.AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN NO, 2717 o 8.1»M. “ No. 1, Air Ministry News Service NONE OP OUR AIRCRAFT IS MISSING The crews of our bombers, the ground staff on the aerodromes and the workers in the aircraft factories are essential partners in our offensive against Germany* The best evidence of the efficient collaboration of all three is when our aircraft return untouched by anything the enemy can do, when the German fighters...have been beaten off or their skilfully evaded. anti-aircraft fire But there is other evidence, more spectacular though much less frequent, of how well the work is done* Sometimes our bombers return with many scars of battle on them yet still entirely serviceable* injuries they The being in any way can sustain without crippled are an extraordinary proof of the skill with which they are both made and handled o It is certain that many German aircraft, when similar damage is inflicted them by unable to return at all to their base. on our own defences, are Very recently a Whitley bomber, while seeking its target in Cologne, was hit by a splinter which penetrated the fuselage; by sheer bad luck the splinter also hit a particularly large flare and blew it up. That the crew brought the machine home meant astonishing courage and endurance, but it was also an achievement in which those who made the bomber should share the credit* The whole of the skin and ribs had been blown off one side of the fuselage, and on the other side most of the rivets wore missing. There was very little left to hold the tail-plane on, but it held, and British workmanship saved the machine* There are many similar stories: of the tail and rudder of a Hampden badly damaged by the cannon and machine guns; of three Junkers 88 attacking at once; of fuselage and wings of a Whitby severely holed by anti-aircraft fire at a range of 2,000 feet; of only a Wellington hit in six places by a severe barrage; of very serious damage to the port airscrew of another Hampden* Yet once again, in the words of the official communique, ’’none of our aircraft is missing”* Over Hamburg a direct hit in the port wing of one of our Hampdens ripped open the oil tank, yet the port engine, to the pilots astonishment, ran sweetly all the way home, a distance of over 400 miles. A Blenheim flying over Rotterdam met exceptionally heavy anti-aircraft fire* The port oil tank was punctured in three places, the lead from the starboard petrol tank was fractured, the elevator main spar was holed, the main spar and fin shot through, and a rudder cable cut half through* There were also holes in the tail and fuselage but the machine home and was back in service got two days later* Another Blenheim actually rose safely into the air again after hitting the sea; after this encounter with the water the airscrews were bent back; the tail wheel missing, the bomb hatch stove in, and the shields, was cover cowlings, and air intakes completely wrecked, .-.yet the machine was still good for a safe journey home* This is the kind of workmanship demanded by our offensive against Germany and by our bombers’ nightly flights of over a thousand miles; no workmanship could have been more severely tested or more splendidly have passed the test* AIR MINISTRY NO. 2718. . 8/1/R1 - N0.2. AIR MINISTRY AND MINISTRY OF HOME /SECURITY .Cg-y UNI J?:, There is nothing *•. report. 8/1/U1 No.A FLASH. It is learnt in London that there were no R.A.F. activities last night. 8/1/41 - No, 4» FOR RELEASE ►•Or- ■> 12,00 T> > (NOON', * ■><»-»1:». WEDNESDAY, ■!— m—wli ■ JANUARY 8. iiwui * ill, ■■■ m l ULSTER’S ATTITUDE. TOUARDS CONSCRIPTION AND EIRE PORTS. NORTHERN IRELAND PREMIER'S DECLARATION ' In a. statement issued today, the Right Hon, -J,M. Andrews, who recently succeeded the- late Lord Craigavon as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, removed some misconceptions regarding Ulster’s part in the Empire’s war effort. In the first place the Premier made.it clear that the non-inolusion of Ulster in the system of compulsory military service was due to a decision of the United Kingdom Government, which, under the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, reserved to itself all powers relating to the*defence of the United Kingdom, “I notice’’, said Mr. Andrews, "that in a widely circulated publication in England the question was asked, ’lf Ulster is an integral part of the-United Kingdom why should her young men be exempted from serving their--country and the Empire at this time?’ reply given by the paper was in these terms: The ’Ulster has the same ’ right as Canada or New Zealand to decide whether or not her men shall be conscripted. “That is not the factn The Parliament of Northern Ireland has no such right. It has determining voice in the matter-, no The truth is that the Ulster Government made strong representations to the British Cabinet that Northern Ireland should be included in the conscription scheme* But, for reasons which appeared sufficient to British Ministers, recruiting in Ulster was continued on a voluntary basis., Ulstermen are serving in large numbers and with great distinction in all the fighting forces,’’ Referring to the ports handed over to the Eire Government by Britain in Mr. Andrews said: "Ulster’s attitude in this matter, I told, am is misunderstood in the United States and other countries overseas. The position is as follows: The Northern Ireland Government was not a party to the transfer of the ports. The arrangement was made solely between the United Kingdon Government and the Government of Eire. At the time of the transfer I laid emphasis on the fact and pointed out that the Anglo-Eire agreement handed without any guarantees whatever, defences that were vital to over, the safety of the United Kingdom to those regarded Britain, who in Mr. De Valera’s own Phrase, as a ’foreign Power’ and who declared that ’Britain’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity,’ Mr. Churchill, speaking in the House of ’Commons, also vigorously condemned the handing of the ports. too, did the Ulster Members at Westminster. over So, ’’Recently, in one of his war reviews in Parliament, Mr. Churchill spoke regretfully of the fact that the British Navy debarred from the was using ports in its operations against enemy submarines in the Atlantic. His words were:- ’The fact that we cannot use the south and west coasts of Ireland to re-fuel flotillas and aircraft and thus the trade by which Ireland well our protect as as Great Britain lives is a most heavy and grievous burden, and one which should never have been placed on our shoulders, broad though they be, ’ /Let 2 ’’Let there be no mistake about this. It was not Northern which placed that burden on Britain’s shoulders. It is the Government of Eire, representing Southern Ireland, which refuses facilities to British Fleet. the This attitude has justified all the forebodings which we in Ulster felt at the time the ports were surrendered. ’’Eire is a neutral State. But for the Government and people of Northern Ireland neutrality is impossible. As part of the United Kingdom we are one with the rest of the British Empire in the prosecution of the war. We count it a privilege to be in this tremendous struggle for freedom not alone for ourselves but for all humanity. We are also resolved to share with Great Britain and the overseas Dominions the work of reconstruction and peaceful development that will have to be undertaken when the din of battle has passed away.” MINISTRY OF INFORMATION 8e I Zpl Npe TOBRUK. The harbour of Tobruk is formed by promontory which runs out from West to a East and encloses basin 4,100 yards long by 1,625 yards wide at its entrance; a some the promontory rocky and barren rises to 120 feet with steep sides sloping to the water’s edge; the harbour, thus all lies which protected on t except the east \from side the wind seldom blows) is usable in all weatl e:?s; it has a depth of 43 feet in the centre and of 33 feet to within the extreme western end up a tjhousanc yards of of the inlet. It is one of the best natural harbc urns the North African coast. on The town which the first place to be the frcm the was captured by Turks in 1911, lies the south It on slope promontory facing the harbour. of .the has been almost entirely rebuilt by the Italians ai d is laid out on a rectangular plan with the main streets parallel to the shope; it is for the most part stone-built and contains municipal offices, a wireless station, a barracks and other military buildings, a hospital, two hotels and a cinema. Tobruk is the capital of the district of Marmarica, the population of which is about 10,000; the population of the town itself wqs, in 1937, 4,130 of whom 420 were Italians and 210 Jews. In 1939 the Italians numbered 822. The water-supply is poor and to "be brought by tanker from drinking-water use-1 Dema, There is a customs-house fronting on the harbour and there are three wooden jetties- the largest of which can take.- steamers-of med: .um tonnage lying alongside. The town is enclosed by a modern defensive wall which runs down to the water 1 s edge. Since the outbreak of war strong defences have been constructed on the landward side. Presumably these have been sited to control the heads of the roads issuing frcm Tobruk. From the back of the harbour two roads run southwards, with hair-pin bends to take the sharp gradient of the escarpment and reach the desert terrace# One road turns eastwards along the lower terrace to Bardia; another continues southwards to El Adam which is the junction of the southern Solium road and of that to Jarabub on the Egyptian frontier. The northern'road to Bardia is metalled and tarred; the El Adem now is not macadamised but is in good condition. From the town, a metalled road runs westwards along the lower terrace to )ema« South of this track, unmetalled hut fit for motor traffic, joins the good a 'oad frcm El Adem to Mekili, the nodal point of the Apollonia road system. IZpl 8e Npe 8,1- No t 6» MINISTER OF LABOUR FORMS ENGINEERING BRANCH. The Minister of Labour and National Service has formed a new branch of the Ministry to be known as the Engineering Branch to advise on engineering matters, especially in relation to the work of the Munitions Labour Supply Organisation, . Mr# G. Stevenson Taylor, 0.8. E. , M» I.Mech#E«., A.R.C.S., will take charge of the new branch. MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND NATIONAL SERVICE. 8/1/41 - No. 8. MEN NEEDED FOR TRAINING- AS ENGINEERS The Ministry of Labour and National Service announces that men are urgently needed now to fill the government training centres where training is given for wartime work in the engineering industry. An appeal for volunteers is being made to all men who have not yet registered, for military service and are not in a reserved occupation or who have registered ari'd have been placed in medical grades three or four: to men who have retired and to men who are over sixteen and under twenty years of age* Volunteers should apply to any employment exchange where full information may he obtained. MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND NATIONAL SERVICE 8.1.U1 - No NEW ZEALAND’S GIFT FOR AIRCRAFT. The Minister of Aircraft Production, Lord Beaverbrook, has received from the people of New Zealand, through the High Commissioner,Mr. W.J. Jordan, a further gift of £36,&39«6*U» This makes a total of received for the purchase of a squadron of fighter aircraft mostly to be named after provinces in New Zealand which have contributed nearly £103,000. Included in the total contributions are sums from £ N.Z. Meat Producers’ Board 30,000 N.Z. Co-Operative Dairy Co. Ltd. 7/500 Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union 5/ 000 European & Native Residents of Niue ... 158 Further sums are still being raised by Otago Province, Lord Beaverbrook in a message of thanks to the Prime Minister of New Zealand through the High Commissioner, for this new and magnificent gift, says - "In the dark days of 19U0 New Zealand has strengthened the resistance and underlined the determination of the British Now two nations will march on people. our together to the the forces of evil are banished day when ’’ for ever from the world. MINISTRY OF AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION. 8/1/41 - No. 10. AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN No. 2721. Air Ministry News Service EAGLE SQUADRON PILOT KILLED Pilot Officer Philip Howard Leckrone, of the ’’Eagle” Squadron, the American Fighter Squadron of the Royal Air Force, was killed in a flying accident on Sunday and was buried with military honours in the village churchyard near his Royal Air Force Station in England today (Wednesday) a The United States Embassy in London sent an American flag which was draped on the coffin beside the Union Jack. Pilot Officer Leckrone was one of the many Americans who came to England soon after the outbreak of the war to Join the Royal Air Force. He had They included transport flyers, stunt flyers and amateur pilots. been flying for several years and had owned his own aeroplane. Leckrone was posted to a Spitfire squadron of the Auxiliary Air Force. He took part in the air fighting last Autumn and shot one enemy aircraft down into the sea, returning to his station on almost his last drop of petrol. He confessed that Spitfires were so fast that he almost ’’blacked out” several times at first - but he never wanted to fly anything else. Then came the news that his friends were leaving their training unit to be formed into American He at asked his an Fighter Squadron. once Commanding Officer for permission to join them. Pilot Officer Leckrone was 28 and. his home was at Salem, Illinois. W4l, _ NQ.I2, SUPPLEMENTARY PETROL ALLOWANCES. The Petroleum Department wishes emphasise the following to point regarding applications for supplementary petrol allowances to cover the period February and March which the motoring public has been requested to submito It is essential that the Registration Book of the vehicle, which must be enclosed with the completed application form, should show that the ■vehicle is licensed up to at least March 24. PETROLEUM DEPARTMENT. 8.1,41 No, 1, EXPORT OONTROL Exports to Eire The Export of Goods Oontrol (Nb, 1 ) Order, 1941, (S.R. & 0> 1941. ) Nfo. 18 was which made on the Bth January and comes into operation on the 20 th January, will have the effect of placing Eire in the same position as other countries in the British Empire so far as concerns the control of the export of goods from the United Kingdom, Hitherto it has been possible to give Eire special treatment under which only a short list of goods require licences before they can be exported from the United Kingdom to Eire, but the need for conserving supplies now makes it necessary to withdraw this concession. Accordingly, as from 20th January, goods marked "A" (those whose export without licence is prohibited to all destinations) in the List of Goods attached to the Export of Goods Control Orders (as amended from time to time) will require a licence from the Board of Trade before export to Eire can be allowed. Applications for export licences should be made in the same way as for similar goods to other Empire destinations. BOARD OF TRADE 8/1/Al ~ NO: The following official communique was issued today from British G-.H.Q., Cairo The concentration of our forces in the TOBRUK area is continuing. Total British and Australian casualties incurred in the capture of BARDIA were less than 600. Active patrolling continues on the frontiers of SUDAN and KENYA. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION 8/1/41 - No 16 A further communique from Cairo states:- It transpires that on the night before Bardia fell the Blackshirt Corps Commander and his two Blackshirt Divisional Commanders deserted their troops, leaving the Regular Commanders to fight on. One of the Blackshirt Commanders has since been picked up with the bulk of his staff wandering north of Bardia. General Berganzoli and the others are still missing. It is possible they may have decamped by motor boat specially reserved for the purpose. The search is continuing. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, 8.1.U1 i,o. 17 . NOT TO BE PUBLISHED BEFORE THE MORNING PAPERS OF THURSDAY JANUARY 9, 19U1, OR BROADCAST BEFORE 7 A.M. ON THAT DATE. TRADING TITH THE ENEMY ADDITIONS TO THE”BLACK LIST” 8.1.U1 i,o. 17 . The Order is to be published by H.M. Stationery Office under the title of the Trading with the Enemy (Specified persons) (Amendment) (No. 1 ) Order, 19L|.1, (S.R, & O’s, 191+1, No. 3.). BOARD OF TRADE 8.1*41* No.lB. AUSTRALIA AND BARDIA VICTORY The Prime Minister of Australia has sent the following telegram in reply to the message from Lord Cranborne, Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs: ’’Many thanks for your telegram. While we are proud of our men we are sensible of the magnitude of the work of preparation done by the British forces and of the splendid co-operation- of all.” Dominions Office Preps Section* 6.1.U1 Np. 19 It is learned in authoritative circles that contrary to a previous report Italian Generals captured at the Bardia did not include General BERGANZOLI»" MILITARY AFFAIRS(MINISTRY OF INFORMATION 8/1/U1 - No, 20 OFFICIAL ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE The Soard of Admiralty regrets to announce that H.M.Submarine REGULUS (Lieutenant-Commander F.B. Currie, R.N.) is overdue and must be considered lost. The next of kin have been informed. ADMIRALTY. S.W.I AIR MINISTRY NO. 2719« 8/1/41 - NO; 21, THE COASTAL COMMAND An Anonymous Broadcast. Broadcasting at 6.45* tonight on the subject of the Coastal Command an anonymous speaker said:- Air-crews of the Coastal Command who go hunting U-boats*, bombing enemy ships and aorodromes, fighting, escorting convoys and making reconnaissance flights, air are Jacks of all trades and masters of all, as well. - It has been my privilege to live with them at different air Stations since the beginning of the war, seeing them go out day after day doing a job whioh has much danger and little glamour. Sometimes an unwary U-boat or an enemy supply, ship falls into their bag and frequently they have the excitement of a bombing raid on targets ranging from Norway to the Bay of Biscay. But the background to these moments of action is a hard routine of sea patrols. Like the policeman, they must complete their beat with a regularity which is often monotonous. of Coastal Corriand’s thirty-five riillian odd By far the greatest proportion flying miles during the war has been sea reconnaissance and convoy escorts, flown often in all weathers and often at the risk of attack by enemy fighters, and to a large extent in landplan.es. But although so much of their flying is routine to them) it has plenty of danger in it - the sort of danger, for instance, that surrounds a diver, working away on the sea-bed knowing that if anything goes wrong he is probably finished. Imagine yourself a passenger in one of these reconnaissance planes. Below you is the flecked with white horses. A procession of grey sea, cargo boats plunges stolidly along, the foam breaking over their bows. Nearby a destroyer weaves a graceful zig-zag. The light is fading. Your aircraft exchanges farewell signals with the destroyer and turns for home. It will be dark before get back. Right ahead, between you and the land, is a haze whioh you is hardening into a darker, dirty-looking greyness. Soon you are flying in mist. The sea becomes a few patches of darker grey and then vanishes. You and that the navigator, poring your fingers hope cross over his charts,can find his way back. As you near the land, you see a momentary white line curved to a bay. It is the surf. Hills loom up and pass away like the dark phantasies of a nightmare. You are over the land, but the black-out makes it as featureless as the Sahara, Suddenly a light flickers ahead out of the darkness, and the tiny dots of the aerodrome flare-path wink reassuringly. Soon you are down. The hard earth never felt so 5weet.....,,,. This perfectly normal picture of what takes place in the Coastal is a Command every day. When you realise that an aircraft may have to fly hundreds of niles from land before it picks up the convoy it is to escort, you will appreciate the absolute necessity of good navigation. These general reconn* aissance, or G.R. navigators as they are called, are in fact, among the most highly skilled in the Royal Air Force, /Occasionally -2~ Occasionally, as is inevitable, they fail to find their way home. Quite recently, an aircraft was returning in cloud and rain on a very dark night from escorting a convoy navigator could not find the aerodrome, in the Atlantic, The the wireless was faulty and the petrol was running dangerously low. When it was obvious that theywuld have to bale or crash, the pilot climbed to 3>ooo feet and ordered the crew to prepare to jump. Calmly they gathered up all the kit that was valuable and important most - cypher books binoculars, coding apparatus, signal cartridges and other secret 4 paraphernalia. These they stuffed into the pockets and folds of their flying gear. Then the rear-gunner and the wireless operator jumped, followed very soon after by the navigator-, The pilot -cook a last look round, set his machine on a course for the sea, and followed. Wishing to catch up the rest of the crew so that they would all land more or less together, he delayed a few seconds the pulling of his rip-cord. The parachute had barely opened when he hit the heather- covered hillside with a bump. He had landed on a mountain after falling only about 500 feet and was lucky indeed not to have written himself off. They very all escaped with a bruise or two. Then there is the story of the Controller of an Operations Room, who wanted to get first hand experience of a reconnaissance flight. The pilot of his air- craft first bombed an supply ship and then chased a Dornier for twenty enemy minutes around a Norwegian fjord. During this fight the Controller, sitting beside the pilot, remarked ”I*m feeling very warm. Are we on fire?” suddenly: 'Tripe” replied the pilot intent on the chase. "I’m sure there’s a fire beneath my seat" said the Controller. He put his hand down and brought it up stained red. "Heavens, I’m shot” he shouted. He was, and for the next three weeks he had to do his controlling on an air cushions V/hat strikes one about these flying crews - officers and N.C.Os alike - is their capacity to stick it. How would you like to be called on three or four mornings a week hour between 2 a,m, and 5 a.m.? It doesn’t make things any easier if you’ve/to stand about on a windy freezing aerodrome waiting in the dark for frost and snow to be scraped from the wings of your aircraft. Then you climb into its cold interior and start the day’s work. Yet it is just then that these young pilots give the onlooker such a sense of confidence. Chaps whom one knows high-spirited, - off the aerodrome - to be and perhaps airresponsible, look quite different when they climb into the pilot’s bit seat of a big aircraft. They take on a new air of competent dignity. Under the touch of their the throttles open steadily and one stands by spell-bound on the throbbing tarmac while the great engines roar in turn. That boy sitting up ther? is the captain of the aircraft. In his control is vast store of a mechanical energy which relies upon him for its correct direction. The thorough cockpit drill and checking of instruments that every pilot performs before he takes off is proof of the responsibility he knows lies upon him. As I go round the Coastal Command Stations, I see a heartening and steady in-flow of new recruits, well trained and keen, taking the place of the old hands* 8.1,41 No, 22. AIR MINISTRY No, 2724 AIR MINISTRY AND MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY COMMUNIQUE There has been little enemy air activity over this country today. This morning, a single enemy aircraft dropped bombs on a town in East Anglia. Houses were damaged but the number of casualties was very small. This afternoon bombs dropped in a Midland town by a single aircraft did some damage but caused no casualties. B.loUle NO. 23. EXPORT LICENSING: COTTON YARNS. The Board of Trade have made the Export of Goods (Control) (N0.2 Order, 1941 (S.R O &0. 1941 No, 19) which comes into force on January 23rd, Under the terms of this Order a licence will now be required to export cotton yarns, including those containing other materials, to any destination Applications for licences should be made to the Cotton Control, Blackfriars House, Parsonage, Manchester 3> in an envelope marked ’’Export Licence Application”, BOARD OF TRADEo 8.1.U1 No. 2U MEAT RATION Owing to the diversion of shipping for war purposes to the Middle East the Ministry of Food announces that during the next few months it will be necessary to vary the meat ration at short notice within the range of one shilling to one and sixpence., The Ministry will announce the amount of the meat ration week by week and for the current week it will be one and twopence. Supplies to catering establishments will be correspondingly reduced. MINISTRY OF FOOD No* 25, CONTROL OF CATERING ESTABLISHMENTS As the result of an invitation from Lord Woolton,Minister of Food, representatives of all branches of the catering trades attended at the offices of the Ministry this afternoon when a discussion took place on various proposals for controlling consumption in hotels, restaurants and canteens of foods which are in short supply 0 It was agreed that the Minister should make an Order which will have the effect of increasing the number of foods of which the consumption in catering establishments is at present restricted. An agreement was made some months ago between the Minister and the catering industry to prevent more than one course of meat, poultry, game or fish being served at any one meal o It is now proposed to extend by Order this list to include other commodities which may be in short supply from time to time such as eggs and cheese o MINISTRY OF FOOD, 8/1/M , No, 26, FLASH, It is learnt in London that yesterday, Tuesday morning, an enemy aircraft was shot down by A O A» fire off the East Coast, AIR AFFAIRS, 8/1/Ul, - No. 2 MISS AMY JOHNSON The Ministry of Aircraft Production issues the following statement tonight: It has now been established that, when Miss Amy Johnson left the airfield at 10.45 a. in. on Sunday morning, no passenger accompanied her. The weather, report given to Miss Johnson was bad. ”All right”, were her parting words, ”1 am going over the top”. This indicated that she proposed to fly above the bad weather with the clouds below her. Her scheduled flight should have taken one hour. Nothing more was seen of Miss Johnson*s plane until 3*30 p. m. when it came down over the Thames Estuary. The machine carried sufficient petrol only for four and three-quarter hours flight - the exact time which elapsed between the take-off and the crash. Three hhndred airfields have been signalled for any news of Miss Johnson having landed to refuel. None has yet reported having seen her. Only one parachute was observed to leave the plane before it hit the water* It is believed that Miss Johnson lost her course in the bad weather* After flying round for several hours, her petrol became exhausted and she finally baled out over the Thames Estuary. It is possible that she saw the naval convoy and endeavoured to alight as near as possible to one of the MINISTRY OF AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION 8,111.. No 28. OFFICIAL ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE. > One of our submarines, H O M O S* TUNA (Lieutenant-Commander M. Ko Cavanagh-Mainwaring, D o S o o c , R 3 N O ), has reported having a spirited engagement by night on the surface with a U-boat in enemy waters* Immediately on encountering H O M O S e TUNA, the U-boat made off at high speed firing her after gun, S. TUNA gave chase and opened fire with her U-inch gun, The U-boat was certainly hit hy shell the conning tower, hut, this one on unfortunately, can not he considered vital damage, HoM O S e TUNA chased the enemy for nearly an hour and only broke off the engagement when forced to dive hy the appearance of enemy escort vessels which came to the rescue of the damaged U-boat o H o M o S, TUNA had. previously sunk an enemy armed, tug hy gunfire, In neither of these encounters did. H’ M O O S, TUNA sustain any damage or casualties o ADMIRALTY So Wo l 0 MINISTRY No, . 272. 8,1.41, - Ko, 29. AIR J4INISTRY QQMmiQUK a» y antl aircraft gun-fire Coast* off the East 8/1/U1 - Ko* 30 BRITISH PRISONERS IN ENEMY HANDS. "Next of kin, if able to identify the men from the information published, are requested to advise 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 1,. Sergeant Leslie Alan Beckett, 33, York Road, Reading, 2 O Sergeant Archie Donaldson, Ridley Street, 72 Sunderland* (Wounded) 3, Sergeant Christopher Stock, Address unknown, (Wounded) 4. Sergeant Ernest Wallace, 55, Midsley Street, (Wounded) Birmingham, MINISTRY OF INFORMATION 7ednesday, Jan. 8, 1941» MINISTRY OF INFORMATION NEWS BULLETIN No. 240. BRITAIN PLANS A BUSY SPRING. More Tractors and Tmolements for First Three Months of 1941. are already in hand for the spring offensive on the home front. Tractors, ploughs, drills and harrows are coming from our own manufacturers and from abroad in greater quantities than ever before In the next three months it a is expected that over 4,000 tractors will be imported. In the same period we shall produce at home between 4,000 and 5,000 tractors o Last year, in the whole twelve months we imported 6,000 tractors and produced of Later in the shall be importing more binders, 17,000 our own. year we from the Dominions and the United States. Last year some 7,000 binders arrived 5 from overseas. Some of these’extra tractors and implements will go to increase the reserves held by County War Committees to meet emergencies. Every Farmer is expected to use his tractor to the full, and if he has finished the on his own farm, he must be to prepared to hire out his tractor a neighbour. Ministry of Agriculture. M. 0,1. 1. STAFF APPOINTMENTS. The Minister of Health has made the following appointments in the Ministiy of Health:- 1 Mr. H.H. George, M.C., to be Principal Assistant Secretary for Finance and Accountant General o Mr. S.F.S. Hoarder to be Principal Assistant Secretary. Mr. H. Symon to be Assistant Secretary. Ministry of Health* 2» PRESS NOTICE, Commander C.L.L. Young, R.N. (Retired) has been awarded a Naval Pension of £5O a year in the vacancy caused by the death of Captain W.C. McMickan, 0.8.E., R.N., (Retired) on 14th November, 1940. Greenwich Lieutenent-Oommander W.T. Brough, R,N. (Retired) has been awarded a Hospital Pension of £4O a year in the vacancy caused by the award of the above Naval Pension. Admiralty, S & W„I U M o»I» o 3. PRESS NOTICE Colonel L. Norcock, R.M. (Retired.) has been awarded, a Greenwich Hospital Pension of £65 a year in the vacancy caused by the death of Colonel S.P. Peile, C. 8., R.M., (Retired) on 10th November, 1940. Admiralty, S.W.I, , M.0.1. 4. /machinery Mo Qe l» News Bulletin No. Page 2. MACHINERY, PLANT AND APPLIANCES. Necessity for Supply Licence. The Board of Trade draw the attention of manufacturers of machinery, plant and and those wishing to acquire them, to amendment in the Statutory Rules appliances an the and Orders governing the sale or transfer of machinery and to extension of Orders to include additional machinery, plant and certain appliances. The new Order, the Machinery, Plant and Appliances (Control) Order, 1940, (S.R. &0. 1940, N0.2179) came into force on Ist January, 1941. It amends the Machinery and Plant (Control) Order, 1940 (S.R. & 0* 1940, Nq.875) and Machinery and Plant (Control) (N 0.2 Order, 1940, (S.R. &0. 1940, Copies of the Orders, price Id. each, are obtainable from the Stationery Office. Persons wishing to acquire, and manufacturers of, machinery, plant and appliances and parts thereof should take steps to acquaint themselves with the requirements of the Orders, Explanatory notices appeared in the Board of Trade Journal on the Ist August, 1940, and the 2nd January, 1941* Any person wishing to acquire such machinery etc. must obtain a supply licence, and manufacturers should not book orders until they know that the person to be supplied has obtained the necessary licence. Application forms for licences should be obtained from the Industrial Supplies Department, Machinery Licences Division, Board of Trade, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.2. Board of Trade. M.0,1. 5* SEVENTY CLAIMANTS FOR "LOST” BAG OF ONIONS. From all over the country seventy applications have been received by the Post Office for the ILitis, bag of onions which could not be delivered during the Christmas period because the address label had become detached. The bag of precious vegetables is in the Returned Letter Section at Mount Pleasant sorting office. The office where the onions were originally handed in has been discovered to be in Buckinghamshire and this has made it to eliminate the majority of the claims easy from places a hundred miles distant. Within the next few days it is hoped that a lady in a Surrey village will receive a welcome call frcm the postmen when she will be handed her delayed Christmas present. General Post Office. M. 0.1. 6, THERE’S GUM GALORE FOR POSTAGE STAMPS. "There is no shortage, and there will be no shortage, of gum for the many millions of postage stamps issued every year”, said an official of the Post Office today. The statement was prompted by a suggestion that economy was now being exercised in the quantity of gum on postage stamps. ’’The quantity and the quality is pre-war standard”, the official continued, ’’and nothing that Hitler can do is likely to reduce either. The gum comes from the Sudan and is the purest gum-arabic obtainable* Some months ago the Post Office took special steps to secure sufficient supplies to meet all demands for a very long period ahead. ’’More than once the suggestion has been made that this gun should be flavoured with mint or vanilla as an extra inducement to the public to lick them. In general, the public perfer the as it is and tasteless. gum pure - ’’Every year about postage stamps are sold in this country* Thus, after a suitable reserve has been built up- printers are kept busy turning out 23,000,000 stamps daily,, The paper for stamps is supplied by a firm which was manufacturing special paper for Bank of England notes long before there was any thought of postage stamps”. General Post Office* M»q»I, 7* MXo.I. WS BULLETIN No. - Page 3. GIFTS . FOR . AIRCRAFT. The Minister of Aircraft Producrfeon acknowledges with gratitude the following gifts towards the purchase of aircraft;- Mrs, Ruth Paterson, Herne Hill, (She is 101, and this is the money given to her as Christmas presents).. ,* £5, 0,0, Stoke Newington Spitfire Fund •« ,••••••, •• •• £l,OOO. 0, 0. Wanstead and Woodford Spitfire Fund ~ ♦ . •. .. ~ £1,500, 0,0, Bromley Spitfire Fund., . • . • .. .. .. .. ~ £5,870* 0, 0. Postal and Telegraph Censorship Department, Ministry of* Information • • . • • • .. « • • £5,000. 0* 0, (To be called the "Blue Pencil”) Henley Thames and District Spitfire Fund 0* 0* on £s>l7s* Ministry of Aircraft Production, M»o»t» .8* Wednesday January Bth. 194-1- MINISTRY OF INFORMATION NEWS BULLETIN NO. 241 UGANDA FIGHTER SQUADRON A further sum of £12,500 has been transmitted by the Uganda War Fund towards the completion of the Uganda Fighter Squadron, bringing the total sent for that to £79,000, ' . ' purpose . This gift supplies a practical comment by one of the British African 1 Dependencies upon Hitler s recently announced ’’New Order for Africa”. Colonial Office Press Section., CYPRIOTS IN TBE WESTERN DESERT. ISLANDERS "FOR R -A.-F. o . In the battle of the Western Desert, Cypriots played no inconspicuous part. The Governor of Cyprus has received from Cairo Headquarters a message containing the following passage: ”A Cypriot motor transport company carried infantry foxward to the initial attack and displayed coolness under .fire. Since completing the task they have been continuously carrying forward supplies by the desert track across country, often at night, Their assistance has been invaluable in this difficult and most important task.” the in In Western Desert operations two Cypriot .soldiers have been killed action and four wounded. Official has the selection of approval been given to Cypriots by the Cyprus Government for training in the Royal Air Force as pilots and air crews. Some Cypriots in the United Kingdcm are already serving in the R.A.F., but this is the first opportunity given to Cypriots to volunteer in the Colony for service as airmen. Colonial Office Press Section. M.0.1.2 AID FROM AMERICA. The Government have decided that all requests made on their behalf to the British Red Cross future, in so far as concerns assistance from the shall in United States of America in providing hospital, medical and surgical supplies, or in to Britain doctors and be sending nurses or complete hospital establishments, directed through the British Red Cross solely to the Americaißed Cross. Similarly any offers of assistance of this kind received by the Government from American welfare organisations will be referred through the British Red Cross to the American Red Cross, It is felt that this unification will avoidoverlapping and ensure that the sending of supplies from the United States of America will he effectively regulated according to urgency of need. The American. Red Cross is understood to be co-operation with other American which taking steps to establish organisations medical and devote helping Britain with gifts of hospital supplies themselves to American Red and surgical equipment, and which have already, together with the Cross, made an immense and invaluable contribution in this way which the Government deeply appreciates. .Ministry of Health. M.0,1»3. M.o.I News' Bulletin No. 241* Page 2. 1 . HALF-A-CROWN FOR A HURRICANE’S HUI’S AND BOLTS. The Minister of Aircraft Production acknowledges with gratitude the follow- ing gifts towards the purchase.of aircraft Master Tony Griffiths, Powys Ward, the Hospital, Sully, Glam. (for nuts and bolts in a Hurricane).. £. . 2s. 6d. Workpeople and.staff of 1,C.1. (Salt) Ltd....... ■ .£l>46'l"» 14s* 4d. Staff and workers of 1.C.1. (General Chemicals) Ltd...*<24,500. Os, Od. Anonymous (Northern Ireland) towards aircraft . production.•.. t.. • .£3,000. Os. Od. Stockton on Tees, Thomaby & Billington Spitfire Fund. .£5 ,000. Os. Od. Leigh (Lancs) Spitfire Fund.. * ....£5,000. Os. Od. Staff in all grades of (a Nev/ Year’s the L.N.3.R. gift for a second 5pitfire).......... . u... £ £5,P00. Os. Od. The village of Aberford (Yorks) towards a Spitfire,- to be named "Aberford”-from a population of under 1,100 people. , ...,£s*ooo b Os. Od. MINISTRY OF AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION M»o.I.