23/6/43 - No. 2 Air Ministry No. 10670 AIR MINISTRY COMMUNIQUE Yesterday evening (June 22) Beaufighters, escorted and covered by Spitfires and Typhoons, attacked a heavily defended enemy convoy south** bound off the Dutch coast. Five vessels sunk, whilst supply ship probably enemy escort were a was sunk. Earlier Venturas escorted bombed the enemy airfield at by Spitfires Abbeville, From these operations two Beaufighters and one Ventura arc missing. 23/6/43 - No. 5 Air Ministry News Service Air Ministry Bulletin No.10631 W.A.A.F. CHART THE SEAS FOR AIR/SEA RESCUE GRETAS Eight W.A.A.F. of station in Coastal Command the a are only women engaged in charting the "dangers of the deep" for Air/Sea Rescue crews. They are working for the men who operating in high-speed launches, "brave , all conditions of weather to "bring to safety aircrews who have "ditched” , sometimes many miles from land. To these W.A.A.F. the hazards of minefields, tidal streams sandbanks, and rooks mean symbols which must he marked with infinate care on the large nautical charts. For this purpose the sea coasts of Great Britain are divided into areas. From information received daily from Admiralty sources these airwomen make calculations, and add to, or amend the existing fixings. Here a buoy has broken loose from its there minefield has been la it, moorings, a temporary a lightship established, or dredging is -in progress* The airwomen print the corresponding in its exact miscalulation of navigational symbol place, a one- eighth of inch result in for the an might grave danger rescue crows# In the beacons than useful points by which fog light buoys or are more ever the navigator checks his bearings. The W.A.A.F. make sure he does not look for these in vain, and make equally sure to obliterate fixings such as a minefield which has been swept, or a wreck salvaged. "Before to their operational airwoman from Sussex going bases", an "the launches here to be fitted by W.A.A.F explained, high-speed come up assistants with hundreds of items pots and lamps, equipment - pans, rope, for the survivors. the ferry masters to edding, clothing 1 and spare Than, come our section for their charts# Amendments to these are made by the navigation officer the W.A.A.F. clerk at the nearest unit to their base"# or by maps Sitting on stools at trestle tables piled high with folios, the airwomen work in an absorbed silence# 23/6/43 - No. 7 Air Ministry News Service Air Ministry Bulletin No. 10656 R.A.F. REGIMENT'S PART IN TUNISIAN CAMPAIGN Men of the R.A.F. Regiment vital in the final stages played a part of the Tunisian campaign. They the first British were among troops to enter Bizerta and to the armoured pass through Tunis, following forces into the city. The regiment captured more than 3,000 Inis prisoners and took a vast quantity of valuable enemy equipment. Their job was to press forward, sometimes in advance of seize airfields and army in its, enemy prevent the retreating Axis forces from destroying aircraft, operations rooms, and equipment. One headed for Tunis and the detailed to capture group flight the at La Marsa German Near landing ground was guided by a pilot. the tank officer advised them to fur tier runway, a go no as snipers still firing from olive but the speed with which we re the groves, the flight commander led/his men took the enemy by surprise. Five hundred prisoners were taken and vehicles and much many equipment captured undamaged. A second flight received orders to push into the Cap Bon Peninsula to seize enemy landing grounds near Soliman and Korbus. The armoured cars of the squadron showed great dash and' initiative and when the landing grounds were in our hands aircraft were captured and many numerous prisoners taken. One flight came under mortar and machine-gun fire from a hill. The officer attacked and took the hill and 200 The commanding prisoners. detachment rushed fire at the and on, opening figures moving among trees, the fled to the hills. Then farm which had been enemy they occupied a used as an enemy headquarters and the speed with which this place was occupied saved much transport, mobile medical new engines, workshops, food and petrol. stores, A corporal section-leader reconnoitring alone attacked, single-handed, a machine-gun post which ms firing on a British patrol. He captured the gun and six N.C.O.'s of the Luftwaffe,, Mother of the group regiment went to Ferryville, Pizerta, and Sidi Ahmed airfield and with American and French pushed to the north coast at troops on Cap Blanc, capturing many prisoners and much equipment. One group went right through to El Aouina, the main airfield of Tunis, and later they took La Sebala airfield. 23/6/43. l0 Air Ministry News Service Air ministry. Bulletin No. 10672 MORE for INTRUDERS Two enemy aircraft, an Me. 110 and an He. 210 were destroyed by intruder aircraft of Fighter Command during patrols over a wide of Holland and prance during the area night. Other aircraft, including Mosquitos, Bostons and Beaufighters, bombed an airfield and attacked rail communications. The Me. 110 was shot down by a Beaufighter in Holland. The Bcaufighter had been patrolling near on airfield for half-.an-hour without seeing any aircraft, and the crew had almost given enemy up hope of a combat, when the Me.110 was sighted. The Me, began to but the followed and three short bursts climb, Beaufighter fired from and strikes all the cannon machine-guns. were seen over and the third from short feselage, Beaufighter's burst, very range, set both engines of the Me. on fire. The enemy aircraft dived in flames and exploded on the ground. The Me. 210 was also shot down in Holland by a Sergeant pilot of Mosquito It his second in Just a squadron. was success over three weeks. The Sergeant attacked with a three-seconds' burst, to within short of his The closing range target, enemy caught fire in the starboard engine' and crashed to the ground. 23.6.43. No.ll DISTRIBUTION OF BISCUITS: THE NEW ZONING SCHEME FOR THE BISCUIT INDUSTRY" In order to secure further transport economies end a consequent saving of petrol, vehicles, rail hauls go in the distribution of manpower and biscuits, a new arming scheme has been prepared by the Cake and Biscuit Manufacturers * 'War Time .Alliance Ltd, This Scheme has received the of the Ministry of Food and approval will into 28th, 1943. come operation on June The new plan is in effect an intensification of the original zoning scheme which has distribution in the industry since July, 1942, and it is expected governed that the combined, schemes will reduce the ton-mileage required to transport these products to less than one quarter of its former total. The second Scheme alone is estimated to result in of many million ton-miles most valuable a saving per year, a contribution towards the solution of transport problems# The geographical unit in the will continue to be the Divisional Food new-plan .area, and in delimiting the distributive area (which may consist of one or more Divisional Food Areas for each the has been that factory, principle accepted no with surplus of biscuit production will and with area a ’import’ biscuits, no area a deficiency in production will ’export’ to ether zones# draw their from Deficiency areas will, however, supplementary supplies adjacent localities. "wholesalers and retailers who arc effected by tho changes involved are being manufacturers to the of from which their notified by their as new source supply biscuits will be obtained# is essential to the of the scheme that the number of suppliers in It success any zone should be to in of this kind tills kept a minimum; common with other schemes will mean that the products* of a particular manufacturer will not be available out- side the zone to which he has-been tied, Wholesalers and multiple organisations will not be to send brands of biscuits into distributive to which permitted areas those brands not be sent the manufacturers# may by The made will to the reasonable choice of arrangements ensure public, however, a biscuits to and although favourite brands not be obtainable, there will as price, may nevertheless be a reasonable choice of varieties# MINISTRY OF FOOD 23.6.43 - No. 12 Air Ministry News Service Air Ministry Bulletin No. 1067 BEAUFIGHTERS SINK FIVE ESCORT VESSELS In less then five minutes, during an attack which was carried out with great determination, a Coastal Command Beaufighter wing sank five enemy escort vessels steaming south with off the Butch coast last a convoy evening, and they also probably destroyed a supply ship. It of the most heavily-defended, which this has yet was one convoys wing encountered in any of its attacks against German shipping. The wing led by Wing Commander H,G.N, D.F.C. and and it was ’Wheeler, Bar, was escorted by Spitfires and Typhoons of Fighter Command, "We dead out of the said the Wing "and don’t think came sun," Commander, I the enemy ships even saw us coming. From the first of the escort ships which we attacked there was a vivid red flash with volumes of black smoke," Several of the Beaufighter crews started that there were heavy explosions and. large fires among the and. the observer of one of the aircraft saw convoy, columns of smoke rising from four vessels as the wing left for its base, i Another observer "I vessel right in the air. It said, saw one go up was swept by flame which to about 50 feet, " rose 23.6.43. - N0,13 MIDDLE EAST AIR COMMUNIQUE Headquarters, Royal: Air Force, Middle East 23rd June, 1943 Light bombers of the Royal Air Force sank a small sailing vessel off the coast of Scarpanto Island in the Aegean Sea on June 21. Frorm-this and other operations all our aircraft returned safely* 23/6/43. No. 14- Air Ministry News Service Alr Ministry Bulletin No. 10674- ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS APPOINTMENT OF NEW COMMANDANT The Air Ministry that captain Crerar announces Group Finlay has been the C.B.E, appointed Commandant of Royal observer corps with effect from 23rd June. 1943* He succeeds Air Commodore G.H. Ambler, C.B.E,, A.F.C., who has been appointed to the post of Deputy Senior Air Staff officer. Headquarters, Fighter Command. Group captain Crerar will hold the acting rank of Air commodore in his new appointment. NOTES ON CAREERS has served Deputy Director of Air Group captain Crerar as Force Welfare since .July 1942. previously he was on the organisation staff of Maintenance Command, and has been a Station Commander. He was born in Aberdeen in 1904. He Joined No. 319 City of Aberdeen Anti-Aircraft Co,, Royal in in being commissioned in the Engineers 1925 and resigned 1937, on Air and to command the city of Aberdeen Auxiliary Force appointed He called out for active service in 1939, and reached Squadron. was the rank of Acting Group Captain in 1940. He was awarded the C.B.E. in September 1941 Air commodore Ambler was appointed Commandant of the Royal Observer Corps in June 194-2. He had previously been serving as at station is 39 Sector Commander a in Fighter Command. He years of During the Air Commodore Ambler has carried out age. past year, changes in the of the to enable important organisation R.O.C. designed the Corps to play a more effective part in the Fighter command offen- sive system. He Joined the Auxiliary Air Force in 1931, and commanded the N, Riding and later the F. Riding squadrons, He was awarded the 1940 in of his in each A.F.C. in recognition success bringing squadron to state of in turn a high operational efficiency. He gained the C.B.E. in 1941 when serving as a sector commander, 23.6,43. No.17 NORTH AFRICAN COMMUNIQUE No,229 Allied Headquarters June 23, 1943 On the night of June 21/22, Wellington bombers attcked Salerno. fires startod in the marshalling many were yards* Yesterday, air activity was confined to patrolling. During the evening of June 21, on enemy merchant vessel was sunk by on aircroft of the Coastol Air Force. One of aircraft is from these our missing operations. 23/6/43 No*. 18 Air Ministry Bulletin No- 10673. AIR MINISTRY COMMUNIQUE Last night aircraft of Bomber Command made a heavy .attack on objectives at Mulheim one of the smaller towns in the Ruhr. Preliminary reports indicate that the bombing was well concentrated* Crews reported that large fires were still burning at Krefeld and Huls* Aircraft of Fighter Command carried out intruder patrols over Holland and aircraft Holland* France. Two enemy were destroyed over Thirty five bombers and one fighter are missing. GUIDANCE NOTE Mulheim, with a population of 136,000, is a satellite town of Duisburg and lies to the east of that town in the Ruhr valley. It is important centre cf the German stool and has an industry large railway waggon and locomotive repair shops. It is one of the principal outlets of the Ruhr to Southern Germany by rails 23/6/43 - N 0.20 FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONTAINERS The Ministry of Food draws attention to the fact that there is a serious shortage of materials for the manufacture of very containers for fruit and All vegetables. existing containers, including ship "baskets and cardboard packages of the 12 lb, size that fit for must be in circulation within the are re-use kept trade. If they it become to maintain are not, may impossible distribution of including the supplies of tomatoes produce, large that will be coming forward at later in the a stage season. Members of the retail fruit trade are reminded that under the Fresh Fruit Vegetables and Flowers (Use of Containers) Order, 1943 (N0*632), it is illegal to dispose of containers other than paper containers, outside the trade. The public are asked to co-operate by not asking their retailers for tho use of chip baskets or cardboard boxes which the retailer is under obligation to return through trade channels for re-use. Retail traders are reminded that it is illegal for them to make any charge, in addition to the maximum retail price, for any form of container on a sale of fruit by retail. MINISTRY OF FOOD 23.6*43 - No, 21 JOINT ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE MINISTRY OF FOOD AND THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENTS Increase in prices cf Light Weight Pigs The Ministry , cf Peed raid the Agricultural Departments announce that 28 from Monday, June ; the price of clean pigs from 3 score 3 lbs, deadweight to 3 10 lbs* score deadweight inclusive, will be increased from 21s,0 d, per score to 23s,0 d, per score and the price of rig pigs falling within these weights 'will be increased from 19s,0 d. per score to 21s,0d per score,’' The prices for other classes of will remain pigs as at present* The following revised scale of into prices will, therefore, come effect as from Monday, June 28, 1943:“ 01 can Pigs to 3 4 lbs, Up score deadweight .per score 215,0 d, 5 score 3 lbs, to 6 10 lbs. d.w, ” " score 235,0 d, 6 score 11 lbs, to 12 0 lbs •d.w, »' 245,0 d, " score 12 1 lb, to 0 score 13 score lbs,d.w, " " + 225,6 d, 13 1 lb, to 14 0 score score lbs,d.w, " M • 20s*0d, 14 deadweight " Over " score 175,0 d. Subject to the proviso that clean of 12 1 lb, to 13 no pig score up shall be paid for at lower price than that paid for clean of score a a pig 12 This that 288s.0d. will be paid for clean from 12 score. moans pigs score to 12 score 16 lbs. Rigs tc 3 4 lbs* 195,0d, fp score deadweight ••• per score 3 score 3 lbs, tc 6 score 10 lbs, d,w, ” ” 215,0 d, 6 sertro 11 lbs, to 12 score 0 lbs, d,w, ” 225,0 d, 12 score 1 lb, to 13 score 0 lbs, d.w, " ” + 205,6 d, 13 score 1 lb, to 14 score 0 lbs, d.w, " " IBs,od, 14 deadweight 135,0 d, " " Over score ~, ~, to the that pig cf 12 1 lb, to 13 + Subject proviso no rig score up score shall for at lower than that for of 12 be paid a price paid a rig pig score. This means that 2645,0d* will be paid for such pigs from 12 score to 12 score 17 lbs, Other pig s Stag Pigs *• , 9• * o• # »•* per score 13 s * 06.* Sows 1 ao' I* 11 ** ,•» •• • « •,» Young Boars the carcases of which are . . , suitable for the retail pork trade ... ” " 165,0d. Boars (other than young boars suitable for the retail pork trade) M 9s,Od, 0 ~,, Reject Pigs (Clean pigs, rigs and sows) ” 11 +9s,2d, (Stags and boars) ... ~, ” M +3s#od. + Except where pigs are rejected after slaughter by reason only of damage or disease which was not apparent or could not reasonably have been, expected to be at the time of delivery to the known to the producer Ministry, 23/6/43 no NO. 22 NOT FOR BROADCAST OR USE ON CLUB TAPES PUBLICATION, BEFORE 00.30 D.B.S.T. (i.e. NOR MORNING PAPERS) ON THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 1943 THIS EMBARGO SHOULD BE RESPECTED OVERSEAS BY PREFACING ANY MESSAGES FILED WITH THE EMBARGO PRICES OF CEREAL BREAKFAST FOODS The Schedule to the cereal Breakfast Foods (control and Maximum has Been further which prices) order, 1941* amended, By an order comes into force on Sunday, June 27, to include new maximum prices for the following varieties;- of cereal Breakfast Food Description Manufactured or packeted Sold in a Maximum by order beHalF~of:~~ product 'Container price’per Container holding- Kellog of Gt, Kellogg’s Wheat Flakes 8 net Company oz. Britain Ltd. -weight 5 1/2 d Broun & poison Ltd. wheat flakes 8 oz. net 6d. weight Co-operative wholesale C.W.S. Breakfast 8 oz. net 6 1/2d. Society, Ltd. Flakes weight MINISTRY OF FOOD 23/6/43 No. 25 Air Ministry News Service Air Ministry Bulletin No, 10676 LAWN TENNIS STAR Leads SPITFIRE WING Wing-commander the former New Zealand C.E. Malfroy, D,F*G. , tennis star, has "been appointed to lead a Fighter Command spitfire wing. He Joins a select hand of his fellow countrymen who have led, or still lead, Spitfire wings- wing-Commander P.G. Jameson, D, S, O, , D.F.C, Wing c ommander A.L. Deere, D. S.O., D.F.C., Wing-Commander - > Colin Gray, D. S.O., D.F,C., Wing-Commander E.P. Wells, D. S.0,, D.F.C. and Wing-Commander A.M.V. Blake, D.S.0 ., D.F.C. Wing-Commander Malfroy, a member of the Auxiliary Air Force, who was awarded the D.F.C. Just 12 months ago, was leading a spitfire squadron when he was taken off operational flying last July. He had then completed some 300 hours flying and had been described in the citation to his D.F.C. as "an efficient and courageous fighter". Following a spell at a Fighter Command operational training where he unit, was teaching young pilots, he Joined, the headquarters staff of the fighter group responsible for the defence of south-west England. has taken leader's "refresher" and He recently a fighter course this week assumed command of a wing which includes in it one of the and Canadian "Bombay" squadrons a squadron. at and educated at Born Wellington, New Zealand, Cambridge, Wing- Commander Malfroy, who is 34 years old, was commissioned in the special reserve of the R.A.F. in 1935. The following year he was re- commissioned in the Auxiliary the of .Gloucester Force, Joining County squadron. He has destroyed at least four aircraft and several enemy damaged others. 23.6.43 - No. 29 OFFICERS FAMILY LODGING ALLOWANCE The War Office desires to correct misunderstandings which have arisen in certain regards the apparently quarters as arrangements for the of family allowance direct to wives of officers. payment lodging Family lodging allowance which is intended to be used for maintenance of an officer’s family is normally paid to the officer himself. Officers commissioned from Officers Cadet unit an Training or direct from the ranks nay however on being comissioned elect to have the allowance paid direct to their wives. THE WAR OFFICE 23/6/43 - No. 36 Air Ministry News Service Air Ministry Bulletin No,10680 MULHEIM HEAVILY BOMBED Crews the to Mulheim last passed Krefeld and the fires there on way night saw still burning twenty-four hours after the attach of the before. night "It looked like circle of Halifax "and a smouldering ashes," a pilot said, above the glow smoke was still rising*" The of the attack night photographs on Krefeld have now been plotted, and they show that the concentrated. conclusively bombing was highly Last night’s attack Mulheim only less than the attack on was slightly heavy on Krefeld, Mulheim until last of the few towns in the Ruhr night was one of any size which had not had attack. But of the Commandos a heavy some fiercest of Bomber raids had been few miles Essen about five miles the on targets only a away - is to east, Duisburg about the same distance to the west and Oberhausen less than three miles to the north. It to be expected that the defences of the whole district, was only therefore, violent would be fully alert. Even to get experienced through so many engagements, the bombers had to the Ruhr defences and flew very near target our penetrate many crews the Essen which fierce Essen itself had been the near great barrage was as as though target. of massed in and the hot searchlights were cones gunfire was as as anything/ seasoned crews had ever met before. There are. many stories of narrow escapes. F/Sgt, F. W* Dixon, a Lancaster pilot from Orange, N.S.W. described how he was held in a cone of searchlights for six minutes.: "Our wireless was put out," he said, "and the electric panel was smashed* Our flight engineer was hit in the face by splinters from a window which was blown in. I got a scratch too," F/Sgt, W. B. Smith, a New Zealand pilot of a Halifax, had a rather similar* experience. "Five six searchlights round and caught us," he "and or came said, we could others trying to join in and make just before Before see a cone we got away. I could get shells.burst underneath One of them lifted the aircraft out us. about 20 ft. It felt just as though we had been caught in the slipstream of another bomber. Bits of metal rattled around and of them and some came through hit the He wasn't hurt, and he brought of the bits back," mid-upper gunner. some There was only a small amount of cloud over the target - never enough to hide the town. At first there were many fires, but they soon joined together. Crews describe how some of the fires sent up flames hundreds of feet high, with much smoke. An lit the inside of Lancaster when it at well explosion up a was flying the usual height. commanders and experienced of aircraft over Squadron captains Were convinced that the attack had well. gone On the route many these night fighters were seen? During bright summer nights, when the Battle of the Ruhr is reaching a climax and so great a part of Germany’s is bomber battle anywhere war production at stake, every crew expects a over sea or land, coming or going. Last night they did well against the fighters, four being seen to be shot down. Over the sea on the way to Mulheim a Lancaster rear gunner* saw a fighter The fired' first,, then fired short coming up 600 yards away. enemy our rear gunner one burst. Both and bomb aimer the catch fire and watched it go all the pilot saw enemy said the "it already in flames but still way down, "When I saw it," pilot, was firing." Me, 110 Another Lancaster had a longer battle. On the way back the crew sighted a the to and manoeuvred to enable his front to bring his so pilot began weave gunner to bear the He then fired two large bursts. There was more manoeuvring guns on enemy* the in his Per few moments for position and the mid-dipper gunner got enemy sight. a but then fire the after he had fired all the crew lost sight of the enemy, they saw on of flame, about five miles back below where the battle had taken place. sea, a big patch because, of Mulheim is one of the minor towns of the Ruhr, but an important target its steel coke and by-product plants* It is also important railway works, ovens an centre. It is one of the most congested towns in the whole district and its population which has of of 136,000 is crowded into a smaller area than Oberhausen, a population just over 100,100, 23/6/43 - No.37 Air Ministry News Service Air Ministry Bulletin No. 10683 VICTIMS FOR TWO WELL-KNOWN PILOTS Two F.W. 190s were of the Biggin Hill ”1000 Hun” destroyed by pilots sector when Spitfires of Fighter Command escorted Boston bombers this evening. Wing Commander ”A1" the New Zealander, did not fire single Deere, a round in his to 21, hone after the bringing personal score Returning bombing, he saw an enemy aircraft at 12,000 feet and ”made a pass” at it without lores sing his firing button. ”The German, in evasive action, went into uncontrollable talcing an spin,” he said later, "and hurtled straight to the ground," S/Ldr Charles, the young Canadian Squadron 0,0,, who last month shared in the destruction of the Hill Big in sectors 1000th enemy aircraft, got his F.W. 190 with a one-second burst. "There series of dog fight's when number of was a a enemy fighters attacked at 20,000 feet", he when he landed, "I us reported saw one above me, gave him a burst, and saw parts of the aircraft break It burst into flames after feet." away. falling 2,000 Typhoon bombers which also attacked at St.Omer. were out, a target In face of intense and accurate flak dived feet to they 4,000 drop their bombs. They direct hits the and the saw on, target on railway near by. Other Typhoon bombers which attacked the airfield at Maupertus their bombs burst the airfield and in the saw on dispersal areas. None of aircraft is missing from these our operations. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE 55, WHITEHALL. LONDON. S.W.I PRESS NOTICE 23rd June, 1943 M.A.F. 989 POTATO BLIGHT THE NEED FOR SPRAYING Potato blight has in several widely scattered appeared areas* the last few weeks the disease has been present in the During early potato districts of the South-west and South Dales, and is now reported from and the Holland Division of Lincolnshire* It Somerset, Hampshire is unusual for potato blight to occur in these districts as early as June. Under certain weather conditions the disease and do may spread considerable damage by destroying the tops before there is a full yield of tubers* The at this is to dust the only safeguard stage spray or crops with copper-containing such Bordeaux; Mixture sprays as or Burgundy or one of the ready-made potato sprays. and not and to be effective it Spraying is a protection a cure, must be done before blight appears in the crop* Normally, the best time to apply the first wet spray is .just when the plants are meeting between the but if been in the the the first rows, blight has reported area sooner spray is put on the better. If blight spreads, a second and even a third at intervals of about three weeks be spray may necessary* Dry dusting should at and be at intervals of 10 fortnight* begin once repeated days or a The varieties British Queen and susceptible - King Edward, Up-to-date - should be treated first* Pull use should be made of all spraying and dusting machines, and any machine that is not being used by its owner should be lent to a neighbour who needs it. Potato growers who require further advice on spraying should to their County War Agricultural Executive Committee. apply