THE CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 8, 1941.
Possibility Of New Diversions
In Axis War
(By Reuter's Military Commentator)
THOUGH THE CENTRE of interest still lies in Russia there are other directions which call for attention and may soon call for action.
THE NAZI THREAT TO TURKEY AND SPAIN MAY STILL MATERIAL- ISE. WE ARE ON THE VERY VERGE OF WAR WITH JAPAN IN THE PACIFIC, AND IT IS NOT EASY TO SEE HOW JAPAN CAN AVOID WAR WITH RUSSIA AS WELL AS WITH AMERICA.
DORNIER RAMMED BY PILOT
Hitler is bringing heavy pressure to bear on his "sponges" in Vichy and is trying to squeeze out of them the possession of ports and air bases on the West African coast.
We must be prepared to act in any or all these directions. Our resources will certainly be called on to support an additional strain, but it is not one beyond our powers to deal with, and fortunately we are prepared and The story of a pilot with reserves at hand in each case should an who, flying at dusk, des-emergency arise.
had withdrawn some of the air perhans
troyed a Dornier bomber On the Russian fronterally. It seems as if the Nazis by ramming it and so the Germans are again force from Libya, and sacrificed his own life, making vast claims but some divisions as well. can now be told.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR BRI. the facts as they areTAIN TO STRIKE A DECISIVE known to us show so far BLOW HERE AS SOON AS POS-
The pilot and a comrade were
on patrol off the south-west coast nothing to support them. when they sighted the German bomber about a mile ahead, It was too far away to be definitely
identined at the time but it turn- ed towards the coast.
The leader of the two Hurri- canes came up to close
range, when the enemy rear-gunner saw him and opened fire.
The Germans. with their allies the Finns, are still struggling on the north-western shores of Lake Ladoga and have not even reach. ed its eastern end.
to-
SIBLE.
05 not in
If the North African coast can be cleared of Germans and Fas- cists while our Navy and Air Force can on the north coast of Africa,
be solidly established
far west
then as Tripoli. only will the naval position There are
no advances
the Mediterranean be greatly wards Leningrad. They claim strengthened but our command of to have captured Kholm but this, the air in that area as well. 18 very doubtful claim and is NOR IS THAT ALL-OUR not In 2 direction seriously FLANK CLEARED AS FAR threatening the Russian position WEST AS TRIPOLI, ALL OUR at present.
FORCES IN THE MIDDLE EAST THE BATTLE OF SMOLENSK | WOULD THEN BE FREE TO The German bomber climbed | HAS CLOSED, AS FAR AS THE! SUPPORT TURKEY IN CASE towards a cloud with the Hurri- NAZIS ARE CONCERNED, BUT OF ANY ATTACK BY THE cane leader firing Into it. The THE ROAD TO MOSCOW SEEMS | BULGARIANS AND GERMANS. cloud base was very low and JUST AS FIRMLY CLOSED AND│—REUTER.
The fighter pilot identifled the aircraft and he and has comrade attacked from alternate sides and saw bullets driving into the ene- my's wing.
It was clear to both fighter pilots | IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT that the bomber stood a good THE BATTLE MAY REOPEN chance of getting away.
SHORTLY-THIS TIME, HOW- my comrade attacking EVER, ITS REOPENING from below," said the Hurricane BE DUE TO RUSSIAN INITIA-
pressed home the TIVE. "He
"I saw
leader. »ftack until the Dornier was al cloud base and then, us it looked like disappearing, crushed straight into it.
"I saw a large part of his ma- chine fall off after the collision and the rest dived into the
1 circled the spot and while doing SU I saw the blazing Dornier plunge into the water."-British Wireless.
BREWERY OUTPUT HALVED
Because it has difficulty in getting coal, a South of England brewery has cut its beer output by half for the past three weeks.
The directors state: "The short- age of bottled beer is particularly acute owing to the large volume of power which is required in the process of bottling of beers and in the washing of empty bottles."
In London there is no shortage of beer; but elsewhere there are local variations in supply, parti- cularly in the Midlands. Trans- port difficulties, rather than a gen- eral shortage of any one material, are the cause.
Held In Ukraine
WILL
In the Ukraine the Germans afe not making any vital progress--it indeed they are making any pro- gress at all.
The successful defence of Mox-
cow from attack by the Lufewaffe must be another cause of anxiety to the Germans, for it is clear proof of the power of the Russian Air Force.
BIGGER ARMY
IN PEACE
Mr. Bevin Will Work For It
Russia's great rcscrves of Mr. Bevin, Minister of troops and 'planes have not yet Labour and National Ser- been thrown in. There are no
Germans vice has declared himself have anything other than tired in favour of maintaining
'indications that the
and beaten troops with which to
meet the Russian
when it comes.
onslaught an army in peace-time on
In spite of the very gloomy out-
the same basis as the
look facing the German armies in Navy and the R.A.F. Russia it is still very possible the Referring at a meeting in Lon- new adventure in Northern and the war, he said: "The Navy has Western Africa.
Germans might launch out on
Gibraltar
adon to our unpreparedness before
come out in the most amazing manner-but the Navy gors on for ever. Its organisation is com- plete. You may get political holl- This might be combined with days, with 6d off the income-tax, the march of five or six divisions which you regret later when it through Spain for a siege of means 4s on, but the Navy con- Gibraltar and in order to establish tinues. a shorter communication line with: Morocco and Dakar..
"The Air Force is EL. new organisation which will have to A successful move in. this develop along the same lines. But direction would, give the Ger- the Army! You build up an amaz- mans very great advantages Infing organisation and when the their Atlantic ^ battle against war is over you discard it-It is England but would also conati- dissolved. When the next trouble tute very real threat to all comes you have to begin again, the Americas
without even the nuclei.
The manager of a London firm: of brewers said: "There is enough. It is not likely the United beer, to go round in this part of States would be content to idly the world. Where shortages exist watch this move. It would be they can be put down' ta trans- necessary from the military view- port, unevenness of demand, and point to act quickly and not other local conditions brought allow the Germans and their about by the war. I do not know Vichy allies to consolidate them- that coal is a main cause."
|selves strongly at Rakar,
Another mannger said: "Wo are actually supplying another brewery, and we should not be doing, that if we were short of coal. Nor is the other brewery's trouble a shortage of coal,"
Tobruk Activity
to
"If I have anything to do with politica after this wary 1. have made up my mind that the military side must be put on the same baale as the. Navy and `the Air Force, even if it does mean another 6d on the income. \tax. (Choërs.) It la an excellent
insurance. and only fair to
'men who have to build,” the
Mr. Bevin was addressing the We are displaying some en-Holborn Chamber of Commerce couraging activity around Tobruk luncheon held at the Connaught and in the Mediterranean gen- Rooms.
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