Page-16
SKODA WORKS
THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 29, 1940.
BOMBED
First R.A.F. Attack On Huge Arms Factory
Flares Light Way For Destruction
THE WORLD-FAMOUS Skoda arma- ment works, at Pilsen, in Czechoslovakia, were successfully attacked by R.A.F. bombers during Sunday night, an Air Ministry an- nouncement revealed in London yesterday.
The raid, which was the first R.A.F-at- tack on this huge arms plant, ended in the early morning yesterday, the twenty-second anniversary of the founding of the Czecho- slovakian State.
The Skoda works are, man hands at the time of one of the three biggest the occupation in March, armament factories in the 1939. world, covering 400 acres, and employing 50,000 workers. It fell into Ger-
APING GOES ON (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL") A draft bill prohibiting French subjects from listening to B.B.C. broadcasts was presented by the Vice-Premier, Pierre Laval, when the French Council of Ministers met at Vichy yesterday. Penalties for infringement include the con- fiscation of radio sets.-Havas.
WEATHER REPORT
When the British raiders were near the target after the 750- mile flight from the English coast visibility was so bad that they spent an hour searching for it before the great plant was seen silhouetted against the
GREEKS CONFER
WITH U.S.
After a conference with Mr. Cordell Hull, the U.S. Secretary of State, in Washington yesterday, the Greek Minister stated he had not presented formal notice that a state of war existed with Italy.
He said general. views on the Greek situation were ex- changed at the con- ference.-Reuter.
00000000
ALL H.K.
WARDENS
snow-covered ground. Fierce fires and explosions fol- lowed the attacks, says
the Air Ministry, and a pilot who made three separate runs. bombing by the light of flares dropped by M other aircraft, reported that all his heavy bombs found their mark.
Incendiaries
MOBILISED
All members of the Corps of Air Raid Wardens are These were quickly followed by to be mobilised as from 5 incendiary bombs which set fire to damaged buildings.
p.m. to-day, a proclama- This is one of the most ambition to this effect being tious bombing raids carried out
The Royal Observatory reports that the anticyclone has de by the R.A.F. who prepared for issued in a Government creased in intensity and remains such long-distance flights with stationary over Japan. A con-leaflet raids into Czechoslovakia Gazette Extraordinary to- siderable increase of pressure has and Austria in the early days of day. ·
occurred over Manchuria,
the war.
Reuter.
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The proclamation reads:
Whereas by section 11 of the Hong Kong Corps of Air. Raid Wardens Ordinance, 1940, (Or- dinance No. 6 of 1940) it is en- acted that in case of apprehended. or actual attack on the Colony the Governor by proclamation may call out for active service, all or any members of the Corps:
And whereas it is also enacted by the aforesaid section that the period of such active service shall end only by proclamation of the Governor:
Now therefore I, Lieutenant- General Edward Felix Norton, Companion of the Most Honour- able Order of Bath, Com- panion of the Distinguished Service Order, Military · Cross, Officer Administering the Gov ernment of the Colony of Hong Kong and its dependencies and Vice-Admiral of the same, deeming that such calling out is necessary and shall be continued for the present, DO by this pro- clamation CALL OUT for active service all the members of the Hong Kong Corps of Air Raid Wardens as from five o'clock pari. on the 29th day of October, 1940, until my further order.
An official spokesman informз the "China Mail" that the calling
STOP PRESS
ITALY
THREATENS
FORCE!
out notice has no special signi- | (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
ficance, and is primarily in con- nection with the black-out.
For The Duration?
“Any resistance by Greece against the ad- vance of Italian troops will Later. be crushed by force what- The Corps of Air Raid Wardens ever the consequences of mobilised this morning by pro-
clamation will not be demobilised such action might be,” at the conclusion of the two-night says an official statement black-out' exercise, 'Mr, B. `H... Puckle, D.S.O. Deputy Director released in Rome yester- of Air Raid Precautions, told the day..
"China Mall” to-day,
Those not required for duty The statement, in well-known after the exercise will be granted Axis. fashion, claims that Italian leave without pay but will be troops have invaded Greece in liable to be called on whenever and Independence of that country order to defend the sovereignty necessary. A mobilised footing 18 to be maintained for the Corps which are threatened by the acti-
vities of Britain! possibly for the duration of the It further charges that Italy on
War.
numerous occasions warned "Thâ, profix")"'spodíal"" to telograms is | Greece to maintäffi neutrality but used by the Sunday · Herald” and Greece "collaborated intimately" “China Mail to indioste 'news which with Britain. “
slons of the Telecommunications. On
3
I strictly copyright. under the provi "Greek neutrality had become dinance, 1938, and may not be reprint a fiction: England's aim is always od under any circumstances, either to try and draw more countries wholly or in part, without prior ar into the war," the statement con- "rangúmeht.
|cluded Hovas
The death has occurred of Sir Herbert Wright, a pro- minent figure in the rubber industry-Reuter.
Router's Sofia correspon- dent says that communications: between Greece and Bulgaria have been severed since early ..yesterday morning.
Greek resistance to the Ita- lian demands has surprised official Bulgarian quarters and Turkey's reactions to the in- vasion are eagerly awaited in: Sofia. Reuter,
An
unconfirmed. report reaching London states that - the Italians have captured
Knostur in Macedonia.-Reu-· ter.
It is reliably learned, says Reuter, that German mechan-, ised mobile units are -fever- ishly establishing.. A.A. de- fences at Giurgiu, which is a vital oil pipeline "head and which is now completely. blacked out at night.. Else- where in Rumania, the Ger mans are actively preparing défences against an air attack · on the oil regions and trans- port centres.-Reuter.
It is authoritively believed in Tokyo that Japan will not take, immediate action in the Italo-Greek war though the Cabinet is examining Japan's obligations under the tri- partite pact at the regular: meeting to-day. Greece's in- volvement in the war was en- tirely unexpected in Tokyo and it is generally predicted that Japan will first consult her Axis partners on the ex- tent of her obligations and the practical value of their ful- filment. The newspaper "Nichi. Nichi," however, secs difficulties i Turkey comes in and notes that, possible Soviet action is to be reckoned with.
**
Reuter.
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