THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 31, 1940.
GIGANTIC JIGSAW PUZZLE: 70 GERMAN DIVISIONS TO WATCH
(By Reuter's Military Correspondent)
THE OPPOSING FORCES in the Mediter BOYS ON
ranean theatre of war are so scattered that
the situation resembles a gigantic jigsaw FARM- puzzle.
When Italy declared war, an immediate attack from the Albanian frontier was ex- pected. This, in conjunction with the move of General Graziani's armies in North Africa, would have kept the British navy busy.
WORK
About twenty. senior boys of Dulwich College, mostly men-
bers of the first cricket or rugby
Witchampton district
teams, are helping farmers in the of Dorset for three weeks or more.
The party is under the control Neither has yet materialised; cation lines vulnerable to hostile Modern
of Mr. Eric Parsley, head of the Side, and Mr. K. J. though there is no possible doubt Albanians though it appears that Veitch, who is in charge of foot- that the Italians were ready both Italy's best chance would be an ball at the College. The boys in Libya and Albania.
immediate attack before the are accommodated Greeks have completed mobilisa-of the parents of one of their num- in the house tion.
ber, Mr. and Mrs. Hibberd, of The Firs, Witchampton, whose hospitality has made the scheme
Libylan reports mention dila tory road-making activity, near Sidi Barrani, but there appar. ently is a lack of initiative in the air.
Albanian reports
German Divisions,
by
possible. suggest that
the Italians are uneasy about the Albanians themselves
An advance of a large force to Salonika might render communi-ders of Hungary and
MASTERS OF THE LUFTWAFFE
This is the time of the Spitfires and Hurricanes. They are splendidly flown. One can say with certain-
A real enigma is offered the presence of 70 German di- visions.in the vicinity of
the Balkans. Many are assembled on the bor- Yugoslavia while mechanised units are in the border towns of German Carinthia, What is the plan for which these vast forces, (at least 1,000,000 men) are intended?
The boys are gaining experien- Ce of varied kinds of arm work, including the real harvesting tasks of "hilling," ricking carting and threshing.
The work goes on with a fine spirit, and some farmers who had hesitated to apply for boys are now regretting that there are not more available.
Turkey is ruled out as an im- mediate German objective for the! VON PAPEN LEAVES present at least, for there is only
a small number of troops in Ru- mania,
Yugoslavia?
Not so in the case of Yugosla via, as every German military move suggests pressure against that country.
Both will "toe the line" what- ever action Gerniany may suggest. There
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FOR BERLIN
Von Papen, the German Ambassador, has left Ankara for Istanbul, from where, it is stated, he will be proceeding immediately to Berlin. Reuter.
Yugoslavia's army is in a very most important outlets for Yugo- difficult position. Hungary and slay trade and may again be- ty that the Spitfire and Bulgaria both fit into the puzzle come an important war valve. the Hurricane have be-more easily. tween them saved us in the war. No praise is too high for the way they have been flown and -fought by the enthusias
tic youngsters of the Fighter Command.
But whatever the Italians may do, those 70 German divisions must be watched. They may be for movements Russo-Turkish relations and the towards Thrace or for a
are signs of improving through Hungary and Rumania march question asked is whether Russia through the Ukraine to southern German intentions. is nervous in connection with Russia in search for oil. No in- dication is favouring one or other Geography may be an import- of these speculations but all are ant factor in Balkan develop-distinctly possible, ments.
Finally, there is the incalcul- able factor of weather. Deep snow lies
on Gresk mountains while other parts of the Balkans are wet and cold; usually preliminary to a nasty winter.
Admitting the excellence of the
Hungary is flat, Yugoslavia, pilots and the effectiveness of the
mountainous. The Italians could armament, what can be advanced only invade Greece by marching as an explanation of how these eastwards towards Salonika or aircraft have consistently brought southwards towards the Gulf of down enemy fighters of practically Corinth. equal performance? The clue to the main technical superiority lies in power of manoeuvre and con- trol, and that, in turn, is a pro- duct of superlative design.
Genius Of Designers
In each and every encounter they have proved their superi- ority over far more numer. ous formations of enemy fighters and. bombers. The success of the two machines is due to the genius of two British designers and their teams of technicians. The Supermarine Spitfire, de- signed by the late Mr. R. J. Mitchell, first. flew in 1938, and.
Salonika First?
This may persuade the Ger- mans to attempt to repent the Norwegian success but it is more main objective; it was one of the spring-Reuter.
Salonika is bound to be the likely to cause them to wait for
BRITAIN'S NAVAL CHIEFS FOR
BIG TEST TO COME
Hawker Hurricane, designed by WITH THE UNPROVOKED Italian attack upon the very much alive Mr. Sidney Greece, naval operations are likely to assume
Camm, is also more than four
years old. It first few in No-importance.
vice early in 1938. Since then
vember, 1935, and went into ser- With Sir Andrew Cunningham as C.-in-C. both machines, have been built Mediterranean Fleet, and Vice-Admiral J. C. Tovey in big numbers.
as C-in-C., Home Fleet, the conduct of operations is the Hurricane is due in a large in good hands.
·
The success of the Spitfire and
part to the development of the
Sif Andrew Cunningham is a Fleet, is another destroyer off-