THE CHINA 'MAIL, MAY 5, 1941.
EVERY VILLAGE MAY BE AN INVASION FORTRESS
IN THE EVENT OF invasion the Home Guard is well placed to impede every enemy column which may try to penetrate its own territory. These col- umns may be aiming at other objectives, or to con- centrate in accordance with a time-table.
They may want actually to occupy the village for rest, food, refuelling, or maintenance
for they must do all these some time. All defence plans and layouts are entirely dictated by the nature of the ground, the weapons you have, and your strength and, of course, the kind of attack you might expect.
First, the whole scheme should be carefully worked out on paper, with expert help if possible. It should show
work you can
the
do now (or have done already), and a work-table should be drawn up for the rapid completion of other preparatións, with records of the amount of labour, material, tools and time needed.
Details should be listed of suppiles, ammunition, food and iron rations, range cards and landscape-cards. communica. tions, road blocks, mines, booby traps, and steps taken to ensure that no food or petrol could fall into the enemy's hands.
But besides blocking your own roads and keeping the enemy
out, your plan must also prevent his getting around. It must in fact, be ' plan for all-round
delence.
If necessary, we will hold our villages, if surrounded, like fort- resses dotted all over the land. To do this we may require:--
(1) An inner keep, or strong- hold (covering the main road); (2) an inner défence along the outskirts of the village; (3) an outer defence covering the roads and tactical features outside; (4) further out still our eyes and eare our observation posts. These advanced posts are far better sited in natural cover, such. as ditches or hedges, rather than in prepared and obvious places. Thus the positions can be changed more frequently.
Your outer defences may con. sist of small, inconspicuous, camouflaged trenches, sited to cover road-blocks, from which a good field of fire is possible. If these have been prepared since last autumn they will need re- pair-and remember that with hedges and trees soon blooming the field of fire may now look very different.
Behind this come your inner defences. If the village is large it will be well lo divide it into areas. As your neighbours' houses and walls inily need bit of knocking about for this, the ne- cessary work should be ear marked.
Traps For Tanks
WOMEN
OFFER
BEAUTY
(From A Correspondent)
Women of Britain are ready to give more than their blood for victory.
One of them wrote to Dr. W.
S. Stanbury, of Leeds. Regional
Blood Transfusion Officer:-
"I am willing to part with an car, left-hand finger, thumb or toe, or give a yard of skin, if it will help any kiddie injured in an air raid."
And a twelve-year-old school- girl walked into the Mayor's Par- lour at Exeter and offered the Mayor her hair.
"I thought the proceeds could go to the war effort," she told him, handing over her treases.
The Mayor, Mr. R. Glave Saunders, examined the blonde locks and thanked the donor. Olive Martin, of Old Tiverton Road, Exeter, for her sacrifice. Olive had her hair cut when she was six. That hair was saved and the handed to the Mayor with locks she lost this week.
65 But Game
Another Yorkshire woman wrote to the Leeds Blood Transfusion Officer:
"I am sixty-five and last March had a stroke, losing the use of my left arm and leg.
"I do not know how a stroke affects the value of one's blood, but, being lame, can do no active work.
"I should be glad to do some- thing for my fellows if I can by giving blood."
Dr. Stanbury told me: "Many Some may need to be demolish-people are writing to me asking ed to get the needed fire-view. why blood donors cannot be given Here you can be super-running a badge. I designed one and sub- with your ambushes and booby mitted it to the Ministry of trups lor tanks. transport and Health, but have heard nothing troops. Your low loop-holes and yet. buib shits must be chosen with un
"If metal for badges cannot be
eye for use in the minst unexpected ¦ spared, I think the wearing of a direction.
red stripe. as suggested by one
Inside comes your stronghold. | donor, would be a good alterna- Don't choose the largest buildings, | tive."
like a schoul or hotel, for these will be the first to attract bomb-
ing and artillery Are.
SUCH A NATION CANNOT DIE
Select one building, or perhaps three, giving sufficient Reld of fire and detence, a pivot point from which the whole defence plan can radiate and be directed, to which
CANADIAN M.PS CHEERED reports flow back and from which AND THUMPED THEIR DESKS the local counter-attack can be WHEN MR. LAPOINTE, MINIS- organised.
TER OF JUSTICE, SAID:
It will need shelters from bomb-j "The world admires Britain. Ing and for reserve ammunition "We admire above all the mil-
(outside), food, water and stores, the whole being well camouflaged, chiefly from the air.
Complete the brain, if not the muscle, work now. -
LORRY GAVE 20 FT. LIFT-UP
Doctors of the R.A.F. medical branch get some queer cases,
One recent patient reported that
men,
lions of long-suffering women and children who could end the war by surrender If they brought pressure on their Gov- ernment, but who refuse.
"Buch a nation is a great nation. It cannot die, cannot loss.
·
"We will try to be worthy of that splendid people and great nation, and will not fall her in her hour of trial." Reuter.
THEY MET IN RUINS |
GERMANS GUN LIGHTHOUSE
Lighthouse keepers in the Pentland Firth waved when they saw a bomber flying to- wards them. They thought it was British. But the 'plane, a German, machine-
gunned the lighthouse, smashing glass and doing internal
damage.
The keepers dived for cover. Their chil- dren, who were play- ing in the open, ran to an old quarry for shelter.
VITAMIN CANDY FOR CHILDREN
A plan to send vitamin candy tablets to British children has been launch- ed in New York by the British-American Ambu- lance Corps.
cinnamon-fla.
The tablets are
and contain vitamins A voured (particularly useful in preventing night blindness); B-1 (for nerve and growth); B-2 (which prevents skin troubles); C (anti-scurvy); D (bone-building); and E (specially beneficial to children).
12,000,000 A Year
Dr. Norman Joliffe, who has collaborated in making the tablets, Said that the British Ministry of Health had welcomed the formula.
It is hoped to ship 12,000,00 or more tablets a year, says Reuter, for distribution in shelters, com- munal feeding centres and fac- tories and to evacuated children.
GONE
ARE THE HORSE
AND CARRIAGE
And Gone with them aro the waxing the carriago.