THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1959.
The days of peace run out-and the omens for the future are bad..
as a great new aircraft carrier causes death at her launching
The
barrage balloons go up
That ASTOUNDING August
PART TWO
It was August 1939. You could buy a new car for £90.10....bear was Bd, a pint.....cigarottos
were 11ld. for 20... end a good soat at the cinemo cost 9d....
But the last days of peace woro ticking to o close....
Do YOU romombor that summer of 20 years ago?
LIKE drunken elephants, the barrage balloons swayed and dipped over London and all the big cities. Yet it was still possible to hope for peace. At 10, Downing Street, Prime Minister Neville Cham- sec reason, and berlain and his aides were convinced that even now Hitler could be made to refused to nccept the possibility that war was inevitable.
But the public was less optimistic. The newspapers had begun to publish articles such as "How to stock up your food cupboard," and the grocery stores were filled with buyers,
Kent hop-pickers were warneri
to take their gas-maska with thens.
Trl, there were still columna
and the war.
by LEONARD MOSLEY
120) nsil
of print in the newspapers with 3rd would be one of 1h Arst soldier. Montgomery had nothing in Them abrast Inter visions to be ent to Pranee. intention of meeting it
member of a pool of unemployed But Montginery had been generals. "Dear sir," wrote one - seriously i In Palestine, with a respondent, ut in a good job than his lung and suspected " pestered the War Office," is and earning fifty shiftings a tuberculosis. " was sent to all he will say about what steps' week. Du er uired: this i England in the large of two he took," enough to marry and bringing sisters and two heft children
nursing orderlitz, fr wrote 1 was judged 1up afterwards, "as Mr J. Aked of livered the nation by leaving desperately i was
us wife a bequest of £1 out of a £600 will as a token to h
fortitude ti sharing my honde but not speaking a word le me for the past 35 years.
A miracle
thera
Inokore! after himm
ami
said: -
The way that chap's been behavirus, you'd think he wan carrying a felt-marshal's baton in his kopsack!"
1t Wan
Everybody laughed. considered to be the only funny remark in a very trying day.
A fluke
In het, he
Staff Rave no above the rank of let- ofler tenant-general any rest from Aturust 17, 1939, was a combre int moment on. He demandes day for Britain. It was raining intervirigs. "He wrote memer- at most of the holiday resorts. Walts, cturing a South anda. He badgered friends and In
of streak " thunderstorm, acquaintances.
lightning hit the tin roof of an And in the last few days of air-rail shelter and killed the On the sen vouge, however, minicle happened. The patch August he got his way, "You'll ve people sheltering inside. have to do something about Montgomery wits
With the war clouds threaten- Montgomery." wrote a member Un
of the War Staff, to hla chief, ing it was an accident that did "or we'll never be able to get not encourage pulle confidence Home The an with the war,"
in their shelters. Secretary (Sir Samuel Hoare) took time off to assure the public
But along the Polish Curridor disppened. things were hotting a Her proneval St rel sent wast speaking to everybly, and have. what he was constantly saying was "My patience is exhausted,”
At the War Offer in Whitehall thegy were queues of reserva offers comity 16 inquire about postings. (They were now re- fused entry if they failed to carry a pas-mask).
Harassed
h1ir
he
back, in When August, the first thing he did was to go to the War Office add ask: When do I take over the 3rd Division"
a
that it was just a fluke. 'Good luck'
"You don't," was the reply.
Wearily, the Chief of Staff commands
been signed Ühe had
necessary All
papers. frozen-because of the emergency. The old commander of the 3rd The commander of the 3rd bad Division was shipped abroad been told to remain at his post, In that case, said Montgomery, All the reserve officers put you hart better ship me back to together could not have caused my old division in Palestine, said the WIZ "Impresibir," the harassed Stuff half as much
Oliv trouble a certain mujore general named Hemed 1. Mol has taken rived."
Ronery.
Colonial Governor, Major General Bernard L. Montgomery was appointed to the division in his place.
The harassed Stat shook The new commander bands with him and wished him well. And as he marched away to join his new division one
Then what am I supposed to Go?" demanded Montgomery, Major-Generad Montgomery There is a pool of major- had come back from Pairstine generals waiting for employ carlier in 1939 ather buying ment," he was told. "You will
jin it."
relitiquished commod
uf
The 8th Division there. He had been promised command of the 3rd At which the temper of this In England, anet was lowly. Ettle known bross-hat Division looking forward to taking over, began to show, There for he serused that
Wat war coming, and coming ani realised that the opportunity for
war
WRA
war spelled
• BY THE WAY
on ambitious by Beachcomber
A British Crossword Puzzle
12
3 4
16
of
WE were having a well-earned rest from the word Fascist until I popped up again when n Czech orchestra refused to play
the with Mme Marizy, garian violinist.
Hut-
she
war?
Belfast the Government In ran into more bad luck.
It was the day for the launch- ing of the powerful new British Forraldable,
Carrier aircraft
of 23,000 tons, duilt of a cost
£4,000,000. Sir Kingsley Wood, the Air Minister, had crossed the Irish Channel with his wife for the ceremony,
Lady Wood stood talking to the other guests on the launching platform, her hand resting on the bottle of Empire wine she wan to smash cross the Formidable's bows, when massive groan made her turn round.
same
At the
moment the bottle was gently pulled from her hand and bounced, unbroken, gainst the aircraft carrier's side.
Another crisis
Underneath, where the specta- tors were gathered along the slipway, a twent up: "She's moving! She's moving!"
someone
REMEMBER ↑ A famous partnership in British fimis ..
Gracie Fickis and Sydney Howard, as they appeared in "Shipyard Satty."
from operations in the Mediter ranean and the Pacific.)
Grave view
August 17. 11 had already been a day of down and death non dire foreboding.
It ended on a note of sensa- tion sensation involving the Royal Family.
That evening the Press Asso- clation
out sent
7 message saying:-
newspaper, the Harewood News, and four or five times a year, mimeographed about 200 copies for circulation on the Hardwood estate and among friends
with They led their pages news about the estate, accounts wird places visitesh of people
and racing tips. Early in August they were taken to visit an anti- Gerald wrote a description of the aircraft gun site outside Leeds. Fun and of the mon, who matined it, and that was all right; but he his article also mentioned in that there were five sites of the type emplaced around' Leedu, And that was a technical breach of the Secrets Act, and, as such, un offence.
"HAREWOOD BOYS DIS- CLOSE MILITARY SECRET. War Office oficials are con sidering what netion to take regarding an article in the Harewood News, a typewritten Reporter publication written and pub- and told not to
two young That was all. Tahed by the
No Etonlans BOTS of the Earl of
BONES ungent Harewood, After a conference Buckingham Palace. of high Army officers at Room ings of the Army Council. 356 at the War Ofce pester- courts martial. day I was said: "A grave vieto
LATE
Baily Express
+12 others inalat on
_on_the_des_of_Tieve, Dritain'
la propseed to goilet it to the Wettervanet?
BRITAIN STANDS
The
|BY POLAND
Is your | Nuzi-Soviet pact would not
affect our pledge PARLIAMENT TOMORROW
Vital exports
to be stopped
||FAINEN ANYTICS
TO SIT BEGIN
***HENDERSON TO
SEL HITLER
KORTI 1917
11.
BLI, ATRIKE BOLEKTY
212 Dr Gernians ARROW HEWE
HOPE slop
buying in
London Deaf Hent
ALL NEEDS
THE KING N JETURNING TO JUNEIX
'AERODENTE'
Blended
さら
REMEMBER? The pallern for the future is not set. The pledge has been pinen, Little real hope of peace remains The course is set irrevocably towards ins bar which the people of Britain now regard as inevitable.
1-
Editor George Lascelles and Hitler's Foreign Minister, Scott and Whaley, and Murray Gerald were rebukerk arrived in Moscow. He wasted and Mooney on the stands to
do it gait. no time. Hs
the customers. One ambassador, entertain Schulenberg, had, in any case, corner of the exhibition was devoted to the sale of TV Bots to done the preliminary work. No meel-
(Bin, screens, price, £2). And thul No
as evening, just Plunkett-Ernle-Eric-Drax was
It was, perhaps, that roly-poly leaving for the Kremlin to take another conversazlune is taken of the article. Certain bon vivant Viscount Custleroase, part In
Vornshilov, von ft the famous culumst of the with Marshal military Information In should never have been pub- Sunday Express, who best sum- Ribbentrop was
of those in with Stalin in another room fished. The Judge Advocate mod up the mood
the same building.
The
Kremlin
toast
Recalled
sitting down
In Parliament, recalled from holiday.
in
The Russo-German
Fact
Non-Aggression was signed
M.P.4
parked the House to bear Prime Minister speak for the of Argi time of "the grim peril at of war."
were
They
the
seven o'clock on the evening August 23, 1838.
of
"I am glad he stopped saying
and
In it the Soviet Union 'emergency at last and says a writer pledged themselves not to inter- war instead," said Tore in any way should
in the Wan
Daily Express, "Other break out between Geraung words which might now be and the Western Allics. A given a rest are fraught secret clause, not made public abyss." The text was released at the time, stipulated that in or Rn Interview Winston the event of a German attack Churchill had given to two few on Poland Russin would move Portuguese · journalists "War, in from the East and occupy weeks before.
if it half the country.
comes," he said, "will be long-- The two ideological enemies three years or more. Britain and had come together, The im France will not have the pd- possible had been achieved. In vantage at first, but afterwards A few hours in Moscow, von will be different." Ribbentrop had achieved for
War. New call-ups went out.
Hitler វា of the greatest The greal "American flight from diplomatie triumphs in history. Europe began, and millionaires gladly slept in the third-class cabins of the Washington she made her Inst trip across the Atlantic.
is 'to Hitler'
General will have to be con- high places during the next and the drst engagement of the suited as to what action we few days. munt take. On no account must the matter in this article be republished."
RB
Troops were reported to be massing on the Polish frontier, and Adolf Hitler's voice on the radio
grow hourly more hysterical.
Ambition
war had been won for Germany without a shot being fred. "The morning was gloomy," In one of the small rooms of he wrote, the future was the Kremlin, Plunkett-Ernle- fraught with disaster, razors Erle-Drax was saying goodbye Osbert Lancaster drew of the were blunt and collars contrari- to Vuroshilov, who assured him cartoon of two Nazi officers
like wise were
jogged knife without a blash that Russia was foasting each other in Berlin. never edges. In other words, that arcere in wanting a pact with "Yes, Herr Major," оде was
Monday morning feeling had Britain.
saying "I've got a week's leave In the main banqueting half, for being beaten to death by somehow permeated to the end of the week."
were the brutal Polca." Ribbentrop and Stalin
War. But when? Around Britain's coasts the
AL was watch tightened.
RAF.
The offence
one more Insurance policy which No escape
There was half an hour 1111 to go before the oflela) launch- How could they be sumY
ing, but the great ship had de-
What had the two sons would not handle her bow la á cided not to wait for the speecher reactionary manner, suggesting and was on her way.
Hastity, Princess Royal done?
The British public was contempt for the class
handed Lady Wood The Czechs have not forgotten another bottle. She mumbled a
to know. how a triangle-player in Prague blessing, and burled It, with
There was many an editor struck ปร triangle with *
desperate force. at the dis- deviationist flourish which reek appearing bows. It was a
who would have liked to specify bit,
In exactly what way 16-your-aid For now nut even in Down- toasting each other. Stalin and od of capital. I am reminded and the bottle smashed.
their and
now dropped not even in Molotov 15- In Streel, Viscount Lascelles and his of Sir Arnold Lunn's protest
the Hon. Neville Chamberlain's peace masks so far as Britain when the Austrian skier Hannes But the cheers which greeted year-old brother,
soca Gerald Lascelles, had breached loving heart, was it possible to concerned. "The British milltary stations fighter pilots were told Schnelder was imprisoned and her markmanship were
the Soviet to stand by. Crowds gathered Act. but Ignore the belligerent cries for mission never told
what IL debarred from taking part in stilled by the screams coming the Onicka? Secrets
really outside 10, Downing Street to that war that were coming, almost Government the war. from below.
are constrained by competition before
As the Formidable they
wanted," Molotov said. And sing "Rule, Britannia!".. They said to him:
the sane Act from going into details every hour, from Germany. "You are lumbered down towards
Adolf Hitler was growing Im- Stalin, well away on vodka by The nation tensed. If was in confusing sport with politics." water, she was scattering struts
patient. He was resolved to wait this time, added:
this atmosphere that a Swedish directions. Sir Arnold replied: "I had no and planks In, all
Sally no longer. But first, there was
Hirl, aged 27, named itien Schneider had been Im- One of them hit a woman and
Banter, allpped into the water at prisoned for his athletic achieve- killed her. Others broke limbs
he needed to take out. If Britain
Cap Gris Nez and began to swim ments."
among the fleeing crown).'
It was no time in history for
the Channel, She crawled ushara and France came to Poland's and soon all
ald when he attacked-and
"What doos it matter? at Dover 15 hours later, to be abreraft carrier small rumours, Slowly, the
Nor is the greeted by two men and a small was still the word, for he was England is weak, groaned her way to the end of sorts of wild stories began to the slipway and sidled into the be circulated Ridiculous on convinced that the Aliles would British Navy as important
as boy. two
"I wasn't going to let war be. England's air STORM of statistics is raging. water. And, now another crisis too. It was said that the
boys fat inadvertently released cave in at the last moment-he it used to stri
must make
a lietong ambition," A There must be reus ar rose - would than other,
his aran is being increased... but hold up of she said. thousands, of peopie counting thinking they had half an hour this plan to «nodulate Germany Eastern flank was secure while there is a acelous shortage
They were playing Wagner at dominates pilots. If England had he turned to deal with them. In hark, make it in time to the with one decisive blow, things. every day, either us
their transgression they her
fornity
That means he needed a non- the world in spite of this, it is the Proms of the Queen's Hall. amateurs or professionals. Formidable's side and hait
been summoned bedure
Abbey, King thue to the stupidity of other. In Westminster Naturally nobody likes to chal-Progress before she crashed into conference and put on the mat Kression pact with Rusia.
countries that always let them George VI and his Queen. bad lenge the figures published. If the opposite bank?
by the King himself,
selves be bluffed. Look at India. gone to pray.
that 1 fow It's ridiculous
And, as the hours passed and should wa come EVENTION, Herbert hundred Engilsimen
Morrison, MP, Leader of the In Moscow, the Anglo-French dominate India."
The vodka flowed. The toanls LCC. went to 10, Downing so long as, no one told the delegation, led by the unfortun- They did it with seegnds to bile exactly what it was, ate British admiral, Plunkett- went on, to Hitler, to Stalin, to Street with an urgent request. And only a man with time on
Britain's newest his hands is likely
to begin spare.
and rumours continued to circulate. Ernle-Erle-Drax, was still talk- Rusia, to Germany, to victory. He was shown in to see Sir. nircraft cartier was German agents ware urged from ing with the Russians in the That night as the news burst Horace Wilson, Chamberlain's counting wasps on his own, with biggest
But behind her Berlin to And out the truth and hope of securing their aid, or at like # bomb over Britain, chief adviser, view to proving me wrong, safely afloat. The secret of success as a statis- she left a trail of death, injury report at once. ticlan is to make your statement and debris
23
24
25
How many fish in the
Pacific?
27
ACROSS
1 Pass away, (0)
·5 Luggage carriers, (5)
8 Industrial centre? (4)
Set course for Grelna? (0)
11 Vassul In Belgium. (5)
12 Swindle. (8) ·
14 A ittle bit of fluff, maybe.
(4)
36 Ruln. (5)
18 The chosen people? (0)
19 Wet one to the skin? (4)
20 Works in a bakery? (6)
24 Just a vestige of harness. (5)
28 Unadulterated gloom. (0)
26 Close to being inlserly. (4)
27 Considered as a olded. (5)
28 Greek goddesses, (6)
DOWN
1 Noble look, (4)
I say that the wasp population
of England is 132,740,100, who is
2 Measure of a broody hen. (4) going to have the impudence
#She starts to cast off. (4)
4 Concealed. (6)
5 Free delivery? (7).
6 Cigar that Im't' pointed....(7)
7 Unproductive, (7)
question
and the hardihood to me, and to demand a recount?
10 The man to take control, (5) │a"
13 One stor legislator, (7)
14 Certainly not "20." (2)
15 A break for the workers. (7) | boldly, and then to stick to it.
17 Walks like a weary plough-
man? (5).
19 Met by a simple character.
(0)
21 Well ventilated, ((4)
22 Percolate, (4)
23 If they have it it's been
carried. (4)
YESTERDAY'S CROSSWO ND.-Across; 1 Locum, 4 Dr- owns, 8 Red-hot, 10 Guards 12 Bebels, 14 Cordial, 17 Sere, 10. Bustled, 20 Parados, 22 Oral, 23 Shorten, 27 Redeem, 29 Spire, 30 Bitter, 31 May-y, 32 Sandy. Down 1 Lyric, 2 Claer, 3 Maori, Rage, d Weasel, 7 Bidled, Tea-rose, 11 Ulster, 13 Blushes, 15 Omar, 10 Dealer, 19 REME, 20 Possum, 21 Rarity, 24 Omits, 25 Titan, 20 Narvy, 28 Deal.
And now Rizamughan
blewed a klas at me,) Ort 1 kanady is
Sabotage?
For
True, there wore some belated nows items to suggest that their offence was u trivial one. But,
eure
that
Still talking
if
"IND come
about the least their neutrality, in the Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax sadly
packed his bags and prepared children," said Morrison. "Bo- It would be pleasant to think event of war.
while And
they argued to go back to London to report fore Hitler strikes, we've got Suspicion, too. Was it the that Hitler never did discover
to evacuate them from London. the table, the failure of a mission. result of sabotage? An official
Now everybody knew that war There's no time to lose." it, and was tantalised for the academically across staturni, attributing it
"Good heavens," replied. H rest of the war by the thought Hitler and Stalin were moving
Two hard was imminent.
Hitler's Russian accidental causes, calmed public that two: schoolony eroterm of behind the scenes.
nont was Horace, "you can't do that. Not (TO the ravenaird nomph wot uneasiness. But it was not only the hated British Royal Family men prepared to strike a ruih- covered by his new Russian ally. yet, anyway. It might' parado
the Irish who direly prophesied had all but delivered the secret less bargain,
Street, He stepped up the atrocity tales Herr Hiller that Britala really in Downing Sul, I wish we was in the moon!ize that, with such a tragie launch of victory into his hands...
ing. the Formidable was bound
Chamberlain clung to his mis from the Polish Corridor and doen want war," Twenty years seems a long guide conviction "The Rus- filled the Nazi Press with fake
of NEXT WEEK: a perstitious suitor prayed time for Live world to wait for finna hate Nazism. Hier hates stories about the brutality
minority. ever to be included in her what is, I am afraid, an anti- the Reds. They will never come the Poles towards their Gorman complement.
together."
In London, Rádiolympia with Jessie Matthews, On the morning of August 23, opeived, Viscount celics (the pre-
that Will Fyffe, Margaret Lockwood, Nosmo King, ships of the war, She emerged, bent Earl of Harewood and his he got a shocit. For on southed but afloat and victorious, brokies pubifabed their am teur day Joachim von Ribbentrop, Lionel Gamlin,
On a gongdoolla in Vennies.
brart up
of my blok.
But Mrs Rizamughan was Old-fashund, and she wood nok
So you must soffer in sailene. Fate is more krull han
a pak of slarving rokkodials,
{kenden Expreso1Mervice). ·
to be a ship with a fim. Many
ckmartie revelatión.
(In fact, Formidable proved to
be one of the most succeunftel :
The Fleet is
mobilised ---(Longos, Express Service).