28/1/hi. No. 1. AIR MINISTRY NO, 2882. AIR MINISTRY AND MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY COMMUNIQUE. There is nothing to report. zsA/u - No* 3* ■ NOT FOR PUBLICATION BEFORE DELIVERY AGAINST .WHICH IT ' SHOULD BE CHECKED Address by Mr. Harold Nicolson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Information, delivered at a luncheon of the Anglo-Swodi sh Society in London at 1 p.m* on Tuesday, January 28th 1941* ■ * «« W MB «M MB> *ua The last occasion on which 1 addressed a meeting of this nature was in the Spring of 1934> when I had the honour of delivering a lecture upon modem diplomacy ~ to the Anglo-Swedish Society in Stockholm* 'I ; recall with pleasure a luncheon which was given to me by some professors of the Stockholm University* It was a warm May afternoon and took seated under willow tree we our coffee afterwards a gigantic the.oternal problem of the relation between civilisation and power* It ! -was a. period at which Sweden, to many Englishmen, seemed, to be the type and model of the perfect social State c I had been visiting your schools and playing grounds, your housing estates and your factories, your museums and palaces, your parks and. theatres* It seemed to me that you had combined all that was most venerable in your ancient tradition with all that was most progressive in the new world* You had your Storkyrka and your City Hall; you had your music and gymnastics; you had your venerable and yet advanced monarchical institutions; you had the legacy of the three great administrations of Granting which seemed, in international as well as in national affairs, to have found the middle way between conservatism and revolution and to have created the completely civilised State* It seemed to us that Sweden constituted both an example and a reproof to all the world* How vulgar, in com- parison seemed the might and majesty of great Empires; how unintelligent and anti- social seemed the wastage of national resources upon vast fleets and armies; how meaningless seemed the boast of democratic freedom-in countries which proclaimed their politidal liberties but were unable to solve the fundamental problems of social ••••’• justice* t ‘ - I returned from that memorable visit with a new idea. It seemed to me that the important thing in the twentieth century was to create communities, which were the reflection of the perfectly balanced mind* It seemed to me that national energy and national priie need no longer find their outlet in great movements of expansion or great ostentations of power, and that the glory of any country was to be sought, not in the extent of its possessions,*but in the degree to which its citizens were enabled to live, confident and self-reliant lives* Sweden in those spring days of - 1934 had appeared to me so happy, so independent, so secure* Was this all a legend? Was it all out a pathetic fallacy? Is it true, in other words, that no country can hope to develop its own civilisation unless it be at the same time possessed of tremendous physical power? Such are the thoughts which must be troubling all of us today* Sweden today finds herself in a position of distressing isolation. She is encircled by Powers whose traditions are less ancient than her own traditions, whose ways of life are less civilised than hers, and whose conception oof national and in- dividual liberty is wholly different from that which in all these centuries the Swedish mind has evolved for itself® Liberty of action is denied to her; her dignity is assaulted; her self-reliance is being undermined; her national unity of which she was so proud, is being disintegrated by foreign influences; and she is unable, even in her own family circle to speak or hear the truth* /Yet let -2- Yet let us not believe for an instant that the reputation. which Sweden earned for herself in the first forty years of this century was a false refutation; let us not for one instant discredit the authenticity of the Swedish legend. It was a true and deserved reputation; it is 'a . legend that will again whnonce we have broken the power which threatens to enslave her become an inspiration to her own people and an example to Europe. Let Sweden have the courage to remember Her. old ideals; let her have the heart to preserve her own pride; let her retain that firm and balanced mind which shall convince her that civilisation is a more important x thing than power; and let her preserve that dignity which has given her so many centuries of national culture and will still render her one of the pioneers of European thought and order, For, truth, in the Swedish ideal is founded upon the spirit and is maintained by free intelligence; it relies for its strength upon the diversity of human thought and not upon the uniformity of physical compulsion; it is independent of historical disasters or transitory personalities; it is the life- blood of an ancient race. You Swedes living here in London, in darkness and in danger, in exile and anxiety, must be glad to feel that you are the trustees of your country’s heritage# You hear the truth; you know the truth and you can tell the truth, YZe, your English friends, ask you only to watch and wait. Our victory will be your victory. In the new world which we and our cousins overseas -will have to build, you also must play your part. For our New Order will not be based upon the enslavement of Europe but upon its liberation. And when the day of victory comes let us not forget either our old happy dreams or our present nightmares, Let us remember that every civilisation, however perfect in itself, must have the will to defend its own community and the unselfishness to combine with other similarly minded countries to render that defence effective. In our New Order there will be no slave-states, There will be a community of free peoples, each working out its own problems, not upon a uniform pattern imposed by foreign power, but in accordance with its own tenperament and traditions. And, above that, there will be union of each of a peoples, one whom will sacrifice something of its political and economic independence for the good, and for the defence, of the community whole e We shall as a never abolish either "poverty by merely repeating or war we wish to do so. that We must co-operate, organise and plan, /nd to that conception Sweden, if she can keep her mind and soul untainted will have a proud. contribution to make- 11 x ■fcho before the groat battle. We a±l know this second Battle of Britain will be ferocious and perhaps Vou here, who know But and understand us, us know also that never has m L io united in resistance or so confident in ites cause. We BritShZve .defeated when we felt uncertain whether right was on our side. We know totor je ask only confidence. that coXenee °Ut tiny in fow?th t:bie our history, we have saved the world. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION 28/1 Al -No, U. A -MIDGET AT.THE NIKE. Broadcasting sometimes has unexpected results. Recently there was a special broadcast from Lusaka, capital of Northern Rhodesia for a big gathering of tribesmen for recruiting purposes at a chief’s village a hundred miles away. A midget called JEKI, only three feet tall, arrived at the studio and insisted upon broadcasting, he had as accompanied a battalion of the Northern Rhodesia Regiment to Somaliland as cook. He shouted up into the microphone greetings in the native tongue to his relations and friends at the meeting. His parents actually, present and heard his voice coming over were the with consternation, as they believed he had been killed. They thought it was "his ghost speaking from a magic box" but the recruiting officer explained and calmed their fears and the meeting took an enthusiastic turn on account of the incident and twenty-five recruits were promptly enrolled. * +++++++++++ MINISTRY OF INFORMATION. 28/1/24 - No, 5. PRESS NOTICE 72nd week. Mercantile losses due to enemy action for the week ended 19th/20th January, 1941, midnight British 5 = 34,772 tons Allied 6 - 23,440 tons Neutral - = 11 = 58,212 It has "been noted that the practice of announcing total German claims week hy week alongside the losses actually sustained has led to a progressive reduction in the claims made by the German High Command. During the week under review the German High Command has claimed that the total of 41,600 tons of shipping was sunk. CORRECTIONS TO PREVIOUS LEEKS, 20th week to 21st January, 1940. Amend British to 6of 33,582. 26th week to 3rd March, 194O„ Amend British to 3 of 2,042. 69th week to 29th December, 1940. Amend British to 5 of 29,060. ADMIRALTY. 28/1/Ul—No. 7 The Minister of Aircraft Production acknowledges with gratitude the following gifts towards the purchase of aircraft Geir Zoega, Iceland ....... f .£50»0.0. Horncastle and District Spitfire Hund.... .£1,000.,0; 0. Dried Fruit Trade A550ciati0n.............£1,7&5.19*3* Orpington District Spitfire Fund.. ~ .£2,000..0i 0. Ross-on-Wye District Spitfire-Fund........£2,15U*8.7. Cambridge Spitfire Fund. .£h,U§B.o.o. oOo MINISTRY OF AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION To be checked against 28/I/4I - No. 9« broadcast AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN No : 2883 '■m ON BREST” TEXT OF BROADCAST IN 6 O ! CLOCK NWS BULLETIN, TUESDAY, JANUARY 28th 1941, BY THE PILOT 0F A BLENHEIM BOMBER OF COASTAL COMMAND WHICH TOOK PART IN AN ATTACK ON THE HARBOUR AND SHIPPING AT BREST 6 That night we were just making an ordinary night attack en Brest harbour. We x d been there before, end we krfw roughly what to expect. There was a bright moon when we got near the place , and the flak - the anti-aircraft fire - was coming up in much the usual sort of were curtains of fire here and way* there, cones of fire over the more important spots and searchlights wandering all over the place- It was pretty cold, ‘but you expect it to be cold at the height at which we were flying* Then suddenly the port engine stopped. My observer, who was in the nose of the aircraft; switched on the inter-communication telephone and asked ’’What’s happened?'1’ the engine stepped,” I told him. "Port Then, just as I said it, ,most of noise died out of the aeroplane, and I said, "Gosh, starboard engine stopped, too<>" "Well, here we go," said the observers And that all had iced up and stopped, was you could say about ito Both engines and we were gliding, without any power, slowly downwards. I was not particularly worried at first. Engines do sometimes ice up and stop, and when, you come down into warmer air, with any luck they pick up again. My only worry was to travel as slowly as possible, so that the glide would last as long as possible. The obr-v;- er and I j had a chat about it and decided that, as we were already over- Brest, we might as well have a smack at the target, even without any The flak had died away for the -moment, so we started our first run in. then had lost about thousand feet in height. By we a We made a run couldn’t see the exact target we across the target area but we wanted, sc- again, and started another run, a few hundred feet lower. we came round And we kept on doing that, a Lit lower each time, for what seemed about ten years - although really our whole glide lasted for less than a quarter of an hour. there, and and By this time, course, the German gunners knew we of were now idea then they seemed to have a pretty good exactly where we were. There was one when particularly nasty burst of flak all round us we were about half-way down, and it shook the aircraft a bit, but we weren’t hit. Every now and then a searchlight picked us up and I had to take avoiding action to get out of it. I didn’t want to do that than I could because mere help, every time I did it we lost a little more height, and shortened the length of the glide. Once I called to the air gamer to ask him if everything was all right. "Sure", he said, " may I shoot cut seme of these searchlights?" But I couldn’t let him do that for fear of giving our position away He C is appointed, and and then he was every now came on the ’phone and. shid hopefully, "There's a searchlight on us now, sir’h By the time down to about we were 4,000 feet, still without any engines, things began to look rather nasty« We were still gliding, and still making our /runs runs over the target area, with* trie observe!' doing his best to get the primary- target into his bomb sight and, of course, we were still losing height - To o add to worries, another Blenheim our high above us, without tho slightest idea that below, dropping flares and the place up® we were was lighting When we had lost another thousand feet, we ran slap into the middle of trouble* . The flak came up like a hailstorm going the wrong Way* But even then, by a stroke of luck nothing hit us, A little lower, however, our luck broke* The port wing stopped an explosive shell, which tore a hole two feet square in it 0 I called to the observer to get rid of the-bombs on something useful, because we hadn’t got enought height to go round again® The observer released the bombs, and they fell near the entrance to the Port Militsire - and still we were gliding downwards ' k - B By now we were so low that we could see almost everything on the ground and in-the harbour. I took one quick lock over the side, but one look was enough® The tracer fire was coming up so quickly at u s that I had to rely on the observer to direct me through the various streams of lt P I had no time to watch it myself® The gunner got the dingly ready in case we came down in the water, and he afterwards swore that ho could see the black shapes of men the guns on the ground, but I think it was probably the gun emplacements that he saw. Right over the middle of the harbour, at just about 1,000 feet, we were caught in a strong blue searchlight and almost simultaneously both ~ our engines picked up again* I raced out of the harboux', through even more violent flak, fortunately without, .being hit again, for at first the aircraft refused to climb® to the All the way home I had. to keep the control wheel, hard over right, to hold damaged wing up, and. several times the -observer had to come back to the help me hang on to the wheel, the pull was so heavy* Wr made for the nearest aerodrome in England-. where they did every-thing ‘they could to help us down* But directly I lowered the under-carriage the air craft started to drop out of the sky like a brick* h The only thing to do was to land fast, so the c-rew braced themselves on the straps, opened all the hatches, and. we came in just sixty miles an hour faster than the Blenheim! s usual landing speed® Luckily the under-carriage was undamaged and we landed. Safely® Just That aircraft is in service again® The one thing more. now engineers worked on it night and day and, thanks to them, within three days I flew it back to ny own-aerodrome* 28/1/41 - No. 10. TEXT OF BROADCAST IN THE 10*CLOCK NIkVS. BUIIETIN, TUESDAY, JANUARY 28 th 1'941, BY A JAMAICAN RECRUIT TO THE ROYAL AIR FORCE. Until six months ago I’d never been out of the Caribbean area for trip to I’d skies which except one New,York. never seen were grey day after day; I’d never seen snow or frost. And no./ I’m here. Ly family has been in Jamaica for c. long time., I am des- cended partly from the African slaves and partly from the plantation and owners. My great grandfather was a Scot, my grandmother Was French. I worked in the customs in Jamaica, examining ships for smuggled goods, l-iaranhua the chief thing looked for, which you was we a drug smoke in cigarettes,. We didn’t often find any because it was so easy to hide. Then in 1939 started doing contraband-control, we looking for explosives and That made lot of think about the refugees. a us war-. When we heard that Canada had started taking coloured fellows into the army We wondered whether to join up. Then it leaked out that the big banana company was considering whether to give free on its passages boats to recruits. You had to send in a letter and according to whether it was a good letter or not the company accepted you. I wrote and they accepted me. I was having a game of billiards afterwards with some friends and p*hen I told them about it they all wrote too. And next day they went down to the offices and were accepted. about The voyage here took/a fortnight. It wasn’t very interesting. The chief thing I remember was that I set off in white ducks, but fortun- ately mother had put in suit. When I to this I my a warm got country needed it. We hadn’t much money when wo landed, not enough to take us home again if wo weren’t accepted in the Forces. '.Te decided to pool together if the worst came to the worst. But we had enough to live on for a while and went to London The first thing we looked for in London was St. Paul’s. After that walked about the streets to find the Tower wo trying places like and Buckingham Palace, but most of the time wo got lost, London is a very intricate placre. /de finally - 2 - •. ...Ue ..filially joined up in-a. rather funny .went to., Scotland Yard and they gave us a note to take to- the--AvM-.-P-.-C. s ■ in- Euston. As we were passing Adastral House we saw some of the fellows. who’d "been on the Boat with us. They said they’d been fixed by the Air Force up and treated in and ‘when they heard we’d very nicely. So we went come from Jamaica they treated us well and sent us to have our medical very immediately, without any worry or trouble. He’d been feeling a bit sad with being in and this kindness sort of brightened a strange place, us up. > Wen we got outside another thing happened that brightened us up some more; a most extraordinary thing.■ A Jamaican girl spotted us from the other side of the road and called out to us. She was the sister of one of the fellows and was over here atuniversity. She’d a had no idea at all that her brother had ever thought of coming. Ard now' I’ve been in the Air Force six months, I've finished my ground-training and now I’m going to start' flying. At home, at this time,- cricket has started. If I were at home I should be wearing white ducks, I might do sstcs bathing and the sea would be blue all day, I would go dishing in a canoe made out of a tree and catch jacks and kingfish and sprats and snappers. I would fish all day and come home at night; ‘the stars' sparkling in the water and the moonlight bright yellow. ' Land-crabs would be rustling among the roots of the cocoanutpalms on the beach, and grass-hoppers and crickets would be whistling, . And we would eat yams and sweet potatoes and shrimps and rice and peas on the terracesof the houses. . But until we can enjoy all that in I am glad to be here peace, in the R.A.F. ♦ < BRITISH BROADCASTING- CORPORATION. 28/1/41 - No. 11. FOOD PROSECUTIONS IN DECEMBER, 194Q. During December, 1940$ there were 1,783 prosecutions under the Food Control Orders, of which 1,665 were successful. The distribution of prosecutions, among the various Divisions was as follows:- Number Percentage Division Prosecutions Successful Successful ENGLAND, Northern 3*l 28 90.3 North Eastern 155 140 90.3 Northwestern 160 143 89.3 North Midland 170 155 91.1 Midland 96 93 96.8 Eastern 34 34 100.0 Eastern II 70 65 92.8 London 224 212 94*6 South Eastern 73 70 95.8 Southern 90 90 100;0 Southwestern 283 259 91.5 1,386 1,289 93.0 WALES North Wales 19 18 94-7 South Wales 56 48 85.7 75 66 88.0 SOQTLOD Northern 4 4 100.0 North Eastern 3 3 100.0 Eastern 9 8 88.8 Western 145 143 98.6 South Eastern 8 8 100.0 169 166 . 98.2 NORTHERN IRELAND 1 53 144 94 0 1 The returns for the London, South Western and South Wales Divisions are incomplete. Since the outbreak of war the Ministry of Food has undertaken 10,598 prosecu- tions of which 10.043 (94«7%) have been successful. The following figures show the numbers undertaken and successful up to December 31st, 1940:- Number of Number Percentage Prosecutions Successful Successful October 1939 - February 1940 233 228 97*8 March 1940 370 341 92.1 ” April 544 516 9408 " May 794 751 94.5 ” June 740 724 97.8 " July 1,037 1,006 97.0 " August 1,351 1,297 96.0 September 1940 1,154 1,084 93*9 ” October 1,234 1 95.5 ,159 ” November 93,6 1,358 1,272 ” December 1,783 1,665 93*3 TOTAL 10,598 10,043 94*7 MINISTRY OF FOOD. i 28/1/41 w e oe »i - i,.■■ a.. No. 12. • OFFICIAL ,/.D; YR'ACT COMMUNIQUE It is now known that on Saturday f 25th January, an enemy aircraft was engaged "by H.M. Trawlers STR/kTHRANNOCK (Temporary Skipper A.S. Ladd, R.N.R.), GALVANI (Temporary Skipper Peek, R.N.R.) and PHILIPPE (Skipper M.J. Slater, R*N,R) and was seen to be repeatedly hit* Crippled and on fire the enemy jettisoned his bombs and disappeared into the mist in an easterly direction. On Sunday afternoon, the 26th, attacks were made by aircraft on shipping off the East Coast. In addition to the Ju.BB shot down by H.M. Trawler GALVANI, already announced H.M. S. WALLACE (Lieutenant-Commander E.G-. Heywood-Lonsdale, R*N.) and H.M* Drifters FISHER BOY (Skipper G-.W* Brow, R.N.R.) and REIDS (Skipper T.R. Ovenstone, R.N.R.) were in action with the enemy and it is known that at least two aircraft, a Me. 110 and a Ju. 88, were destroyed by them. One body and one injured prisoner * were recovered from the wreckage of one aircraft. From the other, which was shot down in flames, there were no survivors. No damage or casualties were sustained by 'H.M. ships. The enemy aircraft were also successfully engaged by the anti-aircraft guns of the merchantmen, and one enemy type not identified, was destroyed by them* One vessel received some damage from a near miss, but reached port in safeiy* 23/\A ■. AGORDAT is town of about whom Agordat a 2,050 inhabitants, amongst are 168 Italians, It lies at a height of 850 feet, on the river Baraka , in the midst of well-wooded country. The head town of the province of the western plateau, with post, telegraph, electric light, hospital and school it is an important market centre. The main goods are maize and live-stock. its to the fact that it is Agordat owes military importance on the railway running from Biscia through Cheren and Asmara to the Red Sea Port of Rassawa. It has been the scene of two battles. In 1890, a small force of Dervishes was routed by an Italian column of two companies, and the Italian occupation of Agordat resulted from this victory. In "893 a Hahdist army - 0,000 of 1 men was also routed and its leader killed by the Agordat garrison of ltalians. The road from Agordat to Barentu passes over undulating country, crossing several tributaries of the Baraka* the country is lightly wooded. After thirty miles the vegetation becomes denser and the road winds along the side of a wooded valley. At forty miles is Barentu, a pretty village of about 1,000 inhabitants, lying at the foot of a hill, on the top of which are modern Italian buildings - the house of the Resident, a Catholic mission, post and telegraph offices.. I '.INISTRY ATION T OF_WOR2 (Military Affairs). 28/IAI - N0.13* ?UOR GENERAL I;DkTT Major General William Platt, C.B a , D. 5.0., Commander of our troops in the Sudan and Commandant of the Sudan Defence Force since the end of 1938, is a soldier of the modern school, interested in people he lives with and the the places he lives in, and is a man who has always regarded his service abroad, net as a period of exile, but as an opportunity for fredistudies. He is short, slim, dark-haired, energetic, aged 35* His work is both his life interest and his hobby. He plays golf, however, but is not a champion by Khartoum standards, and is a very fine cricketer, well up to the county class e Throughout his career he has earned a special name for the keen personal interest he has taken in the welfare of his men, which may count for his popularity as a commanding officer* His personal bravery is a further reason* As a young 2nd lieutenant he won the D.S.O. in the N rth-West Frontier for gallant conduct in a campaign against the o Mohmands. He also mentioned in He was despatches* joined the Northumberland Fusiliers at the age of 20, saw service in France and Belgium in the Great War, where he was wounded and was mentioned in despatches* He was promoted temporary Lieut 9 Colonel and GeS.o,l* After serving in Egypt from 1922j. to 1926 and as D.A.A.G« at the Y/ar Office from 1927 to 1930, Lieut* Platt, Colonel as he then was, took over the command of the 2nd Battalion Wiltshire Regiment,, He was promoted Colonel in 1933, in which year he become G.SeO.Io for rhe 3rd Division at Bulford. The following year he was given the command of the 7th infantry Brigade and was appointed A.D.C. to the King* In 1938 he received his promotion to the rank of Major-General commanding the troops in the Sudan and Commandant of the Sudan Defence Corps. ■"OiiftnfliI'l’Bi awn* Ml i «■> ■ Military Affairs 'MINISTRY OF INFOWiTION) AIR MNISTRY BULLETIN No, 2886, 28,1,41. - No* 17» Air Ministry News Service THE DESTRUCTION OP BOMBA ” "'' R,A,F M MEDDLE EAST, TUESDAY. . The graves of a few Italian pilots, the wreckage of seven seaplanes and the twisted girders of two destroyed workshops are all that remain of the Italian seaplane base at Bomba, Two of the triple-engined aircraft are lying in shallow water, bullet riddled at their moorings, just as they were destroyed a short while ago by R.A.F. bombers. Bomba was an important seaplane base on the Cyrenaica coast and had been a constant threat to British shipping. The decisive manner in which bombers of the R.A.F. eliminated this th±eat is to be seen from the craters on the slipways. The base lies at the extreme end of a promontory and there is scarcely narrow a square yard that has not been torn by aerial bombardment. 28/1/U1 -No, 18. TODAYS CAIRO COMMUNIQUE The following official communique was issued at G-, H.Q,, Cairo today. LIBYA:The concentration of our forces in the Derna area is continuing. ERITREA: While operations in the Agordat-Barentu area are progressing satisfactorily, mobile troops continue our to press the Italian forces retreating from Umm Hagar. A further 100 prisoners have been captured, making a total of over 1,200 up to date. ABYSSINIA: East of Metemma the situation remains unchanged. ITALIAN SoTI^LJELAND : Our patrols have again been active. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION. 28/1/U1 No, 19. AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN No. 2887. AIR MINISTRY. NEWS SERVICE. UNIVERSITY COURSES FOR AIRCREW CANDIDATES. Particulars of the recently announced special university courses for aircrew candidates have "been sent by the Air Ministry to one thousand headmasters. They have been sent to the latest addresses of which the Air Ministry have knowledge; but in certain cases where schools have been evacuated these particulars may have miscarried. The Air Ministry hope that any headmasters who have not particulars the scheme will make to received of application the Under Secretary of State (P.2. Air Ministry, Adastral House, Kingsway, London, W.C. 2. The closing date for nominations is 15th February. ATP LHNISW NO* 2888 c 28A/U - No o 2Q, R»A O F a HO Q a Tuesday. MIDDLE EAST COMMUNIQUE* Bomber aircraft of the R a AoF o continued, their attacks on enemy stores, landing grounds and. lines of communication in Italian East Africa. Albania and. Libya yesterday® At Elbasan a force of bombers carried, out another raid, on military buildings and. stores in the town, registering several direct hits Considerable o damage was caused and the target was enveloped in smoke when the raiders left® In Italian East Africa our aircraft attacked the railway stations at Keren and Aisha (70 miles south west of Jibuti) and a railway bridge and road east of Adarte, where the road was struck and bombs fell close to the bridge.. Stores and 'warehouses at Assab and dispersed enemy aircraft at Cura were bombed® Our* fighters carried out offensive patrols without encountering any of the enemy o The landing ground at Apollonia. (Libya) was raided on January 26th and again yesterday® From all operations our aircraft returned safely* 28/1/U1 - No. 21* When the Question of present speculation in land which may he required for post-war reconstruction is raised in in the Parliament near future, a statement will he made hy Lord Reith,'Minister of Works and'Buildings, in the House of Lords and hy the Parliamentary Secretary, Mr c George Hicks, in the House of Commons. This statement will form part of an announcement of far-reaching importance regarding the examination of the problem of compensation and hetterment in the public control of land. MINISTRY OF WORKS & PUBLIC BUILDINGS. AIR MINISTRY NO. 2889. 28/1/U1 - No. 22. AIR MINISTRY AND MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY COMMUNIQUE, This morning an enemy aircraft dropped several "bombs at a point in the eastern counties causing little damage and no casualties. During this afternoon a number of enemy aircraft have crossed the south coast and flown over the south-east of England. They dropped bombs through the clouds but no important damage is reported and there were very few casualties. 28/1/41 CARR LU ■ CHARGES ON APPLES. An Order has been made by the Minister of Food amending the Apples (Home Produced) (Maximum Prices) Order, 1940. The amendments provide for: ~ (a) Carriage, as incurred between a point of sale in the first instance and the wholesaler’s premises, being added to payable by the retailer. the price The previous allowance for carriage has therefore been taken out of the wholesaler’s margin. The effect of this change will be a fluctuating retail profit according to the amount of the carriage, but it should improve distribution, since there will be no incentive for the wholesaler to sell locally and appropriate the carriage allowance as an additional profit, (b) The keeping of records by all traders, except retailers, of purchases and stocks as well as of sales. This will assist enforcement of the Order, The amending Order will come into force on Saturday, February Ist, MINISTRY OF FOOD. 28. I.M . -No. 2U-* PRICES AND CARRIAGE CHARGES FOR ORANGES An Order has "been made by the Minister of Food amending the Oranges (Maximum Prices) Order, 19/40. The amendments provide for:~ (a) An increase in the retail price from to 6d per lb.and corresponding adjustments of the prices for primary sales and sales by wholesale. (b) Carriage, as incurred between a point of sale in the first instance and the wholesaler’s premises, being added to the price payable by the retailer. The allowance for carriage has therefore previous been taken out of the wholesaler’s margin. The effect of change will be a fluctuating retail this profit according to the amount of the carraige, but it should improve distribution, since there will be no incentive for the wholesaler to sell locally and appropriate the carriage allowance as an additional profit, (c) A charge of 6d per package for delivery by the wholesaler when he delivers to the buyer’s premises at the request of the buyer. (d) The keeping by primary salesmen and wholesalers of records of stocks and delivery charges, purchases, as well as of sales. This will assist enforcement of the Order. The amending Order will come into force on Saturday, February Ist, +++++++++++ MINISTRY OF FOOD 28/1/41 - NO: . 261, TEXT OF BROADCAST BY MR. Y 4 MABANE, SECRETARY TO THE MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY/IN“tHE NINE O*CLOCK NEWS, Tuesday, January 28th. 1941 . .miiili. M Ilk —i «■» im r.»-X A.W’-I'l v SI'VJOKW.-J.iwau* * __ I .. To put any idea, however good, into legislative and administrative form is a difficult and complicated matter. It-s no use declaring: let there be fire fighters, and imagining that the fire fighters will at once materialise* There must be organisation, precise instructions, regulations and orders, and at is the purpose of the recent Orders and Regulations to transform the idea ■ of universal fire fighting service into a practical working machines ' ■ AtThe langugage of Orders is apt to be difficulty necessarily so. Nevertheless, all* '-who are affected should make an effort to read the Orders particularly occupiers of business premises. Order it from your: bookseller. Ask for Statutory-Rule and Order No. 69 of 1941„ Note it now if you can. Statutory Rule 7 and Order No, 69 of 1941» It costs 2d. . v.. Meanwhile, many questions are being asked all. over the country. I’ve been charged with the difficult.task of trying to answer some of . these questions as simply and briefly as possible, and telling you, whoever you are, in. bWud ‘ outline, how the Orders affect you. If some questions remain unanswered, I’m sorry, but you’ll get the answers by going to your local ’ authority* • ' ‘ I’ll begin by -telling you how the powers have been used so far. They’ve been limited to fire fighting,, and.to males o The ages included may be' different in different parts of the country, but in London, where "the powers have already been applied to business premises, the ages settled are 18 to 60« The powers have been applied first in London,, but they will of course be The first thing you want, to knot; is whether, you live extended widely. or work or occupy premises in one of those areas;. - so keep your eyes on the newspapers in which very shortly the areas will be announced. In areas to which the powers are applied, all men within the-selected age limits may be called on for fire fighting either where they live or where they work. ■ . ' .‘. • ' '■ ' > > : You naturally say how. The methods vary? I’ll begin with business premises. All who work in employees, are' concerned them, whether employers or in this part of what I’ve to say, but I shall -at first address myself particularly to the occupiers, that is to say ; - roughly, the employers", for the Order places on them particular duties. been applied When the Order- has to an area in which you are occupier of. business "premises- certaim action an is required of you. You’re required to notify .in-writing-within fourteen days to the authority what arrangements you’ve made for defecting and dealing with incendiary bombs. Note particularly, not merely” detecting or watching for the in the Fire Watchers Order, but for incendiary bombs, as was case dealing with them, that is to say, fighting them and putting them out-* Last there be any doubt, let me make it clear that this phrasewhich I’m using rather loosely, business premises, includes any building in which manufacture or commerce or business or any trade or profession is carried on, except where it is also the proprietor’s place of residence You want to know what arrangements you’ve to make. You want to know how to set about making the arrangements. You may invite volunteers from your staff - and here let me emphasise that women are fully entitled to volunteer, as also men, irrespective of age. are In this way, you may be able to provide fire parties at all hours in sufficient Or you canbase your arrange- ments on the compulsory powers, that is to say, all males within the prescribed ages, including yourself, must take turns of duty without pay outside working hours as members parties of periods fire for not exceeding 48 hours in any one month. employ special people to perform this duty, Or you can although I don’t think you’ll find this a satisfactory method because of the increasing drain of man-power for other essential war purposes. Or you can base your arrangements on a combination of these methods. Now I want to make an aside, a very important aside, which concerns those of you who may be required to perform these duties. Before the arrangements are made, the Order lays down that there must be consultation between all concerned. I’ll the Order. The words are plain, they are ’’Before quote making any such arrangements, the occupier of the premises shall consult with the persons working at the premises or with their ” /Further, - 2 - Further, there are certain grounds on which exemption from these duties may he claimed. Unfitness or special hardship is one« Effective membership of the Civil Defence Services. Membership of the Home Guard, the Observer Corps, or the Special Constabulary grounds are other on which exemption may be claimed. Again, grounds of exemption are fully and plainly set out in the Order, and these to everyone will have the right to appeal to a Tribunal against being required undertake these duties. either Now that’s all very well, but it may seem to you as the occupier, before or after consultation with all who work with you, that you aren’t in a position to make satisfactory arrangements. In that case, you make a report to that effect to the appropriate authority. It may then be judged that your view is right, and in that case, other arrangements will be made to secure that your premises are defended. On the other hand, the authority may think your view wrong, may hold that you could have made the arrangements. In that case, the authority may step in, make the arrangements for you, and charge you up with the cost of making them. Again, if you’ve made arrangements, it may be that the appropriate authority may think them inadequate. It can then require you to bring them up to the standard laid down, or alternatively, step in again and do it for you at your cost. In this connection, I must mention one matter of very considerable > importance. It might seem to many that the small number of those who work with them makes it impossible for a proper scheme to. be prepared. This isn’t necessarily,so. For in many, if not all, cases a proper scheme can be prepared if a number of occupiers get together and make their preparations jointly. Already, it has been done in many parts of the country. Small shops next-door to. another, where individual schemes would clearly be impossible, have been one able to produce quite excellent schemes by pooling their resources. It’s our intention that this should be a regular practice, and indeed, if you were to report to the authority that you were unable to prepare a scheme yourself, you might be directed to prepare a scheme in consultation with your> neighbours. Already, too, its clear that in many cases, those who’ve got together in this way have found a new friendliness in their business relationships. But don’t fail, for there’s of this to bear in that failure to course mind, comply with the Order is an offence, and that the maximum penalties are severe. As I’ve, proceeded, a phrase has been creeping in, the phrase, the appropriate authority. I must say something about that, for the appropriate authority is the authority with which the occupiers of different premises have to deal. This phrase, the appropriate authority, covers a somewhat complicated business, for the appropriate authority, is different for different premises. It’s really fairly simple, though. First of all, for all private. commercial buildings, that is to say, offices, shops and so on, the appropriate authority is the local authority your local council. - It’s the same for all factories employing thirty persons or less. In some factories, Government Department a the - Admiralty, the Ministry of Supply, the Ministry of Aircraft Production has undertaken the responsibility of looking after general air raid precautions. In those cases, the Department concerned is also the appropriate authority in the matter of fire parties. In all other factories, the Ministry of Labour and National Service will be responsible for seeing that the prevision of fire parties is properly carried out. ra er> Now I*ll deal with the defence of residential property. That too must he safeguarded, hoth for its own sake and to prevent conflagrations of starting in residential areas spreading to the centres vital war production* Here again, powers have been taken to require all "between 16 and 60 to serve in fire parties© Here again too, the applications of the has heen limited to males Not all areas will he designated. powers o You must watch the newspapers as announcements are made from time to time to see whether your is included© areaIf it is, then you may he called upon to register for service. The same limitations upon service apply not more than 48 hours in any one month, and the same provisions for exemption© The controlling "body in this case is the local authority - whom your local council, on is placed the duty of organising you into effective fife fighting parties© But I must make it plain that therelllVbe no need for the powers to he applied to any area if voluntary parties exist sufficient lumbers if there 1 in to meet the need. Only s a deficiency who : will the local council give public notice that men ve registered are to present themselves for fire fighting service, those who Naturally, are already performing fire fighting duties at the places where they 'work won’t in addition be required to perform fire fighting duties elsewhere, f although they 11 of course register the intention, of all that Now these provisions is to secure every build- ing shall have sufficient, but no more than sufficient, people at hand to immediately with fire bombs, We’ve learned that there lust be no gaps in defence, and this new system will prevent gaps. It will also cur prevent fires, for experience has already taught us that the fire bomb attacked where it lies, strangled at birth, can readily be prevented from becoming the seat of a dangerous conflagrations It* s our purpose to prevent these bombs providing a job for the fire brigade, and to do this in to a way fair all and by spreading the burden. To all concerned, and all I ahead fast and do we are concerned, say - go as as you can your best not to look for difficulties, +++++++++ BRITISH BPC." BOASTING CORPORATION 28/1/lf.l. - No* 27< OFFICIAL ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE ] The Board, Admiralty regrets to announce that H.M* Submarine of TRITON (lieutenant G.C.I.St. B.S. WATKINS, R.N.) is overdue and must be considered lost. The next of kin have been informed. Tuesday, January 28 th, ISM* MINISTRY DP INFORMATION •»*« x* •»** * i urn—» —I ■ h >m iw *rn *■* er* ®» w» «3*«a» **•»*»•■•*•• «•*!■»* *« NEWS BULLETIN NO, 266, At a Youth Meeting in Huddersfield this evening (Tuesday) Mr, Chuter Ede, Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education and Chairman of the National Youth Committee r said that the Youth Movement had caught the imagination and secured the support of the youth of country to the an extent the promoters had not dared to hope. Organised service by youth in many areas had made an important contribution to the national effort* The movement was now an integral part of the educational service* If, as was intended, youth inspired .and controlled it, the service would education that would be practical in democracy, exercise provide an a and would enable the next generation to discharge the duties of citizen- ship with acquired skill and real knowledge of human affairs. The local authorities and the voluntary organisations in most areas were loyally co-operating and active association between them should enable -some very formal activities to get out of the rut, and some not very well managed concerns to increase in efficiency* Board of Educa.tion** 2,500« 0* 0* Dumfries and County Spitfire Fund (further contribution) £ .... 3,508. 5* 1. People of Orissa (Spitfire to be called ’’Orissa >”)£ 5,000. 0* 0* - Carnarvonshire Spitfire Fund (plane to be called ’’Carnarvonshire”) £ c . 0a <> 909a .... 8,754. 15. 5. Ministry of Aircraft Production MoO.l*. 4. PHOTOGRAPHY PERMIT OFFICE The Photography Permit Office are removing on Friday next, Jan. Jl, from 25, Kensington Palace Gardens to 35? Queen’s Gate, 5.W.7. Telephone; Western 4144. Open to the public in a o mo - 1 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. - 4.30. p.m. Ministry of Information MoQ.I* 50 * CANADIAN AIR-LINE PILOTS FERRY PLANES Pilots of Trans-Canada Air Lines have helped the war effort recently by ferrying to Canada a number of aircraft purchased in the United States and by giving flying instruction to pilot applicants for ferry service in the United Kingdom,, CANADIAN EGG EXPORTS Nearly BPO O,O O8 P 000,000 dozen of Canadian eggs were exported Suring the first nine months of 1940, principally to the United Kingdom. In the corresponding nine months of 1939 exports of eggs amounted to 703,000 dozen. INCREASED POTATO CROP Canada’s 1940 potato crop is estimated at 42,058,000 cwt*, an increase of 16 per cent over last year’s production. Dominions Office Press Section M.0.1, 6* RED LOCUST CONTROL ORGANISATION Locust Officer in Northern Rhodesia The Colonial Office announces that Mr& A.P.G. Michelmore has been appointed to the new post of Locust Officer in Northern Rhodesia, and that he will shortly be proceeding to Aberoom in territory take up his duties which are that to concerned with the carrying out of a scheme for the control of the Red Locust. Mt*. Michelmore, who has been serving with the Forces, has already devoted some years to the study of the Red Locust, and in view of the importance of locust control the military authorities have released him for this work. ) The desirability of establishing Control Organisations in breeding areas of certain species of locusts was considered by the Fifth International Locust Conference which was held in Brussels in 1938, and subsequently proposals for establishing these Control Organisations were put forward. It became evident that in present circumstances the Red Locust, the known breeding areas of which were * in Northern Rhodesia and Southern Tanganyika, was the only species for which it was practicable to establish a control scheme, and that the original interna- tional scope of the scheme-must for the present be disregarded. Hence it has been decided to proceed'on the lines which were laid down by the Economic Advisory Council and to establish a Control Organisation on the lines agreed by the Belgian and United Kingdom Delegations at the International Conference slightly modified in view of present circumstances. The urgency of the. scheme lies in the necessity for preventing, if that is least reducing, the huge losses incurred annually by the possible, or at cultivators of Africa through the depredations of locusts, and at the present time when people are more and more dependent on their own. locally produced food supplies the desirability of reducing the wastage by locusts is even more important than before. i '.A-"- . • Moo e I«, News Bulletin No* 266 - Page 5.. Lord Lloyd, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, has therefore formulated under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, 1940, a scheme for the establishment in Northern Rhodesia of a Control Organisation), and a free grant of a sum not exceeding £93,000 lias been made available to meet the capitol cost* The scheme will be administered by the Government of Northern Rhodesia, tut the Governments of Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika Territory and J(yasaland,, being interested in the control of the Red Locust, will contribute to the annual cost of its maintenance* The Government of Southern Rhodesia and the High Commissioner for Basutoland, the Bechuanaland Protectorate and Swaziland have also been approached as regards the participation of Southern Rhodesia and the High Commission Territories in the scheme o The new organisation will take some time to develop. The work is of such a nature that it cannot be carried out except under the direction of a full time expert in locust problems provided with the necessary assistance and equipment. Inproposing the immediate realisation of the scheme on a reduced scale in comparison with the original project, full consideration has been given to the fact that the present swarming cycle of the Red Locuest is still continuing, though there indications that this cycle is declining, are and breeding is gradually concentrating in the most favoured areas. There is, however, always the possibility that from the known permanent outbreak areas new swarms will emerge and reinforce those swarms of the present cycle which are dispersed. V/hile it is not proposed that the new organisation should undertake practical control in the temporary breeding areas, steps will be taken to organise observation in case such areas should develop into permanent breeding places and investigations will be carried out into the natural conditions under which locusts breed, etc,, in order that methods of prevention and control may be inproved. Colonial Office M.0.1. 7* FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE IN HEREFORDSHIRE,. , MTOIOUTHSHIRE & CHESHIRE. Three outbreaks of foot and mouth disease have to-day been confirmed among cattle at Breinton, Herefordshire, Skenfrith, and Smallwood, Monmouthshire, Cheshire. The movement except by licence of cattle, pigs, goats and deer sheep, within approximately ip miles of each of the infected premises is prohibited. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE M.0.1. 8. SUPPLIES OF WINDOW REPLACEMENT .AND. PROTECTION FABRICS FOR FACTORIES IN NORTHERN IRELAND., LIMITATION OF SUPPLIES ORDERS Occupiers of factories in Northern Ireland are now, as in Great Britain, required to protect their workers from glass liable to be shattered by bomb explosion. Following this extension of the provisions of the Factories (Glass Protection) Ireland, the general licences issued under the Order to Northern Limitation of Supplies Orders, enabling the occupiers concerned to obtain supplies of the textile goods required for compliance with the Order, have been extended to Northern The new Orders (S»R 0 & 0* 194 U Nos, 104 & 105) will be obtainable at the Stationery Office on Friday Jan* 31st 1941* Board of Trade M#o.l ß 9a