THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 2, 1957.
SINGAPORE WAR MANOEUVRES Great Concentration Of Air Force In Region
THOROUGH TEST OF FAR EAST AIR DEFENCE
About 100 warplanes are taking part in the manoeuvres which started yesterday to test the de- fences of Singapore, and the converging of squa- drons from Iraq and India upon Singapore will constitute the greatest concentration of British air power ever made in the Far East.
The security of Singapore rests of bombers, troop-carriers, and largely with the Royal Air Force, giant-flyingboats are droning
and the function of the junior Ser-jacross thousands of miles to the vice in every phase of aerial war-defence of the Empire's greatest fare-Army co-operation, troop fortress east of Suez. carrying, and protection of trade] routes is likely to have an ever in- creasing influence On British strategy in the Far East.
on
are
More than 40 machines are their way to re-inforce the four squadrons based at Seletar.
Other bombing squadrons The large-scale grand man-moving up from Egypt to India to oeuvres in the vicinity of Singa-guard the passes of the Himalayas, pore are striking evidence of this while the storm of battle gathers new strategy. Never before have over Singapore. Britain's air armadas taken part in such far-flung operations.
INCREASED RANGE
When the attacking fleet comes. within fighting range of Singapore between 60 and 100 warplanes (the exact number must not yet be re- With the increased range and de-vealed to the "enemy") take-off pendability of modern R.A.F. ma-to destroy or repel the invaders. chines the closest degree of co- operation between the various Com- mands is practicable.
Bombers Attack
A torpedo carrier off to the attack. One of a squadron on the way to attack a "hostile” fleet. In the foreground is seen a cruiser.
SUBMARINES
GATHER
FOR "ATTACK”
DIRECTED BY AN EXPERT
Among the 20 or more warships which will join in the attack on Singapore within the next few days; under command of His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief of the China Fleet, Vice-Ad- miral Sir Charles Colebrooke Little, KGB, are 113 ocean-going submarines comprising one of the most formidable offensive units in the Royal Navy.
Giant flying-boats, flying high out of range of anti-aircraft guns It is possible to concentrate a will take-off from Johore Strait to powerful striking force at any spot the movements of the "enemy" point within Britain's eastern fleet. Torpedo-bombers will fol possessions at two or three days' low, prepared to loose tons of high role of the submarine in Far Eas Special interest attaches to the explosive on the decks of the oppos-
MERCHANT
notice.
Although the Far East Command ing warships. Other aircraft will tern waters. is the last to be developed, it may be ready to engage the enemy become one of the most important planes which will take off from the marine power is to-day attached to
Nearly a third of Britain's sub- SHIPPING BILL in the Empire within the next three decks of HM. Aircraft-Carrier the China Station. Admiral Sir
or four years.
Hermes.
Charles Little is one of the world's
Safety On Fishing Craft
R.A.F. aerodromes are already! Fast Audax fighters of the Volun- foremost authorities on the modern being equipped at Hong Kong, teer Air Force will patrol the aerial submarine, and has specialised in
London, To-day Others will be situated at strate-approaches to Singapore, and at this branch of naval warfare both
The House of Commons yester- gic centres throughout Malaya, Itack any enemy plane that success-during and after the Great War
day agreed to the second reading such as Penang and Khota Barulfully eludes the bomber squadrons The following submarine units of the Merchant Shipping Bill, the (Kelantan), and also perhaps, in and runs the gauntlet of the shrapare to engage in the attack on Sin-objects of which are to impose:pen- Sarawak and British North nel curtain spread by the anti-air- gapore.
alties for allowing a ship to go to
Borneo.
THE SQUADRONS
HMS. Pandora, Pathian, Per-the load line submerged
bring fishing boats within the scope of the Board of Trade Re-regulations for safety appliances.
The House later approvedra-fin- ancial resolution extending by 12.
|craft guns of the fortress.
As the enemy fleet draws closer
ser · Proteus and Phoenix. to Singapore the R.A.F. squadrons ! The following RAF units will aim will be to report the exact posi- HMS. Rainbow, Regent, and be taking part in the manoeuvres will sweep the surrounding seas, and H.MS, Osiris, Oswald, and Olym- months the period in respect - of
tion of each warship, searchlights gulus. (in addition to the two torpedo-the giant guns along the coastline, bomber squadrons and two flying said to be capable of hurling one- boat squadrons based at Seletar)–
No. 27 Day Bomber Squadron, trained on the enemy.
ton shells nearly 20 miles, will be
from Kohat, N. W. Frontier (In- dia Command).
No. 11 Day Bomber Squadron, from Risalpur, N. W. Frontier (India. Command),
No. 203 Flying-Boat Squadron, from Basarah (Iraq Command).
No. 84 Bomber Squadron, from Shaibah, (Iraq Command).
No. 70 Bomber Squadron, from Hinaidi (Iraq Command).
· HYPOTHETICAL ATTACK
Empire Would Rally To Singapore's Defence
pus.
which subsidies are payable under The “O” and “P” type Subma- the British Shipping Assistance rines closely resemble each other. Act of 1935, as amended by the Armaments include one 4" gums, two Subsidy Act of last year, and mak smaller guns, and eight torpedoing provision for payment up to the
merged are capable of 9 knots. tubes. They have a surface speed aggregate sum of £2,000,000 to de- ef about 17 knots and when sub-fray the cost of subsidies in res- pect of tramp voyages carried out during 1997 British Wireless.
London To-day.
Forces Concentrate
battle will be wirelessed to military A report of the progress of the
stations throughout the Empire part perhaps, of the grim pretence The "E" type submarines are of that Singapore is hard pressed and somewhat similar design, but more more bombers and troop carriers up-to-date. They carry a comple- In a parliamentary answer yes must hasten eastward ahead of the ment of about 50 officers and men. warships, which by now would be making for Singapore from India, Africa, and the Mediterranean.
JANUARY RAINFALL
Although rain fell on only three Singapore is in danger of attack days during January, and only on by a hypothetical enemy in the Far one day between the 1st and 31sty East
"Mother" Ship
terday it was denied that any de- cision: had been taken to abandon the scheme for the erection of block of Government offices on the
Whith all lanti.
The submarines are accompanied site betwe by their 15,000 ton "mother" ship bankment. orkshad not H.M.S. “Medway" which carries pended-Brutish Wireless. 1,900 tons of oil for refuelling ber [brood, as well as a plate-shop,
attack hostale sh foundry, and torpedo repairing ma-
to co-opers
on a land ery.
fortress. Although it is understood that The effectiveness of the submar From the North-West Frontier of Botanical Gardens high above the the submarines will be exclusively line in naval warfare
ture India, from, the shores of the Per-average The report says that 1.38 on the "enemy" side in the forthis an imponderable quantity sian Gulf, from the desert airfields inches fell on January 28 and 91 coming manoeuvres, eir predom to conflicting claim of Mesopotamia, British squadrons inch, on January 31
inant role in naval warfare is to land anti-submarine experts.
2.90 inches. were registered at the
rine
t
THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 2, 1937.
MOSCOW