S/'/V -
 No. 1.




 ,IR MINISTRY NO. 2692




 AIR MINISTRY AND MINISTRY OP HOME SECURITY

 . COMMUNIQUE



 Soon after nightfall yesterday enemy aircraft
began a series of raids which lasted through the

greater part of the night* Their attack was

mainly directed against a town in the west of

England. Fires were started and some damage was

done. A number of people was killed and others

injured.

 Bombs were also dropped at places in south

Wales, hut the damage caused in this area was not

extensive, nor were the casualties numerous*



 From other areas little damage and few casualties
have heen reported.
 5/1/M - No.




 OFFICIAL ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE




 The
 following report has been received from

Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean:-



 "The attack on Bardia on 3rd January was

 supported by our naval force, bombardment
 being carried out as necessary throughout
 the day*


 "The battle fleet provided for one hour
 and a half a heavy concentration on enemy support
 troops, tanks and motor transport, while secondary
 armaments of battleships and destroyers dealt
 with coast defences.


 "No casualties or damage were sustained during
 these operations except for a few casualties
 from a near miss in one of our gunboats, H M O O So
 APHIS* Next of kin are being informed*


 "Our naval units were attacked on several
 "
 occasions by enemy aircraft but without success,,




ADMIRALTY. S.W* 1.
AIRMINISTRY NO. 26


 AIR MINISTRY COMMUNIQUE




 Aircraft of Coastal Command attacked the invasion port of
Brest at dusk yesterday. An enemy destroyer received three
direct hits. Our aircraft were attacked by enemy fighters.
One of these was hit and broke up in the air. One of our

aircraft is missing.

 Direct hits were also scored on two enemy merchant vessels
off the south west coast of Norway,.


 During the night the weather rapidly grew worse. This
hampered aircraft of Bomber Command in their operations. Brest

was, however, again attacked and bombs burst on the water-front


 Targets in Hamburg were also attacked and fires were observed.


 From these night operations none of our aircraft is missing.
 5/1/M - No, U,


 The Minister of Aircraft Production with
 acknowledges
gratitude the following gifts towards the purchase of aircraft:-


 £. s. d.
 Aircraftman Beard, R.A.F. Iraq,... *lO. 0.
 ,




 Master Alec Herbage, Streatham (towards
 a bomber, from the sale of old jam-jars)... 15. 0.


 Fisher folk of ’’The Three Mariners",
 Winterton, Great Yarmouth... 1. 0. 0.


 Employees of a small farm in East
 Lothian... 6.0. 0.


 Halifax Chronicle, Nova Scotia,
 Spitfire Fund. *.




 The Fellowship of the Bellows,
 Buenos Aires... (further contribution) 1373. £• 0.


 The Rossendale Spitfire Fund*.* 7569* 0. 0.




MINISTRY OP AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION.
 5/1/M -No, 5.




 Speaking at Cambridge to-day (Sunday) Mr. J. Chuter Ede, Chairman of the
National Youth Committee and Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education,
said that there was a big demand for courses of training for youth leaders.

 He addressing the students of an intensive course for youth leaders at
 was


Homerton College and said that there were five applications for every place
available. By that could be judged the hold the Youth Movement had gained. .
The Service of Youth, in less than a
 year, had become an integral part of
normal educational activity.


 By co-operation with the great voluntary organisations a wide appeal to all
young people to join in the service of their country could now be made butleaders
were essential.


 The events of the past few months showed that the British were a great people
and afforded gratification to those who had served the cause of youth training in
the past. Their unrecognised efforts had been so amply justified that the Board,
of Education were determined to afford them greater scope by removing the
obstacles in the form of lack of premises, equipment and leaders, which had so

often narrowed or impeded the most helpful activities.

 The students would not be attending a series of academic addresses at which

copious notes for committal to memory had to be taken, but a succession of
conferences or discussions in which they could share.




BOARD OF EDUCATION.
AIR MINISTRY NO. 2694 -
 No. 7.



 DESTROYER HIT BY R. A. F. BOMBER.



 A series of attacks were made both in daylight and at dusk yesterday
(Saturday) by Blenheims of the Coastal Command on the port of Brest.


 Conditions and visibility were extremely poor, but several sticks of
bombs fell directly on the target areas.




 A destroyer was hit three times by one Blenheim and the bomb bursts were
followed by explosions. In a later attack, at least one bomb exploded on the
stern. The destroyer had been using its full anti-aircraft armament against
the bombers, but before the raid ended, the warship was shrouded in smoke and
its were silent.
 guns


 The enemy used a force of fighters in an unsuccessful attempt to resist
the of aircraft confronted
 attack; one our was by twelve Messerschmitt 109’s
but it evaded them and went on to its target. After two Messerschmitt 109’s
had tried to
 repeatedly drive off another aircraft, one of the enemy broke up
in the air from the counter fire.


 One of the Blenheims is missing.

 Hudsons of the Coastal patrolling
 Command, the Norwegian coast,
successfully attacked two German supply ships. Six bombs burst on the deck
of the larger ship and at least three and probably five on the smaller.


 Both pilots approached at low altitude and then climbed steeply to
 very
make dive attacks. A wide tower of dense smoke rose two- hundred feet high
after heavy explosions from the larger ship. There were also several

explosions in the other vessel and debris from this ship came up to what the
crew described as ’’four times the height of a house”.


 Both supply vessels were found close in shore, at Lister and Obrestad -




so near the land that the German coastal Latteries were firing at the low-

flying Hudsons from less than four hundred yards. Neither aircraft was


damaged.
 5*1*41 -
 No» 8<



 The following official communique was issued today from
British G.H.in Cairo


BARDIA* Before nightfall yesterday evening Italian troops
 occupying the whole of the northern sector of the

 defences of Bardia were forced to surrender* Our

 patrols have penetrated into Bardia itself and

 enemy resistance is now confined to a restricted
 area in the south east zone of the perimeter
 defences. More than 15,000 prisoners have now

 been captured operations
 and mop up remaining to
 centres of resistance are continuing satisfactorily*


 On the Sudan frontier there is no change in the

 situation.


 In the northern frontier district of Kenya our

 patrols are continuing their activities.




MINISTRY OF INFORMATION,
 5/1/41 -




 CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER SHEARS AT ELTHAM.



 Sir Kingsley Wood, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, speaking at Eltharn,
Kent, today (Sunday) .said vigilance, action and unceasing endeavour must be
our watchwords for 1941 • Only our very best was good enough -to do less
would be base betrayal of
 a cause# our We entered upon the New Year with
solid grounds for confidence and belief in victory.


 history came to be written, it, might well be recorded that 1940 marked
 When
the turning point in this great struggle and the passing of the most critical
period in the long life of our nation.


 The cheerful fortitude and the endurance and grit of people in
 dogged our

the great cities, in our towns and villages had been the admiration of the

world. They had shewn however criminal and inhuman the attacks to which they
were subjected that they would never* bend or break.

 We had as the Nation’s incomparable leader, unequalled in courage, drive
and endurance our victory Priine Minister and one of the greatest figures in
the world today. Aided and assisted without stint by the British Empire and
the immense resources and goodwill of the President and people of the United

States, we had ended the
 past year much better than we began it, with ever

increasing strength and a much improved situation. This year might well
be a decisive year and we would have to face sterner and graver trials and
ordeals*


 It is this country that blocks Germany’s way, that defeats her evil
ambition and upon which rests the main responsibility for the defence of
civilised Europe and all that was decent in life and in the world. We were


fighting for great things -

 liberty, justice and civilisation itself. We

fought against the evil thing bad faith, persecution and tyranny.
 - It

was because these were the issues of this great conflict that we were

sustained by a great faith, an unconquerable spirit and that we knew that
victory would come and right prevail.




MINISTRY OF INFORMATION*
not to be published before the 5/1/41 -
 No, 10.
BROADCAST AT 8?40 P.M,


please check, against delivery.



 FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF AN APPEAL ON BEHALF OF TH J ROYAL AIR FORCE

BENEVOLENT FUND TO BE BROADCAST BY LORD TRENCHARD AT 8,40 P,M e
 TO-NIGHT
(SUNDAY') IN THE 8 U 8.C 6 HOW SERVICE,




 Good evening. This is the first time I have ever broadcast. I had

intended never to broadcast, but when it was pointed out to me that it was on

behalf of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund and all that that means, I felt
it was a duty - indeed an honour -
 and I hope, therefore, you will bear with .an
amateur,



 Many years ago, in 1919? at the end of the last war, it was my privilege to

start the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund for all the dependents of those wonder-

ful Air Force men of the 1914“18 war - those great men who had covered them-
selves 'with gloxy and thought of nothing except the work for others. Many were

lost in those days and it was our duty to help their relations..


 It is tragic to think that, twenty
 years later, -the Royal Aii Force would
again be in the -forefront of a still greater wars ..and this time. Purely we can
 to
-xxsvor pay them a better .tribute than xvas paid thm_by our. Primo.„



 ’’Never in- the field of human conflict was so much owed by
 so-many to so few,”


 How true® Tliey- kept off the German hordes at a critical time of the
 very
history of the fight., They won their fight -
 the}’' have won many
 -
 and they will
Win many more a




 This Fund has been largely built
 up by the past and present members of the
Royal Air Force of all ranks. That is the type of men. they are: they think of
others,, They built up this Fund for the .benefit of their colleagues and comrades.

 is ask this feel, recognises all that the
 It now time to country, which, I

Royal Air Force have done, to put the Fund on a firm basis. A very large sum

will be required for us to carry out our obligations to airmen, their wives,
 the
children and dependants, so that these man
 may go into battle feeling that the
future of their immediate relations will be secured from want.
 anyhow

 Some time ago we thought of appealing to the public, but we all considered
it not right to broadcast appeal for this Fund until the could feel
 was an R.A.F..
that such great causes as the British Red Cross and the Air Raid Distress Funds
were in .a better position financially. A short appeal by our Chairman, Lord

Wake-field, which appeared in “The Times” a few months ago, showed that the public
would like to help and that very few people had realised that this Fund was in
existence.

 I now hope that in all the villages and towns in every part of the
 you
 -




British Isles will realise that there is this Fund and that you yourselves can

help airmen and the airmen’s dependants.

 I am sure that aLL of will feel that this Fund is worthy of your support.
 you
When you' make your contribution you will know that you are receiving the gratitude
of all those serving in the Royal Air Force.

 Some of them need our sympathy and help, and many more, in time, will require
 Let feel that it is assured. I hope each one of
our assistance, us you will
give something to this Force whose uniform I am proud still to wear.


 If any organisation or society should wish to help please advise me and will

my listeners send their gifts, which will be thankfully acknowledged by me, to
Lord Trenchard: the address is:


 Lord Trencharc]., Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund,
 Eaton Road, Hove, Suss ex <>


 Thank you e
 C-ood night,

BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION.
 5/1/41 -
 No, 11,



 GENERAL DE GAULLE ESTABLISHES COUNCIL OF DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE,



 Dy two decrees, issued at Brazzaville on 27th October, 194-0, General de
Gaulle, Leader of Free Frenchmen, has established a Council of Defence of the
Empire b

 His Majesty’s Government have informed General de Gaulle that they will be

happy to treat with him and with the Council of Defence established by these
decrees on all questions involving their collaboration with the French overseas
territories which place themselves under the authority of General de Gaulle,
both in matters affecting the association of the Free French Forces with
His Majesty’s Forces in
 prosecuting the
 against war the common enemies, and
in those affecting the political and economic interests of those territories*




FOREIGN OFFICE NEWS DEPARTMENT.



 SOURCE NOT TO BE QUOTED
 5/1/41 “
 N0.12.
AIR MINISTRY COMMUNIQUE N0.2695*



 H.Q., R.A.F., Sunday.



 MIDDLE EAST COMMUNIQUE.




 During the night of January 3/4 and throughout yesterday, bomber aircraft
of the Royal Air Force continued to attack incessantly enemy aerodromes in
Eastern Libya


 One gun position received a direct hit and was silenced.


 During a subsequent raid last night when several tons of bombs were
dropped on military objectives, our aircraft observed violent explosions at
Bardia with accompanying large fires caused by yesterday’s raiding.

 The jetty and harbour were the main objectives at Bomba, and bombs fell
well in the target area.



 Our fighters maintained their active patrols and during two

encounters with the down
 enemy three CR.42’s were shot in flames and one

other destroyed.

 A highly successful raid was made on road junctions and other military
objectives at Elbasan in Albania, All bombs fell onthe town and a large

fire with heavy black smoke was seen to break out. Photographs show that
 direct hits were made buildings and that a number of fires were
many on

started.


 A reconnaissance flight over Tripoli on January 1 proved that during
the raid on the previous night when shipping in the harbour was attacked,
one motor vessel of ten thousand tons which was anchored in mid-harbour

was sunk.


 Numerous reconnaissance flights were carried, out on all fronts.


 From all operations our aircraft returned, safely, except one fighter
in the Western Desert o
 5/1/41 _ .No, 13,.




 RATIONING dLANGBS




 Orders have been made by the Minister of Food amending the Rationing
Order, 1939, the Directions under the Rationing Order dated January 6th,, 1940
and the Tea (Rationing) Order, 194-0, and revoking the Directions under the

Rationing Order dated April 9th? 194-0.

 These Orders give effect, from January 6th,, 1941, to the following
changes, which have already been announced


 (a) Reduction of the adult meat ration to 6d» retail price
 and the child’s ration to 9d, i»tail price;


 (b) The inclusion of pork and most offals in threat ration. The
 list of offals to beincluded has already been announced by
 the Ministry. To this list Pig’s Kidney has also been added.



 (o) The cancellation of, instead of detaching, the coupons in the
 General and Child’s Ration Books by the retailer, or by the
 proprietor of a catering establishment or institution in the case

 of persons residing there for five nights or more;


 (d) The purchase of the rations of bacon and ham, butter and margarine
 cooking fats, sugar and tea in the week immediately following the
 week in which they should normally be' purchased.




MINISTRY OF FOOD
 soloUl No.l




The Press Service of Free France announces




 following information has been received at the
 The
Headquarters of the Free French Forces on the activities of
the French units which are talcing part in the operations in

Libya and the Sudan with the British troops.

 In the Western Desert a detachment of a battalion of
French Marines took a very active part in the British advance

against the Italians.


 This detachment, which at the time was patrolling west
of the positions still held by the Italians at Bardia, has
succeeded in cutting the road from Bardia to Tobruk.


 In the Sudan several detachments of Spahis had various•
encounters with enemy patrols which were rapidly scattered and
left a number of dead. \ ‘
 No>ls




 PRICES Qg FOvK,



 Owing to the difficulty experienced by t?io public
in distinguishing imported pork from fresh pork, the Ministry
of Food has now stipulated that
 from January 6th., 1941, all pork,
whether imported or home-produced,' shall be,.sold subject to the

prescribed prices of fresh pork.


 To remove the ambiguity that at present exists in regard to
the description of meat from Eire, the Ministry of Food has now
defined the expression '’home-killed meat" as meat derived from
livestock slaughtered in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Eire,
the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man.



MINISTRY OF FOOD
 5/1 /41 1 No»16.


 OFFAL .PRICES



 The following new maximum retail prices for offals will come into force

on Monday, 6th January


 Description Home -killed Imported
 per lb. per lb.



-/ Ox head (excluding brain and tongue) id.
 ”
 Is. 2d. Is. 2d.
 tongue
 ”
 heart Bd. +

 •*
 liver Is. 2d. Is. Od.
 ”
 tail Is. 2d. 10d.
 ” Is. 6d. Is. 6d.
 Kidney
 2d. 10d.
 ”
 skerts (thick and thin) Is.
 ” Bd.
 cheek
 ”
 sweetbreads Is. 2d. Is. Od.
 ”
/ brains
 ”
 (raw dressed) 9d. 9d.
 tripe or
 ”
 melt and lights Ad. “




 Is. 10d. Is. od.
 1 lambs’ liver
Sheeps or

 h ”
 heart Is. Ad. Is. Od.
 » ’»
 sweetbreads Is. Bd. Is. Ad.
 ” Is. Od. Is. Od.
 •»
 tongue
 »» »
 kidney 2s. Od. Is. Bd.
 ”
 brains 6d. 6d»
 ” ”
 head (including tongues
 Bd.
 and brains) (each)
Calves’ liver 2s. Od. Is. 6d. +

 ” Is. 2d.+ Is. 2d. +
 tongue
 ”
 sweetbreads 2s. 6d. 2s. Od.

 ”
 head (scalded) (including tongues
 and brains) Bd. ■




 "
 heart Is. Ad.+ Is. od.+

/ ”
 brains 6d. 6d.
 ”
 feet Ad.
 Is. 6d.+ Is. Od.
 ”
 kidney
 11 ver Is. 2d. Is. Od.
Pigs’
 ”
 Is. 2d. Is. Od.
 tongue
 '*
 heart Is. Od.

 ” Is. Ad. Is. Od.
 kidney
 ”
/ brains

/ fry (liver and fat) Is. Od.
 ”




 marked
 The prices/(+) are higher than those prescribed in the previous Schedule.

 The prices marked (/) 'tare introduced into the maximum price Schedule for

 the first time.

 has been added to the list
 Ministry of Food announces that Pigs’ Kidney
 The
 of offals which will be placed on the ration
 from to-morrow, January 6th.




 In order that butchers’ increased, the wholesale prices
 margins shall not be

 have been made, will, subject
of offals, in respect of which changes of retail prices
to running contracts, be altered accordingly®




MINISTRY OF FOOD
AIR MINISTRY N 0.2697. -
 No, 17*



 AIR MINISTRY AND MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY

 COMMUNIQUE.



 During daylight today single enemy aircraft dropped bombs
at a few places in East Anglia.

 These bombs did some damage at two places and injured a

small number of people.
 5/1/41. No. 19.




 The following message has boon sent to the Prime Minister
of the Commonwealth of Australia*


 ”1 send you the heartiest congratulations from all
friends here upon the magnificent manner in which the

Australian offensive against Bardia has opened*

 ’’The piercing of the western sector and the capture
of at least 5,000 prisoners in itself constitutes a fine
feat of arms and is, I trust and believe, the prelude to
even greater success*




 ’’Winston Churchill,



 ”Saturday morning,
 "
 ’’January 4 th, 1941*


MINISTRY OF INFORMATION.-,
 5/l/W -
 N 0.20.




 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.

Sergeant Archibald Hamilton, Has tie, 13, Hamilton Prive, Cambuslang,
 Lanarkshire, Scotland,

Sergeant Charles Arthur .Ayres, 161, Park View, Northern Parade,
 North End, Portsmouth.

Pilot-Officer, John Bertie Thomas Loudon, 1 9 lygon Road, Edinburgh.

Sergeant Edward Winston Wilmore, 331, Cmbersley Worcester.




MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
 5/1/41 ~
 No, 21




 Following is an extract from Signor Ansaldo’s broadcast at .
 *



 4.30p.m® today (Sunday) from Rome to the Italian armed forced and the

 people of Italy®

 BARDIA A TERRIBLE WARNING -
 WOE TO THE HEEDLESS.


 We said warning, and we repeat it® That which comes to us from that

strip of Africa between the desert and the sea, hammered by artillery, attacked

by tanks, is a hard, a solemn let us say terrible warning to everyone of
 -




us in Italy:

 is a warning to us to be serious, to be aware of the stake for which

we are playing, to be worthy of this historic hour in the life of Italy.

 It ia a warning to all Italians, rich and poor, leaders or subordinates®

 Woe to all those who on this
 sunny winter afternoon have not given a
single thought to what is going on in the Marmaric. Woe bo all those in their
twenties who, in their usual cafe, or their usual haunt, have not felt a burning
desire to be down there with the defenders of Port Bardia to give them a hand
and hold fast with them®

 Woe to those in their forties who in the pleasures of their homes and

families have not felt, if even for a second, a virile regret that they can

no longer carry a rifle as in the spring of their youth®

 Woe to those who on Rearing the communiques in these last few days have not
felt their hearts suffocate with anxiety and curiosity while they were passing
their time at some football match or some more or less stupid film®
 those
 Woe to all/who, hearing such a bulletin as that issued today, can still

go about their humdrum little affairs and their humdrum little amusements in their
usual way and who do not feel it their duty while the battle of Bardia is raging
to pass five minutes in silence in the secret of their hearts®


 None of these are Italians worthy of the namew In their petty arrogance
and egoism they delude they themselves if think that they can
 go on living like
this, remote from any discomfort, while others are fighting a war they
do not even give a thought#




MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
 5.1.U1 - N0.22



 OFFICIAL ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE.




 The BoardAdmiralty regrets to announce that H.M.Trawler
 of
KENNYMORE (Temporary Skipper J.W. Greene, R.N.R.,) and H.M.
Drifter HARVEST GLEANER (Temporary Skipper V.J. Thompson R.N.R,, )
have been sunk.


 The next of kin of casualties have been informed.




ADMIRALTY. S.W.I.
 5/VM - No* 23i




 '



 ' FOLLOWING IS A FULLER TEXT OF SIGNOR ANSALDO’S BROADCAST AT 4*30 P.M.
TODAY m ROME TO THE ITALIAN PEOPLE Al© ARMED FORCES:




 Today bs communique which was broadcast four hours and which we have just
 ago
finished
 reading.states that the battle of Bardia continues o
 Is it still going
on while we are speaking? It is impossible to say. ‘ln a battle -of, this kind
four hours is a long period. It is quite long enough to decide the fate of
Port Bardia and its defenders.


 It is possible therefore that while we are speaking in spite of the loss of

those outworks to which the communique alludes, that our men are holding the
British attack.


 On the other hand, it is possible that they have been forced to yield before
the enormous concentrations of men and material which the British Command has
massed on the Cyrenaica front.


 In the event of the fall of Port Bardia what shall we do? Shall we shrug
our shoulders and say that in any case its position was desperate? Shall we

 indifference and in any Bardia Was
 "


pretend say that case Port an African
locality of small importance and that there remain many others which are

better equipped?:'



 Or shhll we turn strategic’?':>3 and say that all these events including the
loss of* PoTtr Bardia- have, been foreseen for a long time and are nothing but
part of a vast manoeuvre to force the British to commit a tremendous mistakg
if they continue their offensive in Cyrenaica?


 /We
 - 2 -




 We shali/dQ-'none of these things#


 In place, we have too much respect for you and too much for ourselves.
 the first
This habit of minimising every enemy success, of trying to turn every such success
into a strategic error, is,not to our liking and we will never, never indulge in it.
We prefer to say what we think-.



 In this case we think that if Bardia falls this will constitute a new enemy

 local if you but still considerable and sad for Having
success, like, news us.

clarified'this we can add that thererstill remains the unequivocable, the luminous

fact of. the resistance of our troops. Even if in this moment in which we are


speaking Port Bardia should have fallen, this defence which was lasted for twenty
(20) days, must be for us a motive of .comfort and courage.


 • It. is certain that-General Wavell - who is a man who knows what he is. about
-
 thought between the 13th and 14-th December when his mass of tanks had overcome •
 at Buq and crossed
the defences of Sidi Barrani, when they had reached the sea Buq g
the Cyrenaica frontier, taking the Fort of that in few hours Port Bardial
 Capuzzo, a

would- also be in his hands. •


 It did not fall into his hands, however, either in a few hours or in a few

days. It still had not fallen today. Wavell and his General, Staff have attempted
to explain this resistance by telling the world ; that Port Bardia is a heavily
fortified position, a bastion which had been prepared for a long time, in fact -




a fortress. • Now without denying the truth which is clearly that Port Bardia

is a position of considerable Value in the Cyrenaica defence system/" it is obvious
that the place does not merit the grandiose name of fortresst -.Military works t yes,.
these there are, and they have been increased in the last few weeks, but there are

not sufficient to turn the place into a fortress. •




 '/Whoever
 -3-



 Whoever has teen in the Marmaric, and has the
 even as a tourist, seen


sandy Wastes at the hack of Port Bardia, devoid of any one place where permament
fortifications could he erected? will know perfectly well that there will never

he fortresses in this area.




 How’-then can resistance of the last twenty (20) days be explained?»lt

can be explained like all other desperate resistancesall other heroic resistances,
since men have waged war© It can be explained by a fact of a UlorE& nature* The

men who have held Port Bardia against all the forecasts of the British High Command
and of military critics the world over, have done so because they must have found

themselves in that .state of mind when all their moral and material forces are

multiplied, that state of mind which will overcotie the blight of hunger and thirst,
in which the sense of responsibility conquers the desire for sleep, in which the

spirit of sacrifice makes them look calmly at the certainty of death.,


 Those who found' themselves in Port Bardia either because they had been
 meh,
forced to retreat from Sidi Barrani or because they had been brought up with

reinforcement from the urge of self
 '’Tobruk, must have felt within themselves all
 must have been filled with rage at the defeats which had been
respect©
inflicted on Italians arms; they must have been aware of everything which the

 to them: they must have
stay-at-home strategists could dare think and say about
been filled with irritation at the boastings of the enemy of which merely an echo

was brought to them by.wireless© They must have been filled with the knowledge
that the of the whole of the whole world, concentrated them
 eyes nation, were on




 •All these virile feelings nust have been active within them, urging them

to meet the coming trial with desperate resolution,, In addition the presence
of Bergonzoli among them has certainly translated all their feelings into one solid
will to resisto Bergonzoli is one of those military leaders, who, with one
command, one. look, can inspire all those under him with a love of danger and the

joy of This is the first, the true explanation, of the defence of Bardia,
which has resisted until yesterday, until today„ This has its roots
 explanation
in the hearts' of our soldiers t
 ,




 / The
 - b. ~




 The first military result of this defence is by now clearly apparent.
By holding the enemy immobilised for twenty (20) days Bergonzoli and. his men have

interrupted the forward surge of the British; they have given our troops time to

 hr that the of Sidi Barrani not precedent
rally, and they ve proved surprise was a

and will not be repeated.


 The moral result of this defence has been even greater. By resisting in
this
 manner, Bergonzoli and his men have' broken the melancholy enchantment which
seemed to have been thrown over our soldiers on this front during the last two

months. They have shown that the fighting capacity of our men remains unimpaired,
even after the sad days of Sidi Barrani.


 Whatever the fate while we are speaking of our brave comrades down there,
whatever their situation at this moment, they must be thanked for the example and

the warning they have given to everyone from their field of battle and glory.

 V/e said warning and we repeat it. That which comes to us from that strip
of Africa between the desert to the hammered by artillery, attacked by tanks,
 sea,
is hard, solemn let to in l ltaly:
 terrible warning everyone of
 a a us us
 say
 - ~




it is warning to be to be of the stake for which
 a us to serious, aware we are


playing, to be worthy of this historic hour in the life of Italy.

 It is to all Italians rich and leaders subordinates.
 a
 warning poor, or




 Woe to all those who on this sunny winter afternoon have not given a single
thought to what is
 going on in the MarmaricJ Noe to all those in their twenties

who, in their usual their usual haunt, have not felt burning desire to
 cafe, or a

be down there ’"ith the defenders of Port Bardia to them hand and hold fast
 give a


with them,’


 Woe to those in tteir forties vho in the of their homes and families
 pleasures
have not felt, if for virile that longer carry
 even a second, a regret they can no


a rifle as in the spring of their youthj Woe to those who on hearing the com-

municucs in these last few have not felt hearts, suffocate with anxiety and
 days
curiosity while they were passing their time at some football match or some more or

less stupid film.’ Woe to all those who such bulletin that issued
 hearing a as


today can still about their humdrum little affairs and t'eir humdrum little
 go
amusements in their usual the of
 way and who do not feel it their duty while battle
Bardia is raging to pass five minutes in silence in the secret of their hearts,’


 /None
 None of these are Italians worthy of the name< In their
petty arrogance and egoism they delude themselves if they think
that they can go on living like this c
 Remote from any discomfort
while others are fighting a war to which they £o not even give a
thought o

 The world has entered upon a terrible period of upheavals and
struggle,, For individuals there is no other..re as enable
 way to
salvation than to throw themselves with a]3/their- hearts, all
their minds, all their being, into the struggle with their army
and their country]



(NOTE; The whole broadcast was characterised by extreme
 excitement and unwonted emotion) 0




+ With regard to the underline 1 portion, reference was made
 in a previous broadcast to Bardia’s ’’Maginot Line”..
 5AA1 -
 llQoSU.

 The following Special Communique was issued from British

G.H.Q. Cairo this evening:-
 ,




 Libya. All resistance at Bardia ceased at 13030 hours to-day.
The town, with total forces defending it, and all stores and

equipment, are now in our hands*


 General Berganzoli, commanding the Italian forces at
 Bardia,
another Corps Commander, and four senior Generals are prisoners-of-
war.



 It is not yet possible to make a full count, but prisoners so

far captured exceed twenty-five thousand.


 Amongst other "booty captured or destroyed are light
and five medium tanks.




MINISTRY OF INFORMATION*

5.1>U1No.28.




RATIONINGOFFEEDINGSTUFFS


RegistrationwithSuppliers



ForthesummerrationingperiodcommencingIst
Maythefarmermust,asalreadyannounced,register
withnotmorethanfourmerchantswithwhomheis
depositingrationcoupons,andreturntheregistration
formtohisCountyWarAgriculturalExecutiveCommittee
dulycompleted.



InsomecasesformsreturnedtotheCommittees
shewthatPartIThasbeencompletedbyfarmersthemselves.
TheMinistryofAgriculturedesiresittobeclearly
understoodthatPart11.mustbecompletedbymerchants,
otherwisetheycannotacceptcouponsfromfarmers.




MINISTRYOFAGRICULTURE