1939-08-12 — Page 9

THE CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 12, 1939.

How

London

Page

Was Saved

From "Destruction"

GRAPHIC OFFICIAL

DESCRIPTION OF AIR

屠

→

WAR MANOEUVRES

London, To-day.

A graphic description of how London was "saved from destruction" is contained in the Air Ministry communique dealing with the air exercises between 8 p.m. on Thursday and 8 : a.m. yesterday, when the chief events were two heavy offensives by Eastland bombers, one over the Midlands and the other in two phases over the London area and south-east England.

NEW YORKERS FLYING ATLANTIC

St. Peter, Nova Scotia,

To-day.

Two young New Yorkers-Álex Loeb, aged 32, and Dick Decker, aged 23-have left in a monoplane on a trans-Atlantic flight, an- nouncing that their destination is Eire.-Reuter.

ANNUAL PICNIC FOR BLIND GIRLS

Sir, The Christ Church Group

Association are undertaking to make

Fighter More Than Match For Bomber

London, To-day. "THE exercise shows that the fighter is Inore than a match for the bomber if it suc-

Shortly before midnight, observer posts detected

ceeds in engaging it," large-scale bomber movements on the coast north of the Thames Estuary, but low clouds

states an Air Ministry and patches of fog in large areas in Westland the Victoria Diocesan and Missionary up the lessons of the of communique summing forced the incoming raiders to hug the coast.

arrangements for the annual outing three-day air exercises of the Industrial in South-East England Home for Blind Girls at Pokfulam, to which ended at 5 p.m. take place on Saturday, September 23rd, 1939.

yesterday.

ITALY SNEERS AT BRITISH MILITIAMEN

Fighter squadrons were hampered by fog in southern England, but the defenders of London deflected the main tide of the enemy offensive to South London, where bad visibility neutralised their activities.

By 12.30 a.m., all Westland was in darkness and the Eastland at- tack consequently slackened in the

south.

for the inmates

May I, once again, through the co- Jumns of your esteemed paper, appeal port this year as has been accorded in to the public for their generous sup the past, both in the way of donations and loan of cars?

The Air Ministry's.' report re- to the utmost the mechanical marks that the weather tested and structural reliability of the aircraft and the skill and endur- ance of the crews.

upon the purses of Hong Kong resi- over great distances in adverse While realising that the demand The navigation of bombers dents has been extremely heavy as a conditions had been a notable that the present is hardly the time for result of the influx of réfugees, and organizing picnics, I am sure

feature of the exercise. will be many who will be glad to show

700.RAIDS. their kindly sympathy towards these 700 raids on Westland !

Eastland made approximately unfortunate girls by providing to

them with the means of enjoying their one de-big outing of the year.

Rome, July 17.

Many enemy formations crossed The calling up of the first 34,000 the coast north of the Wash to make British Militiamen is the target for a concerted attack on the Midlands. many attempts at crude ridicule in

Aided by clear 'weather and vigil- the Italian Press and on the wire- ant searchlight units, the defending Jess. The papers indulge in irony fighter patrols attacked the raiders, about the comforts of the militia-many of whom were shot down and men and the alleged unpopu-

those that escaped fell victims larity of military service.

light and heavy anti-aircraft fences.

A broadcast speaker this evening compared the life of luxury of the British, militaman with the hard- ships of the "ideal Italian soldier."

He went on to describe a British recruiting centre, where "brave conscripts arrived at the barracks accompanied by their wives insist- ing that they should not be separat- ed from them."

VERY DETERMINED

The offensive, however, was very determined.

in-

Repulsed in the north, the vaders returned to attack the south and the number, and intensity of the raids increased rapidly as the Govern-invaders prepared to strike hard at London, although the capital was in darkness and visibility bad.

was .still

A "benevolent British -'ment," continued the speaker, "complies and puts the wives into comfortable hotels, providing the soldiers, husbands and wives simul- taneously, with five meals a day."

Many invaders were engaged by fighters in the deep searchlight "MILK AND HONEY"

zone around London and were de This remark about five meals aflected to the south. The balloon

·day is a standard joke ́ intended barrage deterred others from low obviously to emphasise British bombing attacks, gluttony.

The bombers succeeding in evad- "Even scented soap is among the ing the defences were quartermaster's issue," the broad-identify their objective owing unable -cast continued. "In short, the the darkness; they were also harass-

English soldiers are provided with led by the defending fighters, the milk and honey of the Empire."bomber being brought down

Different is the life of the Italian Central London.

soldier, according to the speaker. "When their country calls, they 'leave their wives without a tear. When he is hungry, and food is scanty, the Italian soldier squares up his shoulders, draws in his belt and lies down on the ground to sleep with nothing but a blanket -on him.-

"He sings himself to sleep, happy with the thought that no sacrifice is too great to offer his Duce, and country.

HEAVY CASUALTIES

to

to

one

over

W88

Early yesterday, the enemy forced to decrease the raids owing to heavy casualties.

The communique concludes: "There can, however, be nothing. during the night. but praise for Eastland's tactics

formations and skilfully evaded They made expert use of cloud This is the ideal soldier," con- of the defenders, aided by the black- many searchlights, but the keenness cluded the speaker, "while the Bri-out and the commendable efficiency - tish soldier will only face fire when

he happens to be standing before of the Observer Corps throughout the cookhouse. There is no neces

the intensive air attacks, saved city for us to quake in our shoes

London from destruction.”—Reuter. at the prospect of facing such sol- dlers as these pampered English-cause for ridicule. The announce- men.”

ment that 100 French 'planes are to The massed flight of French and fly over. London is described as British" 'planes over Paris is also ! "showing of...”

there

I shall be very grateful if you will be good enough to permit donations and/or offers. of loan of cars to sent to you, care of your paper.

GERTRUDE GODDARD,

bė

Hon. Group Secretary, Christ Church Group, V.D.M.A.

At the

Owing to the remarkable efficiency of the Observer Corps, the majority of the raiders were intercepted.

Clouds and bad visibility aided the enemy bomber attacks, but when the weather cleared in the later stages of the exercise, the advantage swung to the defend- ers. Reuter.

Repulse Bay Hotel

Geo. Pio-Ulski's String Quintette

DURING SUNDAY TIFFINS

1 p.m. to 2.30 p.m.

A la Carte & Table d'Hote

THE HONG KONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS LT