIONS TO NATIONAL GALLERY ON VIET TOMORROW, The latest pictures added to the collection of war subjects commissioned or purchased on the recommendation of Ministry of Information Artists’ Advisory the Committee are to be shown to the public for the first time tomorrow, Thursday, 6th- March, They more than fill Gallery XIV, by no means one of the smallest rooms in the National Gallery, and form a substantial addition to the rapidly growing collection. The ’’Blitz” is once again the subjeat of many of the new pictures, but the Services, particularly the Royal Air Force, are also very well represented. Two new series of water colours, “Marching against Britain” crashed German - aircraft - and “Flying against Germany”/ are contributed by Mr, Paul Nash, Among them two finely conceived imaginative of the bombing of Berlin and are renderings of Le Havre, and a particularly good moonlight subject, Mr. Richard Enrich*s very detailed and convincing picture of an air battle over Portland is based on an actual incident in September of last year when over forty German aeroplanes were brought down in a very short time; Mr, Roy Nockold’s realistic picture of three British fighters attacking a formation of Junkers and his ’’Night Fighters” are other useful additions to the air subjects. More than a dozen new portraits by Mr, Kennington of airmen who have dis- tinguished themselves in action against the enemy show the artist in his very best vein. Lord Gort and General Auchinleck (hung in the vestibule) are the subjects of portraits by Mr. R.G, Eves, who also contributes a painting of a recruiting Sergeant - Sergeant Scutt. Mr. Barnett Freedman’s picture of coast defence guns under camouflage netting highly is a successful addition to .the army subjects in the collection; it is impressive not only by reason of its size but also because of the vivid sense of reality with which the scene is portrayed. Mr. Harry Morley contributes a painting of a scene at the Royal Armoured Corps School and Mr. Michael Ford, himself a Home Guard, is represented by subject typical of a Home Guard activities in the countryside. Miss Frances Macdonald’s picture of the X-Ray Department at the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Millbank, shows an important aspect of Army Medical and nursing activities. Four newdrawings by Sir Miiirhead Bone, three of them depicting everyday incidents on board a battleship in war time, are certain to be of special interest. Outstanding among the Naval subjects are two important pictures by Mr. Charles Pears; one shows the shelling of a convoy in the English Channel and the other the action in which the ’’Jervis Bay” so gallantly distinguished herself. There are two pictures by. Mr. Cundall, which have not been seen before, one of a minesweeper and the other of ’’.liberty boats”. Outstanding among the many air-raid subjects are the group of paintings of bombed churches by Piper, Mr. John who has tackled his latest subjects in the same imaginative vein as the ’’Coventry Cathedral” already hanging in Gallery XVII. A particularly striking water colour of a fire in a Bristol street, at which the artist was present, is contributed by Mr. Frank Dobson; other examples of events recorded by one who saw them take place are the A.R.P. subjects (hanging in Gallery XVI) by Mr. Clifford Hall, who is himself actively engaged in this branch of civilian defence. Pictures of damage caused by air bombing are con- tributed by Mr*. James Miller, for Scotland (Gallery XVI), by Mr. Gillet (Gallery XVT), Miss Wilsczynski and Lord Methuen; drawing of St, Bride’s by the the last-named and Profressor Randolph Schwabe’s ’’Guildhall” are of special interest for their subjects as well as for their artistic merit. Miss Gabain’s delightful portrait of a woman A.F.S. worker (in the vestibule) and her poignant drawing ’’Banbed out” (in Gallery ’XVI) are other very useful additions to the pictures of the “Blitz”, /The manufacture - 2 - The manufacture -of armaments and munitions is well represented in the present collection by a series of admirable water colours by Mr. R.V, Pitchforth of activities in’war treated in the bold his drawings factories, sane manner as of bombed buildings already exhibition, in the by Mr. and Graham Sutherland's finely designed picture of breech blocks at a gun testing range.. Women's activities in the countryside, fron dairy work to knitting parties, are the subject of four convincing paintings by Miss Evelyn 'Dunbar. The good work being done by the Newfoundland lumberjacks in Scotland has been recorded by a resident Scottish artist, Mr. D.N. * Sutherland (2 pictures investibule), the and a scene at a Scottish War Weapons '.-eek in Paisley, including a crashed Messerschmitt, is the of drawing by another Scottish artist, subject a lively Mr. Alexander Macpherson (in Gallery XVI). v +++++++++++ MINISTRY OF INFORMATION. 5/3/41 - NO:.. 30 H.M. Government have decided that they must now regard Bulgaria as "territory under enemy occupation# As from March sth, 1941, therefore, Bulgaria will he regarded as an enemy destination for contraband purposes and all (Foods of Bulgarian origin or ownership will be liable to seizure,, MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC WARFARE Please a-heck against actual broadcast _s_. 3• 4_-L„. 31*. - TEXT OF BROADCAST IN THE 9 OJCLCCK NEWS BULLETIN HOME SERVICE WEDNESDAY EVENING- MARCH 9 5 194-I*' FINANCES OF NEWFOUNDLAND , Hon J.H. PKNSON M.C. (Commissioner for Finance ) The part being played by this Ancient Land of English, Irish, Scottish and Channel Islands descent is almost as much in the economic and financial as in the military field. The spirit of the Newfoundland people* has risen to the needs of the crisis in this sphere also. In the last war, indeed, the • spirit outran the resources of the country, and the war effort of our people was largely the cause of the financial difficulties of ten years, ago. Those financial difficulties, as you know, led to a political change and the temporary suspension of Newfoundland’s Parliamentary Government. Alongside of this, came the generous help of the Mother Country in the form of the guarantee of Newfoundland’s debt and annual subventions to meet local expenditure. Before the present war these subventions were increased to finance economic and social developments in the Island, and two years ago. Newfoundland relied on a grant of five million dollars or over a million pounds mainly for these purposes. Since the outbreak of war this has been changed. There is a strong public feeling that this is not the time to cast financial burdens upon the Mother Country, The first war budget in the fall of 1939 accordingly resulted in a big deduction of the subventions. After the collapse of France, Newfoundlanders were determined to pay the guaranteed loan interest themselves. To do this a war loan was raised, and heavily over-*subscribed in less, than a week. Then in July, 194-0, the Government formally undertook not to ask the United Kingdom for any help to balance it* budget, if at all possible, during the remainder of the war. Taxation was further increased and a campaign for War Savings- Certificates launched. Last November a further supplementary budget was imposing still higher taxation, in order that this undertaking should be carried into effect without raising further loan. of these any Every one steps received strongest popular support. 0-ar revenue as a result of these changes is now nearly fifteen million dollars as compared with eleven million dollars before the war. Expenditure which was seventeen million dollars two years ago is now less than fifteen million dollars, although this includes war-time expenditure on local defence, and nearly a million dollars paid each year to wipe off the public debt of the past which Britain guaranteed. - 2 - You have very likely heard something of the economic difficulties of Newfoundland since the last war, and particularly during the depression ten ears ago* Newfoundland is a producer of primary products, and although we "Have many things the world wants, the loss of many old markets and other difficulties have now to be met. Nevertheless, unemployment had fallen by fifty per cent last summer, and is thirty per cent less now than a year ago. Now industries are developing. One of the most interesting is the building of small vessels for trade and other purposes. We would not say in Newfoundland that we are anything but a poor country still: but the people are determined to do their part with all the means of men and. material that nature has given. You ask, how is our administration standing up to the strain? I may believe that our economic controls are generally regarded as working efficiently. Exchange control - one of the most difficult of these - works in close co- operation with that of Canada. Newfoundland is a dollar country. We are conscious of our dollar responsibilities, and are glad to be helping Canada, and thus Britain, in this important task. Recently a special tax was imposed favouring the use of goods from Great Britain. We knew, too, that the payment of debt interest and the because our sinking fund is all more important we pay it in England in dollars. We intend to over two million dollars for interest and sinking fund pay next whilst meeting our other expenses without outside assistance. To June, help in this war savings certificates are being sold up and down the country, in the smallest fishing settlements well in the towns. The as as people are as loyal asthey are generous. Voluntary organisations have subscribed for a number of Spitfires already, and other special funds have been raised both for meeting needs here, and for comforts for our troops overseas. Newfoundlanders are a big effort. making They want to find ways of doing more, within their power. They, on their side, have gained something in return, -x'here has been a gradual restoring of confidence and self-reliance in these eighteen months of and this is the best hope for the future. war, DOMINIONS OFFICE. 5/3Al - No\ 32. The Free French Press Service announces that to mark the "capture of Kufra General de Gaulle has awarded the Croix de la Liberation Leclerc, commander of the Free French forces which the captured fort, to whom he sent the following message: "The hearts of all Frenchmen are with you and with your troops. I congratulate you in their name on the magnificent success at Kufra. You have just shown the enemy that he has not finished with the French Army. The glorious troops of Free Chad and their leader are on the road to victory." MINISTRY OF INFORMATION. 5.3.41 - N0.33. REGISTER OF WHOLESALERS OF EGGS. A large number of wholesalers, who are eligible for registration, have not yet replied, to the Ministry of Food. Circular requiring them to register wholesalers. qualifications that as Briefly the necessary are a wholesaler shall have been in business in this country for the whole of the year ended. August 31st, 1939, shall possess warehouse accommodation and adequate collection and delivery facilities, shall have not less than 50 accounts with retailers and have sold by wholesale not less than 7,500 egg hundreds of during the period stated above. eggs Wholesalers, who possess these qualifications and have not yet returned the form of registration, should do so as early as possible. The Ministry wishes it to be that the final closing date for clearly understood this registration will be March Bth, 1941. MINISTRY OF FOOD. 5.3.U1 - No. 3U NORTHERN IRELAND CONGRATULATES GENERAL WAVELL. ' The following message has Deen conveyed to Secretary of State for War hy 'the Speaker of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland at the unanimous request of the House ”0n this, the earliest opportunity after the opening of Parliament, the members of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland unanimously wish to express their intense admiration for the heroic Imperial Forces composing the Army of the Nile, only matched by the wonderful deeds of gallantly performed by the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. Right hon. and hon. members also wish to extend heartiest congratulations to those forces which are so successfully carrying on oper- ations in Eritrea, Abyssinia and Italian Somaliland, surmount- ing all difficulties and inflicting heavy defeats on the enemy on all fronts. They have watched with particular pride the prominent part taken in all theseoperations by our Forces from all parts of the British Empire. (Signed) Harry Mulholland. Speaker” The message has been telegraphed by the Secretary of State to General Wavell. +++H—I—l-+4 —I—l-4-4- + WAR OFFICE,. Issued by Naval Affairs for NO: ,3.5. such use as the Press may.wish to make of it. THE GERMAN FREIGHTER ’’LECH’S” VOYAGE The arrival of the German freighter ’’Lech” of 3>290 "tons at Rio de Janeiro from Bordeaux is reminiscent of the occasional German blockade runners of the last war. It has been a matter of interest that so few blockade runners have attempted the journey the first eighteen months of this war. That German propaganda /de Janeire should make so much of the arrival of one German freighter? in Rio/ is regarded in London as a great compliment to the efficiency of the British blockade. AIR HINIbTRY BULLETIN No. 3195. 5«5.41 “ . No., j6. Air i.Zinistry News Service. EIGHT' HOURS ,IN A DM., AN zxIR OREN’S STRUGGLE WITH THE SEA. One of aircraft recently into difficulties night when the cur got on a weather was very had. The wireless was completely out of action and the captain, with no messages from his base and with only an occasional glimpse of land through the clouds, found it inpossible to keep on his course or sea After cruising up and dovm for a long while he decided that there vas no hope of reaching base. He told the crew he would have to come down in the sea. The rear gunner took up a hatchet and hacked away the fuselage door while the rest of the ere'.; stood ready to escape. At the last moment the captain made his mind to He flew but when he up try again. once on saw what he believed to be a lightship he thought the opportunity too good to miss. He made perfect landing the but the lightship a on rough sea was never seen again. The rear gunner and three others of the crew threw out the dinghy but the waves snapped the rope which tied it to the aircraft. The dinghy was The the aircraft first upside dov/n and drifting away. rear gunner left and reached the dinghy. The other three men jumped into the but one sea, of them got stuck in the doorway and the man behind him had to push him out of the aircraft with his foot, Vhen the captain’s turn came the dinghy was too far away and he stayed and went down with his aircraft. The the to rear gunner waited anxiously on overturned dinghy haul in the rest of the crew. ’ Two of them swam towards him but the navigator could not swim. He was kept up by his "Mae Nest" lifebelt and somehow managed to paddle and splash his way towards the dinghy but when he got to it his belt hampered him and it was 15 minutes before he could be pulled out of the water. He clung with one arm to one of the men on the dinghy and with the other to the -all the dinghy itself. The r arm rear gunner w as while* trying to him in. It another that pull was only by kneeling on man he could get sufficient purchase. /The rubber - 2 - The rubber dinghy was still upside down and there was only one thing to do. The four sat round the of it and thrust- their feet down men edge in the middle to make a well. This was just enough to keep the dinghy from collapsing. There was an 80 mile-an-hour gale and the dinghy was being tossed about by the waves. The men had to bale continuously with their When they were lifted by a wave they scanned the horizon for caps. \ ship. Wen they fell into a trough they baled, furiously. Their actions mechanical. "We in the well had made in the necame saw eight legs we boat", the rear gunner said, "but we didn’t feel we knew -which were our own legs and which were someone else’s." The rations which should have been with them were underneath the dinghy and could not be reached. There was nothing to drink and the salt spray increased their thirst. But a welcome shower came and the four of them leant their heads back and opened their mouths to the rain. Towards dawn they saw a Hudson aircraft. Their spirits rose, but their hopes died when it flew away without having seen them. They went, on baling, numbed by cold. Then a German plane came over and they even waved to him. At last a Blenheim passed about 200 yards away. The rear gunner tried to fire a Verey light but his fingers were so numb that he could not manage it until the Blenheim was out of sight. But they had been seen. The Blenheim came back, flying round and round, in narrowing circles, and on the horizon the exhausted tiny speck. It away men saw a was a trawler coming in answer to the signal of the Blenheim, but the dinghy was gradually losing the air in it and the men were making bets - would the trawler get there before the dinghy sank? One bet was that the trawler would take three hours, but she arrived within an hour. Wien she came alongside the men made an effort to grasp the ladder which the trawler’s crew had thrown down to them but they were too weak. With the help of the crew three managed to toil up the ladder, but the fourth had to be roped and hoisted up. Once on deck, whisky was poured down their throats and cigarettes put between their lips. They were given warm clothing and set by a fire, "and. for the rest of the way", the "we did but drink ard of as rear gunner said, nothing pints pints scalding hot tea. When that ship came in sight we would, have given them all we had in the world". What the rear gunner did not say, but what the others said, was this: "He pulled, each one of us on to the dinghy. We all owe our lives to him. He saved us all, and for eight hours he kept up our spirits with his cheerfulness and good humour." , X. NO- BRITISH PRISONERS IN ENEW HANDS Next of kin, if able to identify the mbn from the information requested to advise published, are the Casualty Branches of the Services concerned, forwarding Regimental or any other details* The following is the latest list of British prisoners of war as received from enemy sources IN GERMAN HANDS Sergeant Alan Cook Fotheringham, Dundee. Sergeant Thomas Francis Keeley, 2-1-7, Ashton Road, Southport, Lancashire. i Sergeant Alan Booking, U 1, Toronto Road, Gillingham, Kent, Sergeant Maurice Francis Hurlsdon, 148, Broomfield Road, Coventry. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION 5.3.U1 AIR MINISTRY No o 3197 AIR MINISTRY AND MINISTRY OF HOMY SECURITY COMMUNIQUE No report has been received of bombs being dropped in any part of this country during daylight today. It has been confirmed that two enemy bombers were destroyed during last night ; botji by anti-aircraft gunfire. 5/3/41 - N0.39. NOTE PRESENTED BY BRITISH W3S.TER IN SOFIA, TO BULGARIAI\T .GQVERNI'iENf> The note should not bo published, textually but may be paraphrased, and ~ extracts quoted verbatim? Your Excellency, In his speech in the Chamber of Deputies on 2nd March the President of the Council stated that the Bulgarian Government had decided to agree to a request made by the German Government in the of discussions the course on proposed accession of to the that German be Bulgaria Tripartite Pact, troops should permitted to enter this country. As a result of this decision, German troops are now on Bulgarian soil. 2. According to M. Filoff’s statement the German Government have declared that the of these is to safe- presence troops is temporary and that their task guard peace and tranquility in the Balkans. H.M.G. in the United Kingdom are not aware that this peace and tranquility has ever been threatened or disturbed by any power which was not party a Tripartite Pact, and they • to the consider that the pretext advanced by the German Government is a specious one, designed in accordance with the usual German practice, to mask an ulterior aggressive aim. From the nature of German military movements in the, Balkans it is clear that the German aim is to menace, and if necessary attack, Great Britain’s ally, Greece. 3* their agreement with the German Government the Bulgarian Government By have facilitated the realisation of this German aim, and, apart from other which they have far to proceed in measures taken, they have gone so as connexion with it to a large measure of mobilisation. H.M.G. can only conclude from that that the Bulgarian Government so far from desiring to maintain neutrality in the present conflict, are now prepared actively to co-operate with Germany. 4* If further evidence were needed of the extent of this co-operation it is only necessary to refer to the initiative taken the Bulgarian Government by on 4th March in breaking off diplomatic relations with Poland, Belgium and the Netherlands, countries which are allies of Great Britain and the position of whose representatives in Bulgaria has hitherto been unchallenged. 5* It is a matter of indifference to H.M.G. what steps the Bulgarian Government may think fit to take for the protection of their country against external danger, real imaginery. or Great Britain is, however, at war with Germany and the in ever increasing force of German troops on presence, Bulgarian territory, with the obvious object which I have already described, combined with subservience of the Bulgarian Government to German the growing policy, opinion of H.M.G. incompatible with the maintenance of is in the British diplomatic representation in Bulgaria. 6. I have accordingly been instructed to withdraw His Majesty’s diplomatic Mission from Sofia and I request that I may be furnished with the necessary facilities for myself and my staff to leave the country. 4-4-4* 4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4* 4-4* FOREIGN OFFICE NFS DEPARTMENT, 5.3.b.1_ >o.-40. AIR MINISTRY. N n . 3198 ' AIR MINISTRY COMMUNIQUE This afternoon a formation of R.A.F. ’bombers escorted by fighters, attacked the docks at Boulogne..■ Other squadrons of our fights --s made an offensive sweep over the Channel and northern France., Hits were scored on the docks at Boulogne and a large fire was started in the inner harbour. . One enemy fighter destroyed was and several others were seen to be seriously damaged but owing to the great height at which combats took place their destruction cannot be Three of our aircraft (all fighters) are missing. ’ AIR KINIcTRY BIJLLETIN No< 3199. '’ . 5.3.41 No. 41 • Air Ministry News Service. R.A.F, FIGHTER OFFENSIVE OVER mNCE. Spitfires and Hurricanes of Fighter Command carried out offensive sweeps the French coast this afternoon. the of the over In course operations fighter squadrons escorted a formation of bombers in a successful attack on the docks at Boulogne, One Messerschmitt 109 fighters, six was destroyed by our were probably destroyed and another damaged. In one of these Spitfires and Messerschmitts were engaged at sweeps 30,000 feet the Channel. In this action over one Spitfire squadron claimed five enemy aircraft as probably destroyed and one damaged, in addition to the one destroyed. The destroyed Messerschmitt 109 was not even fired at. "I saw a 109 on my tail" said the British pilot, "and at once took evasive action in order to get into position to let Jerry have it. But Jerry, rushing dovm at high speed, failed to pull out of his dive and went crashing into the sea. I didn’t get a shot at him". A sergeant pilot of the same squadron got a probable, but, like several fellow pilots, he was not able to see what eventually happened to the eneny,. as there was considerable cloud below the battle. One eneny aircraft was seen to dive vertically with smoke pouring from it, while another fell on its back towards the sea also on fire. Another is believed to have crashed on land. Accompanying this squadron was the wing commander of the station who added to his bag one probable and one damages. In later encounter the sergeant pilot of a Spitfire engaged a Messerschmitt 109 and chased him down from 27,000 feet to 8,000 feet, firing all the time with his eight machine-guns. This aircraft is also claimed as a probable. Four other Messerschmitts were closely engaged, but the British nilots Mem unable +.O nhenk the nesnlts- AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN NO, 320 Q 3/SAI -NO: 42, Air Ministry News Service ITALIANS LEAVE MUCH MAR MATERIAL H,Q», R,A,F, Middle East? March sth, When the Italians beat a hasty retreat from Mogadishu they abandoned one of the best equipped of the Regia Aeronautical aerodromes. Like El Adem in Libya, Mogadishu was an aircraft morgue, Airframes of eleven Caproni IJ3’s and at least ten other aircraft were found scattered round the aerodrome. Many of the remains were the result of bombing raids carried out by the South African Air Force, One building had been wrecked by the direct hits of our bombs, Much valuable material left at the aerodrome fell into our hands, including 25 aero-engines, petrol dumps and vast quantities of stores and equipment. The buildings used as Italian headquarters were magnificently laid out. The headquarters zoo was nearby, but before they left the Eritreans had shot the lion and the cheetah which were the zoo’s principal attractions. AIR MINISTRY No» 3201 s.3*U* ~ No. ZJ AIR MINISTRY COMOTIQUE It has now been confirmed that another enemy bomber was destroyed by anti-aircraft gun fire near Cardiff last night, bringing the number of enemy aircraft destroyed by anti-aircraft gun fire during the night to three.