THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 4, 1940,
CHINA MAIL
WINDSOR HOUSE
ARMOUR FOR INFANTRYMAN
Report that the British War: Inventions: Com- mittee is "seriously con- sidering the possible use of armour of some sort for the protection of individ ual soldiers looks back to unsuccessful efforts that way, except as to the modern helmet twenty odd: years ago. It reminds historically of the time when bullets took the place of arrows, and the feudal system, which one may think of as à miscel- lany of totalitarian gov- ernments whose dictators warred with each other . almost as a sport, found itself weakened by loss of the immunity with which armoured men on arm- oured horses could ride down unarmoured men on foot.
A
“We were rather HOPING, you'd be joining us in a little dr this morning Private Wilking,”
The Ghost Of
Massey
Shaw
Page
Co-Ordination
Of Our Home Defence Forces By Brigadier General John Charteris.
"
There is a clamant need for fan authoritative explanation of the system of co-ordination of our home defensive forces.“ Not only the general public, but serving officers have no precise informa- tion: on the subject, and the ignorance in localities which are kely to be called upon to func- tion at short notice is highly alarming.
The general definition of res- ponsibility is, of course, known. High water: mark is the dividing! line-bolween the spheres of-the Army and Navy. The air belongs to the R.A.F. and neither Navy nor Army may interfere in it. The ARP organisation is res ponsible through the local au- thorities to the Home Office and to the..Ministry of Health for the comforting of the people during operations and for the clearing of the battle-field. when opera- tions are "over.
The Local Defence Volunteers, which. calls itself.with, pride part of the armed forces of the Crown, is organised in areas, zones, and groups. which corresponded, it is. hoped (although there is no very precise ruling), to'similar divi- sions in the Ariny, hierarchy. der-in-Chief (Sir: Edmund Iron- The newly appointed Comman- side) and his staff, control as far as operations are concerned, all Army organisations, although the "A small "skiff manned by two direct from the various commands administrative services still work men went away with a grass lineAldershot, Eastern, Western, &c. to the shore. I then approached to the War Office. the crew of a ship lying off at an- chor and requested the loan of a small boat, my request being granted. The rocket apparatus was taken this time and as the boat entered the breakers it was fired, but fell short. A man then dived overboard,
ashore and established the line, but, as opera- tions were in progress, the line parted and had to be re-establish- Armies and empires may be ed. locked in life-and-death em- The ferrying of
troops with brace, the very planet may be the use of the small boat was now cracking; but regulations are re-in progress and going well. By midnight 60 British troops were brought on board. At this the two
He was the chief officer of the singly, practically the whole of crew to take cover to the best ad- The fireboat was then London Fire Brigade, during, the river-service of nearly 400 | vantage. roughly, the pre-Raphaelite epoch men volunteered.
moored head-on to the beach with the elegant, the redoubtable, It was then decided to divide C-Q-R. anchor out at the stern Massey: Shaw. A photograph the honours between the regular used for kedging. which proved hangs in the mess room at the Fire Brigade and · the -Auxiliary | effective. Lambeth. You never saw a hand-ton of the six Auxiliaries very Fire Brigade headquarters in Fire Service. (I find the constitu- somer pair of whiskers. They may engaging: one printer, one stock even have fluttered the bosom of broker's clerk, one barrister from the Great Queen herself. At all Cambridge, one buyer from events she presented their owner i Houndsditch, one painter, one with a fine marble clock that`still crane-driver.) ticks away on the mantelshelf In less than four hours the fan- there.
tastic little galleon_was ready to sat out. And then, Dunkirk or no Dunkirk, it was discovered that no one on board had the Port of London authority to pilot a craft below Tilbury.
would
The armoured knight He was a buddy of the Prince
of Wales, too, whom he often en was in effect the medieval fortained at his house at South- tank. He was not com-wark, He used to send a fast brake for him when a nice juicy fire oc- pletely immune. The ar-curred, and the Prince balist or crossbow.hurled change into fire kit and ride to
the fire incognito. its bolt with such vigour They haven't forgotten him at that it penetrated armour. the Fire Brigade; but I suppose he'd have been hardly a name to But the arbalist had to be you and me, if Gilbert hadn't seen. wound up, which took to it. Do you remember the Song
-By-
time, and was more effec-of the Felry Queen in "olanthe Louis Golding
tive in siege than battle. The later English long- bow, fast and powerful, really foreshadowed mus- ketry in erabarrassing a charge of knights.
"Oh, Captain Shaw!
Type of true love kept under! Could thy brigade,
With cold cascade
Quench my great love, I won-gulations. So a telephone message
der!"
.
motor launches fouled our shore
lines, having picked them up with their propellers and, to my great disappointment, after consultation, we were compelled to cut the lines The two boats with their crews then towed off to their craft and safely moored.
Control :Of Air Arm
threatens..
So far this, though somewhat complicated, is not obscure. It is when we begun to examine the relationship of the civil and mili-. tary and the all-important air branch in detail that confusion There is, of course, the Naval Air Arm working under the direction of the Navy for naval operations. Similarly, there is, or there should be, a portion of with and under the direct orders the Air Force detached to work
of the Army Commander-in- Chief. A separate air command co-operating with the Comman- der-in-Chief cannot be regarded as a satisfactory solution in fight- ing which proceeds at the pace of modern mechanised warfare. The public has quite enough mili- tary knowledge to be anxious on this point, and it is highly desira- been arrived at should be made ble that any decision which has clear at once to everybody. The knowledge cannot possibly be of
any assistance to the enemy.
When The Balloon
Goes Up"
was put through from Pinches, an "Atv04.00. hours on Saturday, amiable and sensitive gentleman, June-1, the Massey Shaw headed Now, in this latter end of his no longer young, who designs me for Ramsgate. The troops were tory, the name of Massey. Shaw dals and manufactures them in a made as comfortable as possible, comes before the footlights again. small riverside factory, in Lam The weakest were, put in the en- But the footlights are more gran-beth. Would he pilot the Massey gine-room, cabin and hose-room, England knew the value diose than those that flared round Shaw.to Ramsgate, and at the end while the remainder were placed the rim of the Savoy Theatre of her adventures, if she survived, on decle and covered over with of the long-bow. It won stage. They are the fires of a would he pilot her back again? tarpaulin, and we provided re- Crecy, Poitiers, and Agin tanks and ammunition dumps Pinches, putting down the re- of our ability."
burning city, of sinking ships, of "Where is my hat?" said Mr. freshments and food to the best "It is understood that as soon as operations start when the court. There was at one blazing like Lucifer's embattled ceiver.
balloon goes up"--the AR.P., the time alaw in England cohorts.
Seventeen wounded men, I police, the LDV, and generally Once more you went, fire-night- What follows is largely derived that every man, whatever ing oh ghost of Massey: Shaw! But from the log book of the Massey learned, were accommodated on all the local civil authorities will his station, clergy and those fires were too desperate for Shaw drawn up from hour to hour the metal plates of that engine come under the direct control of you to extinguish them, despite by Station-officer Youngman dur-room, in a space where I would the local military commanders. judges excepted, should your two centrifugal pumps cap-ing its three journeys to and from have thought it dimcult to stow It is probably necessary, though able of delivering 3000 Dunkirk... on "special service," a few books. The craft was swim- somewhat unfortunate, to make own a long-bow (which mit mes gallons per as his expanded two-sheet report ming in blood above and below an alteration in the chain of com- meant something longer lengths of 3in. hose." (1 quote briefly phrases it.
decks. They have scrubbed hard mand at such a moment, and if the specifications of the fireboat I am not suggesting that the since, but they have not quite the decision has been definitely thần ấn himself) keep. 1 Massey Shaw, commissioned in tale of the Massey Shaw is in it-managed to get the stains out yet, made then everybody concerned. ready for use, and provide 1985, built by Samuel White and self more spectacular than the nar- During the journey home the should be clearly told so lest
Ca., of Cowes,);
rative might be of any of many fire-boat was followed for several dangerous confusion result at the that his sons should begu. Half the North Sea could hardly hundreds of the small boats that miles by enemy aeroplanes: using critical moment. It is essential, practicing archery at the huve extinguished them. But you fared between Dunkirk and the Verey lights and machine-gung, for instance, that it should be age of England was snatched from the jaws of doom south-eastern ports in the course That is all we are allowed to know known who is responsible for the about that. It is as if a van were closing of certain roads: and rail- many hundreds of gallant lads and of the "episode." long in nation of carchers, men who would have perished but All. I say is there is something coming up behind with the heavy ways to all except military vehi- to whichycondition to you. Anthink that will have that for my part I find particular luggage.. Arrived at Ramsgate at cles, should the necessity arise, pleased you, oh, ghost of Massey ly winning in the performance of 00.45 hours, they discharged their and for the general control of Macaulay.attributes a Shaw quite a lot more, than the the snub little fireboat destined for 60 British troops and a quantity carefulness of the Tudors footlights of isolanthe."
duties so different in such unlike of war material Bramguns,
gas masks, theodolites. The crow the foreshore but no troops The Massey, Shaw is one of the waters. ot to carry absolutism regular fire fighting floats that the Uke the thought of that crane- then set fair and rested at about could be seeria Heavy gunfire: and the limit of publicLondon-tretch the river for haulling the patient soldiers aboard Orders: came to sail again two Massey: Shaw was then taken into
Brigade keep on the driver, that stockbroker's clerk 14.00 hours.
Daynir activity was in progress. The ulescence.
His use Hin dødkside fires.
under the thud, of the bombers and a half hours later. This time Dunkirk harbour and in an at- fixed two tempt to make a roper fast on the She is hot built for elegance, but propellers, in the devil's glare of the naval authorities An armoured knight on to spout lots of water to put out the parachute floats. It may even machine-guns on board, and pro-Male one: auxillary fireman was frekssBut it was a good thing, be I like the thought of Captain vided rifles: (The first time there left behind, the firehoat having to foot was almost as use those Duttkirlights, she was as Massey Show most of all, tugging had been nothing more formidable make a quick exit. This auxiliary less, as a tank without bond as that it meant so many with one hand at his spectral than hose-pipes to keep hostile was later talcon off the Mole by a more soldiers could be packed in whiskers and brandishing in the aircraft at bay.) A little healthy troop-carrying vessel." That was gasoline From his arm: hèr;;fiankitqiflank; sardine-wise; other the ghost of his little ferrying was done on this occas the only casualty incurred by the slon, Ten boatloads of mixed Massey, Shaw, and not a serlous oured horse he looked
ha hatchet.
troops were taken on board (about
one. -down: figuratively as well Thor Dunkiri "opisode," na you
500) and transported to two might call it with Japanese un- The Massey Shaw passed Dun, paddle boats The: Massey Shaw, as literally on the infan dor-statement, was under way. A kirk Harbour on her starboard herself brought bacic a further At 5 o'clock next morning the of archers crossbow message came from the Home bow and proceeded towards the boatload of troops, and some more reboat took on its river-pilot
Office:to the Brigade at Lambeth!" beach-about three-miles east of theodolités.
him again, the medal; manufacturer, menyi pikemen) and mis could, they send one of their are the Moles where there were gol- Still once more, at 6.40 of the and left Ramsgate for London. The ellaneously armed i vil-bonts: along to Dunkirkt? Thore diers of the BFF both on the evening of the third day, the fire senior officials of the Fire Brigado eins. It is significant of quite a number of fires bluz~ beach and in the water waiting to boat chugged out across the hor were there to greet her, She slid |ing there. Indeed they could.” be rescued.” (The report wasteą norific waters, pitted by bombs, not look very spruce, I suppose, the change that the pre- It was decided to bond the time in getting to the heart of the lacorated with machine-guns, Illu- but they will have forgiven her.
Massey Shaw with Statión. Offloor
terug mined by flares, from, 'nhove "and" """""It was all very interesting, real- sent consideration of arm¬{ Youngman, - end-tinio Lowestoft 1932420
battles were in progress, livid ; below with hissing 7 phos- "ly," murmured, the Cambridge our is for the benefit of fisherman, to take charge. A call | heavy bombs wore dropping, and phorescences. They had loss, Juck barrister.
was issued for volunteers, 12 men | machine-gun fire was taking place this time, with their i Balvaging. wasn't 'art delark) that! ntrymen.
being needed. A little embarras-- till around us. I gave orders for the "The firebost - proceeded along
agreed the crane
road traffic.
?.
1)