Thursday, September 12, 1940. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION NEWS BULLETIN No. 106. PRECAUTIONS REGARDING WATER AND MILK. Since the outbreak of war the Government Health Services have kept a close watch on the conditions affecting public health in this country. A number of steps have been taken to provide not only against the dangers that are always present in time of war but againstalso likely those to result from changing conditions. At the present time careful consideration has to be given to the effect on public health of such factors as troop movements and evacuation. The resulting increase in the population of certain areas throws an additional burden on the Health Services which calls for the utmost vigilance. Among the measures that have been taken are an extension of the system of chlorination of water, which was already applied before the war in many of the larger urban supplies; the establishment of emergency Public Health Laboratories to assist in the rapid detection and suppression of any outbreak of infectious disease that may and the provision of stocks of substances necessary for the prevention and occur; cure of such diseases. The Government attach the highest importance to the cleanliness of our milk supplies and much has been done in recent years to improve the quality by encouraging the production of accredited and tuberculin tested milk. Some three million pounds were contributed last year jointly by the Government and the Milk Marketing Boards for this purpose. In the large centres of population substantial proportions of the milk sold are already pasteurised or sterilised. There is no doubt however that in times such as the present special dangers of infection may exist. Maximum protection against these can be obtained by boiling all milk that has not been pasteurised or sterilised. The milk should be brought to the boil and then cooled quickly. Ministry of Food M.0.1. 1. NORTHERN IRELAND INTENSIFIES TILLAGE CAMPAIGN. Not content with having brought under cultivation more than 250,000 additional acres this year, Northern Ireland is going in for a still more intensified tillage campaign for the next season. A new Order has been issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, applicable to all holders of 10 acres or more, of which 5 acres or more are arable land. The Order provides that every occupier must have under cultivation in 1941 an area equivalent to that cultivated in 1939, and in addition a quarter of his total area of arable land in 1941. Every occupier must have at least a third of his area of arable lard under cultivation next season. The ploughing grant of £2 per acre will continue to be payable in respect of ploughed-up land, which has been under grass for not less than 7 years. A statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture says "Today we stand alone, and the only guarantee against shortage of feeding stuffs lies in greater production from our land.” Dominions Office Press Section. M. 0.1. 2. CROPPING POLICY FOR 1941. The Minister of Agriculture has now given a clear indication to the County War Agricultural Executive Committees of the general lines on which the food production campaign should be intensified for 1941. He has pointed out that more food can be of arable than an acre of grassland. The Committees have produced from an acre practically completed their survey and arrangements for additional grassland to be ploughed and cropped for next year are well in hand. /The M.0.1. Bulletin N0.106 - Page 2. The Minister has reminded the Committees that the milk supply must be maintained and is likely to be limited by shortage of winter foods than by more shortage of summer grass. The dairy farmer’s best safeguard for the winter of 1941/42 is therefore to grow enough oats, roots, kale, etc. to provide for all cows-in-milk and in-calf Winter fodder should also be grown for horses, young heifers and other essentials. Summer grazing will be needed for the farm’s dairy herd, but permanent pasture suitable for ploughing should no longer be reserved for sheep and store stock. Farmers have already been advised to plant wheat and beans on all suitable land. The Minister has now asked for an increase in the potato acreage in almost every county. Steps are being taken to ensure that there is a sufficient supply of sound seed - the price of which will be controlled. The Committees have been asked to ensure that at least as much sugar beet as was grown in 1939 is sown, and spring oats and barley are required on suitable land with due regard to the importance of making farms as nearly as possible self-supporting in winter keep. Crops for seed of grasses, white clover, roots and vegetables are all of national importance. Flax will be needed again next year and farmers will be offered contracts under the Ministry of Supply’s scheme. While farmers will still be allowed reasonable latitude in the choice of the crops they will grow, the Minister stresses that the production of direct human foodstuffs, like wheat and potatoes, and also of winter feeding stuffs for dairy cows, is most important. As an essential to the attainment of the Government’s objective the Minister has called on each farmer to regard himself as the willing manager of his land for the national good.- Ministry of Agriculture. M. 0.1. 3. The Minister of Aircraft Production acknowledges with gratitude the following gifts towards the purchase of aircraft:- £ Employees of Pearce, Duff and Co., London 100 Staff of Hotpoint Electric Appliance Co. f 56 Oxford St., London Workers at MeItis Chocolate Factory, Bedford 55 J.W.W. Gabriel, London 50 Residents of Glenlyon Road, Eltham 25 Air Raid Wardens, Post J, West Kensington 5 Lloyds Bank Ltd; Black Horse Spitfire Fund, 2nd Contribution. 377 Ministry of Aircraft Production M. o.L. 4. September 12, 1940. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION NEWS BULLETIN NO.107. AUSTRALIAN VALOUR. Mr. Churchill on What The Enemy May Expect. Prime Minister of following exchange of messages between Mr. Menzies, The Australia, and Mr. Winston Churchill has just been made public: Mr. Menzies telegraphed: "On this anniversary day of the war, we and forward with determination. Your own look back with pride inspiring and by the superb effort and steady courageous lead, backed has moved us deeply; and we are temper of the people of Great Britain, confident of success. The Mother Country may be assured that in every part of the British Empire, part more than Australia, there is and in no a resolution to do all, all spend all for the success of our bear and most holy cause. We thank you and we are with you". Mr. Churchill replied: "Most grateful for your inspiring message. We have passed through in the last twelve months t hut the spirit of our people anxious moments has withstood each shock with undaunted courage, and the universal determination to destroy utterly the Nazi menace has only been strengthened. "The magnificent support from you and the other Dominions has heartened and sustained us throughout. In the Australians of 1940 the valour of their fathers lives again. "The thrilling exploits of your sailors in the Mediterranean scene and of your airmen around these shores give a foretaste of what the enemy may expect when all aims of the Australian Forces get the chance which they are eagerly awaiting. With the aid of such men we shall go on is Office Press unflinchingly until final victory won”. Dominions - Section. M. 0.1. 1. BAKING TRADE BOARD (ENGLAND AND WALES) At their meeting last week, the Baking Trade Board (England and Wales) decided to issue a recommendation to employers in the trade regarding payment to workers in respect of air raid warning periods. The following arrangements are recommended by the Trade Board for the payment of workers both male and female who continue to work during air raids or who lose some of their working time by reason of taking shelter during air raids. (l) Workers who voluntarily work during air raid warning periods should be paid at the rate of time and a half in respect of such time. (2) If by reason of time spent taking shelter during an air raid warning period a worker loses ordinary hours of work during a week and any of his should on this account be unable to work forty-eight hours, he should be paid for forty-eight hours provided that if the opportunity is afforded he may be required to work forty-eight hours. This principle should also apply to a worker whose ordinary hours of work are less than forty-eight and he should receive the amount due for his ordinary hours of work provided that if the opportunity is afforded he may be required to work up to his normal number of hours A notice to this effect will shortly be issued to all employers in the trade. Ministry of Labour. M.0.1. 2. CROPPING POLICY. The monthly meeting of the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the National Farmers ’ the * and Union, Agricultural Workers Unions the Central ’ Landowners Association was held today. The Minister themeeting an outline of the Government’s cropping policy gave for the season. Agricultural labour questions were also discussed. - Ministry of Agriculture. M. 0.1. 3. M.0.1. News Bulletin No. 107 - Page 2. GIFTS FROM COLONIES. The "Win the War” Fund of British Honduras has sent £l,000 as a first instalment towards the purchase of bomber aircraft. Lord Lloyd has replied wishing the enterprise every success. Lord Lloyd has telegraphed acceptance of the generous offer of the Accra (Gold Coast) Town Council of £2,500 as a loan free of interest for the duration of the war. He has also telegraphed to Mauritius his pleasure at ’’strikingthe testimony of attachment to our common cause" shown by the management and pupils of Brunel School, a primary State-aided school which contributed 200 rupees to Imperial funds. Other gifts from Colonies include £50 from the Bermuda Branch of the West India Oil Company to British Red Cross Funds, Messrs. Baur and Company, Manufacturers of fertilisers in Colombo, have given £5,000 to the British Red Cross. The managing director expressed the conviction of his company, whose membership is Swiss, that the cause of justice and freedom, for which Britain had taken up arms, would triumph. The people of all races in Borneo have voluntarily suscribed £5,000 to purchase a Spitfire to aid in the defence of the United Kingdom. This is a first instalment. The Leopold Stokowski All-American Youth Orchestra, 11 5 strong, homeward bound after a South American goodwill tour, called at Port of Spain, Trinidad, and gave the first of series of concerts, half of the box-office a takings of which will be given to the Trinidad-Tobago Win-the-War Association for distribution among war charities in Great Britain. The Orchestra was entertained at supper at Government House. - Issued by Colonial Office Press Section. M. 0.1. 12/9/40 - NO: 2. FLASH Analysis of later reports received up to midnight indicate that the enemy lost at least ninety aircraft in yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) air battle; AIR AFFAIRS AIR MINISTRY NO. 1697 12/9/40 - No. 3. AIR MINISTRY AND MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY COMMUNIQUE. Severe losses were inflicted on the enemy in yesterday’s air battles and the attacks which followed during the night were less effective than any of those since Saturday. The London area was again the subject of the majority of these attacks and although as is his custom many bombs were scattered at random by the enemy over widely separated districts of the capital, the main force of his offensive was directed against South London and its suburbs. Shortly after darkness full formations of enemy bombers approached the London area and these were followed throughout the night by waves cf further aircraft. Our anti-aircraft batteries have been constantly in action and the heavy barrages put up prevented many enemy bombers reaching these objectives. Reports at present available show that 2 (two) bombers were shot down by anti-aircraft fire. High explosive and incendiary bombs have started fires and fallen on many buildings. Two hospitals, many houses and some small factories have been hit. A marked feature of the raid was the number of incendiary bombs which were extinguished by air raid wardens before being allowed to develop into fires. It is not yet possible to give a figure of casualties and although there is a number of persons killed and injured it is probably that the number is less than on any of the previous four nights. Outside the London area enemy activity though widespread has been relatively slight. Bombs were dropped in a town in South Wales and in towns in the north western area. Some damage has been done in each of these areas but there the number of casualties is small. It is now confirmed that in yesterday’s air battles eighty-nine enemy aircraft were destroyed, eighty of these being shot down by our fighters and nine by anti-aircraft fire. Twentyfour of our fighters are missing but the pilots of seven of these are safe. AIR MINISTRY. 12/9/40 - No. 4. BRITISH PRISONERS OF WAR. Following is the latest list of British Prisoners of War in enemy hands as received from a German source:- NAME DATE OF BIRTH ADDRESS Norman HIGH 20.10. 1917 35» Chisholme Road, E. Croydon, Surrey William Percival SHARMAN 21.4. 1917 43# Bonington Square, Vauxhall, S.W.8. John FITZGERALD 21.6. 1917 3, Kintor Street, Orange Road, Bermondsey, London, S.E.l. Fred Walter MASSINGLEY 7.3. 1921 4# Lockfield Cottages, Cobham, Woking, Surrey. Ernest Sydney AVIS 4.12.1918 1, Lodgelands Cottages, Balcombe, Sussex. Norman WARDELL 14.12.1917 Hallstyle Bank, Hexham, Northumberland. William Blakey SOMERVILLE 16. 9.1913 11, Lammermuir Crescent, Dunbar, East Lothian Herbert John AUSTIN 27.12.1916 5, Council Houses, West Hill, near Ashford, Kent. Thomas John Charles 23. 7.1920 Foreman’s Bungalow, C/o Pearson, JAMES Dorman Long Ltd., Port of Richborough, near Sandwich, Kent. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED BEFORE 12/9/40. - No. 5. BROADCAST. Queen Wilhelmina will broadcast this evening (Thursday, September 12) between 7.15 and 7.30, in Radio Orange, a Dutch programme, under the auspices of the Dutch Government. Her Majesty will speak as follows The way in which my sixtieth birthday has been celebrated and the many signs of affection and sympathy which have reached me from the Netherlands under the equator as well as from everywhere where Dutchmen live who can freely express their feelings, bring me to the microphone once more to express to all of them to personally my heartfelt thanks, I would have liked answer everybody personally but that is impossible as during more than three days telegrams have been pouring in continuously whilst I received in addition countless letters and my house was transformed into a garden by the many lovely flowers received from East and West, from England and from elsewhere. Briefly I will tell you from whom I have received congratulations. They did not come only from high authorities and colleges, from sovereigns, selfgoverning rulers, Regents and native chiefs, from our defence forces and many of their branches, from many members of the civil administration, from the gallant crews of our ships, but also from whole groups of the population of all races,from merchant church communities and authorities, from missionary posts, from many societies institutions and enterprises, from gatherings large and small held in even the farthest outposts and from numerous private persons,Dutch citizens as well as- foreigners. The congratulations and acclamations of affection and loyalty were offered with the of the to the’ liberation of assurance willingness bring any offer for the Fatherland and they expressed the conviction: the Netherlands will rise again, the Netherlands will be free. In this way this commemoration has developed into an overwhelming demonstration for the restoration of the independence of the Netherlands and for the reunion in undisturbed freedom of our community of seventy million citizens within the framework of the Dutch state. This is an historical fact of lasting significance. Had it been possible to put this to a free vote of the inhabitants of the Netherlands and of the free Dutchmen abroad as well as of the inhabitants of the greater Netherlands in East and West, the result could not have been more convincing and more eloquent. All who have taken part in this spontaneous demonstration for national independence have thus given great support to our countrymen in their suffering in the occupied Fatherland and they will have strengthened their unshakable trust in the future. I thank all of you in the name of those who have been silenced on their national soil for your grand national demonstration. Full of enthusiasm and from the bottom of my heart I associate myself with you. A people which has vitality and strong will cannot be a subjugated merely by the force of arms. The device of my beloved mother, "the palm grows agai nst pressure", is now in operation. Our national pulse beats stronger, more determined than before. As a united people we endure this trial. A new proof of this can be found in the spontaneous generosity in the Netherlands East Indies for the Queen Wilhelmina fund which has been put at my disposal. The patriotism of the donors, their strong will to win the war for the liberation of the Netherlands, has given rise to their wish that part of the contributions, to a total of five million guilders, shall be spent on military purposes in the allied struggle. In conformity with the intention of the donors I have informed His Majesty the King of Great Britain that they plan to give a mumber of military aeroplanes through the medium of the Prince Bernhard Fund, in /which 2 which fund this amount will be deposited. Great demonstrations of unity and the will to. independence., together with such signs of national generosity and energy cannot but lift us above the difficulties and sorrows of these days and enable us to look with confidence to the future which under God's blessing will give us all back.a free and independent country. In a country with limited freedom there is no place for Orange. Once freedom has been regained the work of reconstruction will be awaiting us. This will not be easy as it will not be simply the rebuilding to the old pattern. An open eye for the faults that in the the years had crept course of into our system of government will have to be coupled with insight and courage to effect the changes which have been proved necessary. Here I see. a task particularly for the generation, who, sticking to our old love for younger freedom will have to build on the foundations of our glorious past an edifice in accordance with the character of our people which owes its civilisation to Christianity. Listeners, Radio Orange has informed you on a very greatvariety of subjects; it has also told you about the management of my Government here in London. It gives me pleasure to be able to tell you personally that my ministers and I are already doing everything possible to begin immediately, as soon as the moment has come, the revictualling of the Netherlands with foodstuffs as well as with raw materials for . the economic restoration of the country. We fully appreciate the fact that, notwithstanding our considerable merchant navy, it will not be possible to give, everybody immediately what he wants, but we trust that the Dutch solidity of the plan will guarantee a steady and mounting flow. In conclusion I want to repeat a word, which figured so. largely in the telegrams that have reached me and I want to associate myself with it. That word is: THE NETHERLANDS TOLL RISE! LONG LIVE THE FATHERLAND! Foreign Office News Dept, on behalf of Netherland Government Press Service, AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN NO. 1698 12/9/40. - No. 6. Air Ministry News Service, CZECHOSLOVAK SQUADRON’S FIRST RAID. The Czechoslovak Bomber Squadron which was recently formed in this country has made its first raid over enemy territory. They took in successful attack railway goods yards at Brussels part a on and on their return drank a toast with their Squadron commander to the success of future operations. When they arrived over the target the crews found that they were in cloud. Two of the pilots came right down, broke cloud in the face of anti-aircraft fire and bombed right on the target. One of these pilots, a Squadron Leader said that he twice crossed the canal which runs near the Brussels goods yard without finding the target. On the third run they picked it up, turned and bombed it on the fourth one. "It was very, very satisfactory", declared this pilot with a broad grin, There had been keen competition in the Czechoslovak Squadron to go on this raid which was carried out within 43 days of the unit's formation. Though they are now beginning to pick up the language, none of them at first spoke English. They had an interpreter and about ten of them spoke Russian with which their British C.O. was also familiar. Despite the language difficulty they at once settled down to a period of intensive training under the guidance of British officers, four of 'whom are holders of the D.F.C. The pilots, all of them experienced airmen, wore first given instruction in the type of bomber they would fly. At the same time their air gunners were being instructed in the handling of their new weapons, the wireless operators were being taught British methods and the navigators were taking special courses. next step was to bring the pilots and navigators together on short cross-country flights and to give pilots, navigators and air gunners firing practice on the ranges. The wireless operators were ? brought in when longer cross countries’ were carried out and, finally, the full crew were brought on to bombing practice by day. The requisite standard of efficiency having been reached by day, practically the same procedure was repeated at night. When at last an operational training flight was formed the competition to join it was as keen as that shown when crews had to be picked for the first raid. The Czechoslovaks who took part say that all they want is an opportunity to repeat the performance. 12/9/40 - No 7 The following message has been sent by His Majesty the King to General Pershing on the occasion of his eightieth birthday I send, you my warmest congratulations on your eightieth birthday together with the best wishes of the people of this country, where you will always be held in affectionate esteem as a distinguished leader and comrade-in-arms during the Great War. George R.I. FOREIGN OFFICE S.W.1 12/9/40. No. 9 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED BEFORE THE MORNING- PAPERS OF FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th, 1940. NOT TO BE BROADCAST OR ISSUED ON THE CLUB TAPERS BEFORE 3.30 a.m. ON THAT DATE. £20,000 FOR FOUR AIRCRAFT Mr. Alma Baker, C.B.E., of Kinta, Perak, Federated Malay States, has sent £20,000 to the Minister of Aircraft Production for the purchase of four fighter aircraft. In the last war, Mr. Alma Baker was responsible for adding 94 aeroplanes to the Air Force by public subscription which he organised in Malaya and Australia. Note In June, 1920, Mr. Alma Baker warned the Empire of the consequences if air supremacy was not maintained: “It is very probable”, he then wrote, "that if an enemy will, not prevented, try to paralyse from the air the chief centres of our Empire. In the near future it is conceivable that large bodies of troops with all their war material will be carried by air machines across the widest tracts of sea and land.” MINISTRY OF AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN No. 1700 12/9/40 - No 10 Air Ministry News Service. R.A.F. RAID BERLIN AGAIN Berlin was raided again last night By aircraft of the Bomber Command. Heavy damage was inflicted on a railway station in the heart of the German capital. The Berlin raiders arrived over the city soon after 11.30 and within three minutes of midnight the first bombs were falling on the city. A large railway yard south of the Potsdam station, was straddled by a stick of heavy calibre bombs followed by a salvo of incendiary bombs. At five minutes past midnight another raider, evading the searchlight and anti-aircraft barrage curtaining the city, attacked the Anhalter Station, near the Potsdam Station. In a series of runs over the target this raider bombed the station buildings and tracks. Following raiders pressed home the attack. By the light of parachute flares dropped from high above the city centre, repeated salvos of bombs were seen to strike the goods yards of the two stations. An anti-aircraft battery in the Tiergarten, Berlin’s Hyde Park, was bombed, and another raider turned dropped H.E. and,, south and incendiary bombs on the Templehof Aerodrome Berlin’s main airport and former military parade ground. One of our aircraft, flying eight thousand feet above the city, was hit by a shell fragment which pierced the cowling of one engine and narrowly missed the oil tank, but all the engaged in the attack on Berlin returned safely to their basest AIR MINISTRY. AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN NO. 1701. 12/9/40. - No. 11. Air Ministry News Service R.A.F. FIGHTERS GREAT WORK Two Hurricane squadrons did splendid work in protecting London against the attack yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon. The pilots of these squadrons Englishment, New Zealanders, - Poles and a Belgian - ferociously attacked and broke up a formation of 150 Dornier and Heinkel bombers, escorted by Messerschmitt fighters, that was heading for London. Eighteen of these raiders were definitely destroyed and more probably did not reach home. Some of the Nazi airmen were even chased back to the coast and across the Channel. By routing this spearhead of Goering’s attack these Hurricane pilots gave other Spitfire and Hurricane squadrons a chance to tackle a few thin groups which vainly tried to reach the Metropolis. Of these raiders, at least 13 were destroyed. The others then fled for dropping their bombs the woods of Surrey and Sussex. home, over In fact, the German, bomber pilots, suffered a severe defeat. During the day's fighting, the German Air Force lost 56 heavy bombers, and fighter bombers. 22 Of these 69 were destroyed by fighter command pilots and 9by anti-aircraft g ns. Eleven Messerschmitt. 10.9 fighters?were also destroyed. It was a costly day for enemy pilots, navigators and air-gunners. At least 250 must have been lost. From Hampshire to the Kentish Coast, uu the Thames Estuary and over Sussex and Surrey the German bombers suffered heavily in every engagement. Fighter pilots, when they landed, told how time and again they dodged the escorting Messerschmitts, and attacked bomber formations heading'them off from their objectives. 2 A Spitfire squadronm which began a fight near Dungeness accounted for 6 Heinkels together with one Messerschmitt fighter. Later Hurricane pilots took up the chase when met 40 Heinkels flying they in eight groups of five, with escort and behind. fighters alongside, above, The Hurricane pilots dived over the Messerschmitt fighters and attacked the first three bomber formations. Throe of the Heinkels were damaged and two of the Messerschmitts were shot down. For few minutes the bombers continued towards but a their way London, before they reached the Thames they turned about for home. 1 The Hurricanes were again waiting for them. They shot down at least one and -damaged more. Still the Hurricane pilots had not finished with these German airmen. Two of the Hurricanes spotted a straggler and shot it down into the sea off the South Coast. Another broken formation of German bombers making for home over Kent, were caught 1 by a squadron of Spitfires. The British pilots attacked and shot down two. The first, - a Heinkel 111 crashed in flames. A few minutes later a Junkers 88 dived in flames and hit the' ground. The third, also a Junkers 88, fell into the sea. Two other Hurricane squadrons engaged 12 Messerschmitt fighter-bomber's and eight Heinkels 113 figaers. over the Kent coast. They shot down some of the 12 Messerschmitts and damaged others. pilots of another squadron. attacked off the south coast 20 Hurricane Messerschmitt 110's. The Messerschmitts tried to form into a circle before the Hurricanes hast time to attack. But the Hurricanes had stood off and waited for the In of their cautious tactics the Germans lost 7 Messerschmitts stragglers. spite while more suffered damage. AIR MINISTRY. AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN NO. 1699 6 P.M. 12/9/40. - No. 13. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED BEFORE TO BE CHECKED WITH THE ACTUM BROADCAST. Air Ministry News Service. BOMBING BERLIN AGAIN. A Flying Officer in one. of our. heavy bomber squadrons describes in a broad- cast in the B.B.C. Home Service tonight the remarkable scene which followed the bombing of a large gas works during a recent raid on military objectives in Berlin. Before I describe this particular raid I would just like to mention something which gave us in the R.A.F. one of the biggest laughs we’ve had since started. A few had sent round to extract from the war days ago we us an an Italian paper following which made the remarkable statement: "The R.A.F succeeded in bombing Germany and Italy by offering to Colonial mercenary pilots the £6OO over Italy. following bonuses in respect of every night raid £5OO over Germany, Last night I carried out my twentieth raid over Germany, so that at that rate of should have tucked away in the bank the nice little sum of pay I now .310,000. One can only wonder why it is that any Italians should be asked to believe that any pilot' in any Air Force - their own not excluded - should need such a fantastic inducement to do what has now come to be regarded, by the R.A.F. at less routine job of work. We pasted the extract up the any rate, moreas a or on notice board in the Officers’ Mess with a big red arrow pointing to it. It really was too good to be missed. But- if you want a true picture of things in an R.A.F. Bomber Squadron, let me tell you what happened the first time the squadron I belong to was detailed for a raid on Berlin. The Wing Commander who commands the squadron called us in during the afternoon in the usual way for 'briefingthat's to say, to give us all the details of the Half the squadron, he said, would be Berlin, the remainder operation, on on targets in Germany. other He asked if there were any captains and crews who had any particular preference for Berlin. Every man operating that night wanted to go, though the Wing Commander decided that the fairest way to arrange things was to work it out in order of seniority. Some of the chaps started shooting a line about their seniority - trying to pull a bit of a fast one, in fact - but that did'nt cut any ice and the whole thing was properly worked out by the two Flight Commanders. We have an ‘A’ flight and a 'B' flight. In the end, however, everybody went, because later in the afternoon, we were taken off the other targets and all put on to Berlin. I think that most pilots if they were asked for their opinion on the Berlin raids, would say that, given moderately decent weather, they were quite normal trips. They take longer, of course, than some of the other raids, but distance alone does’nt really make much difference so long as the aircraft can stand to it as easily as ours do and as up long as have got well trained captains and crews. In fact, its precisely the you sort of job that we’ve been trained to do. Well, now, about those gas works in Berlin. If one’s to judge from results actually seen, I suppose it’s my most successful trip so far. As a matter of fact it was the first time I’ve been to Berlin, though I have visited a good many other places in Germany. We got a certain amount of anti-aircraft fire on the way out - but nothing remarkable. the time arrived there already lot of aircraft buzzing By we were a about and flares were dropping all over the place. One could pick out streets and railways, small parks and places like that. /Over Over the city the guns were letting off at us pretty heavily, but we were not hit. We found our target without any difficulty. It was a gas generating plant only a few miles from the centre of Berlin. Someone else had started two fires in the North Bast corner of it and we ran up from West to East. My second pilot was flying the aircraft and I was doing the bomb aiming. By this time we were down to eight thousand feet, and I could clearly see the outside of the works. Perhaps I ought just to explain here, very briefly, how the bombing is done. The bomb aimer is lying flat on his face in the nose of the aircraft looking down through a large glass panel which takes the place of the floor. Allowances have to be made on the bomb sight for the speed and direction of the wind, the height and speed of the aircraft, and so on. Then, when the target comes in line with the pointers on the fore and back sight, the bomb aimer presses the firing switch - and down they go. On this occasion, when the bombs burst, there were four huge explosions across the works. I think that the first one must have hit a gasometer; as far as I can see there was no other explanation for what happened. There was a violent eruption upwards and outwards. It reminded me of a scene on the films. The first four large explosions were followed by a series of smaller explosions. Two huge fires started and great tongues of flame leaped up I estimated that they - must have been rising to 1,500 feet.- then dense clouds of smoke began to pour out. It was the most terrific sight I have ever seen. The bombs had fallen about fifty yards apart. Almost immediately the fires and explosions seemed to link up and for a distance of two hundred yards through the works there was this great mass of flames. Next I saw our incendiaries falling on the Western edge of the plant. They take longer to get down than the heavy bombs. What part of the works they hit, I don’t know, but I could see large clusters of brilliant coloured flashes on the ground. We circled round and watched the fires blazing The rear gunner, up. I remember, shouted "Oh boy.’ its terrific". The whole of Berlin must have seen them lighting up the sky. In the light of the explosions I had seen, momentarily, two long buildings and a tower. Then the aircraft passed over and I could not see from the any more front, but the rear gunner said he saw one of the buildings collapse in flames. By the time we had circled round twice, the guns were getting a little too close and I gave orders to set for base. From the course beginning of the run-up the whole thing took only five six minutes. About or a quarter of an hour after we had left, we could still see the reflection of the fire in the sky and about this time we made out another terrific explosion. We not were quite certain whether that was somebody else bombing or whether it was the result of our attacks. Well, that’s the story of one aircraft on one raid on Berlin. One is not always so successful, of course, "but it may give you some idea of the sort of work the R.A.F. is doing over there. 12/9/40 - No. 14. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE ANNOUNCEMENT The Minister of Agriculture has to-day appointed a Domestic Poultry Keepers' Council with the following terms of reference "To guide and assist domestic poultry keeping in war time with special reference to securing the effective use of household and garden waste and organising available supplies of purchased feedings tuffs”. The Membership of the Council is:- Mr. Tom Williams, Lt P. (Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture. ) Miss Megan Lloyd George, M. P. Sir D. Guns ton, M. P. Capt. G. Clifford (President, National Poultry Council) Capt. S. W. Clift (Chairman of the War Emergency Committee of the National Poultry Council and Chairman of the Poultry Committee of the Bingley Council.) Dr. Charles (Principal, Harper Adams Crowther College..) Agricultural Mr. W. Powell-Owen (President, Poultry Club) Dr. J.M. Newnham (late Town Clerk of Croydon) Mr. Theo. A. Stevens (Poultry Press ’’Eggs” and - ’’The Smallholder. ”) Miss F. Garrett (Gas Light and Coke Company) The Secretary to the Council is Mr. R. A. Hughes to whom all communications should he addressed at 55? S.W.i Whitehall, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE 12/9/40 - No. 17 RIVER PASSENGER SERVICE BETWEEN WOOLWICH .AND LONDON The Minister of Transport announces that beginning tomorrow, Friday 13th September, a passenger Boat Service will be instituted between Woolwich South and Westminster, calling intermediately at Brunswick for East India Dock, Greenwich, West India Dock, Tunnel (Wapping), Cherry Garden (Bermondsey) and Tower Piers. First boat will leave Woolwich and Westminster Piers in each direction at 6. 30 a.m., also from Greenwich in each direction at 6*30 and then at forty minute intervals, a.m*, From Monday 16th September the service will be at 20 minute intervals, starting at the same times. Last "boats will leave Westminister at 4*30 for p*m o Woolwich, and for Greenwich only and intermediate points at s