THE CHINA MATH SEPTEMBER 15, 1941
CHINA MAIL
WINDSOR HOUSE =
THE MAIN BATTLE
The Royal Air Force is taking full advantage of Germany's invasion of
Russia and each day of Soviet resistance by pounding at the Nazi in- dustrial and communica-
tion systems. From the beginning of the war the longest heads in military administration have ar- gued that until these were broken down the war could not be won. On that
theory they have put
American bombers at the top of their list of priori- ties.
But along with these' they have always listed ships. And despite every! turn and phase of the conflict ships have re- mained at the head of the roll.
there more
They are firmly than ever to-day because the drive at the Nazi industrial and com- munication machines cannot be supplied with- out them. So fundamen- tally every battle in the war pivots on the Battle of the Atlantic.
CHIP ON THE SHOULDER.
Heroes' Signals
old woman or a child in the Bri-
It was lucky for the corvette, too, that a "big sister" appeared on the scene in the nick of time!
Q
Can you remember the date of however, Captain Warburton-Lee Few flashed
to the Ad- the Battle
the signal of Trafalgar? people could. But there is not an miralty:--
"Shall I go in?" tish Isles who does not know The reply did not come until famous eve-of-battle early the next morning: the Ad- Nelson's
of the grave We know what happened to signal to his men on that history-miralty was aware
Italian cruisers that making day:
risk that would be run. It replied the that the Captain must decide for within range of the Warspite's himself.
hell-releasing guns.
came
To help win that battle the United States has been building and trans- ferring supply ships and substituting its own ves- sels in other trade lanes to increase the British merchant fleet in the “England
man expects every this day to do his duty.' Atlantic.
One of them "just vanished" in To the same
In a flash the message of the When the exact date
flame and smoke after a direct,.. end the administration| great Battle of Matapan has be- back: "Am going into action."
The enemy was taken com- hit by seven tons of pounding Yet it was a trio of instituted the United come a matter for head-scratch-
ing, who among us who opened pletely by surprise. Warburton-metal.
cruisers that "went in" and put States Navy Patrol, and our papers on that stirring Mon. Lee made three attacks, and was an end to Germany's prize battle. occupied Iceland. Always day morning will have forgotten himself mortally wounded.
His last signal, before he was ship, the "invincible" Graf Spee, the dramatic height-of-the-battle
in the first the sine qua non has been signal flashed to the Warspite by taken off his sinking ship, lashed off the River Plate
the incre- Do you remember the delivery of sufficient the little destroyer Havock as she to a stretcher and towed shore-quarter of the war.
clung, like a sharp-toothed terrier,
dible sauce of Commander Har- sea-cargoes to Britain to to the tail of the
wood's signal to his three ships?
"Our object-destruction.".
Italian cruiser
maintain and augment Polu:___
"Am hanging on to the Pola's
the war machine.
stern: shall I board her or sink her?"
Amid
distrac- many tions, an inner group in
America and in England
*
Narvik. Do you remember Nar-
has never lost sight of vik? And the signal that brought
burton-Lee?
By David Raymond
came
waters by two swimming mem-
this necessity "the death and glory to Captain War-ward through icy, dead-strewn bridge of ships" which On the morning of April 9,bers of the crew, was
"Continue to engage the enemy" the President promised in 1940, the Germans invaded Den-
That action, dramatised by the his White House Corres-mark and Norway. At 5 a.m. on
that day the German oll-refining bravest signal of the war, resulted pondents' dinner speech. ship Jan Wellem, which had slunk in the destruction of the German President Roosevelt's up the Norwegian coast, disgorged ships, merchantmen and destroy- her hidden cargo of 1,500 Reichs-ers, and earned for Captain War- historic declaration of last whermen on the quayside of the burton-Lee the first V.C. of the
little Norwegian town of Narvik.
·
sorts.
the
war.
TAI
10
What was the noblest signal of the war? Surely it must have come from H.M. Armed Merchant Cruiser Jervis Bay, though we may never know.
On November 5, 1940, in beavy, seas, Captain Fegen was escort-
ing 38 merchant ships when a powerful German warship came into sight. Out-gunned and out- ship was, what did dated as his he do? He steered clear of the convoy and made straight for the [enemy!
There was one" occasion when
Bringing his ship between the prowler and her prey so that they |might scatter and escape, he was Friday morning (local On the afternoon, of the same At the Palace investiture, it was at once crippled by a salvo from time) in response to deli- day, five British destroyers, the his widow who stood before the the German's heavy guns.
The Admiralty has never re- to receive the greatest
they re- berate German efforts to Hardy Hotspur, Hostile, Havock, King
and Hunter, were in the Vest Fiord award that can be given for gal-vealed what message
#ceived from the Jervis Bay, if see how far they could go with orders to seek out and des- lantry in action.
any. But the Captain's signal to the ships on which without bringing the troy
his men, was:- Almost enemy would have to depend for
every day, however,
"The convoy must be saved!" United States: into the supplies.
signals, laconic in their brevity
In flames and unable to reply, The odds wore terrifically (as they should be in the grim for an hour the plucky little ship war against them, magni- ficently implements that against the Hardy and her con-and. ghastly business. of war) held the fire of the enemy be
The German destroyers spealt of the high courage. of the fore she went down, taking the promise. Germany now which accompanied the supply men who guard our seas.
ships were larger and more Recently, the First Lord of the Captain and many of her crew knows more than she ex- powerfully armed, and the Bri- Admiralty, Mr. A: V., Alexander with her. But all but eight of the pected to be taught in one tish ships, in order to attack, told the story of a submarine convoy were saved.
After would have to sail up a long, patrolling the Skaggerak. easy lesson.
She knows narrow corridor full of hidden days of silence, the following the sight of the German Navy ing
signal was received from the com- British water proved a very wel- -now that the United dangers,
Without a moment's hesitation, mander-
come sight, and, in similar circum-" States naval-patrol-is
“Attacked a ship, then had to stances, will do so again. It gave submerge 43 hours. Have received us the last naval signal of the changed from a "report- ing" to a "protective" Atlantic will be won. And 100 depth charges. Propose to re- World War.
turn to my station." patrol, with the clearest that is the major battle of Another signal: came from a instructions to destroy as the war, whatever the corvette out on the high seas. I well as to discover. If that outcome or duration of ing words of the war at sca means war, the choice is Hitler's Russian = cam- Hitler's. President Roose-paign. The United States velt's decision is as useful has not begun shooting as it is logical: Nothing is yet at the time of writ more certain now than ing. If it does begin, it is that the Battle of the at Hitler's invitation.
consisted of the four most "amaz-
"Enemy raider. Am engaged." Just thinks of It! A corvette at tacking a raider is like an arm- oured bathchair attacking a 60- ton tank! No, wondor the First Lord was stunned when he re- ceived that message, or that, as
It was when Beatty brought fleet into the Firth of Forth (led by H.M.S. Cardiff, a gracious: tri bute from the rough-handed," tough-hearted sen dog to Lloyd George) in 1918,
the Kaiser's surrendered battle |
The signal read;
"THE GERMAN FLEET WILL
LOWER ITS FLAG AT SUNSET TOR THE LAST TIME, AND
he said, came into my NOT AGAIN
WITHOUT PERMISSION.”
eyes,"