1940-10-04 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 4, 1940.

CHINA MAIL

WINDSOR HOUSE

ARMOUR FOR INFANTRYMAN

Report that the British War Inventions Com- mittee is "seriously con- sidering the possible use of armour of some sort for the protection of individ- ual soldiers looks back to unsuccessful efforts that way, except as to the modern helmet twenty odd years ago. It reminds historically of the time when bullets took the place of arrows, and the feudal system, which one may think of as a miscel- lany of totalitarian gov-

.

are rather, HOPING

this morning

The Ghost

Ghost Of Massey

Shaw

moored head-on to the beach with C-Q-R. anchor out at the stern used for kedging, which proved effective.

Page

Co-Ordination

Of Our Home Defence Forces

By Brigadier General John Charteris..

There is a clamant need for an authoritative explanation of the system of co-ordination of our home defensive forces. Not only the general public, but serving officers have no precise informa- tion on the subject, and the ignorance in. Tocalities which are likely to be called upon 'to 'func2 tion at shortstotice is highly alarmning.

The general definition of res- ponsibility is, of course, known. High-watde mark is the dividing. fine between the -spheres of the Army and Navy. The air belongs, to the: R.A.F." and neither Navy nor Army may interfere vin „it," The A.R.P., organisation As res¬ ponsible through, the local au thorities to the Home Office-and to the Ministry of Health for the Comforting of the people during operations and, for the clearing of the battle-field" ́ ́ when opera- tions are over,

The Local Defence Volunteers, which calls itself with pride part of the armed forces of the Crown, His organised in areas, zones, "and" groups which corresponded, it is hoped (although there is no very precise ruling), to: similar, divl-

| The rewly appointed: Commún- der-in-Chief (Sir Edmund Iron- side) and his staff, control as far as operations are concerned, all Army organisations, although the administrative services still work direct from the various commands Aldershot, Eastern, Western, &c. to the War Office.

ernments whose dictators. He was the chief officer of the singly, practically the whole of crew to take cover to the best ad-slons in the Army hierarchy. warred with each other London Fire Brigade during, the river service of nearly 400 vantage. The fireboat was then

roughly, the pre-Raphaelite epoch men volunteered. almost as a sport, found the elegant, the redoubtable, it was then decided to divide Massey Shaw. A photograph the honours between the regular itself weakened by loss of hangs in the mess room at the Fire Brigade and the Auxiliary Fire Brigade headquarters in Fire Service. (I find the constitu- the immunity with which Lambeth. You never saw a hand-ton of the six Auxiliaries very armoured men on arm-comer pair of whiskers. They may engaging one printer, one stock

even have fluttered the bosom of broker's clerk, one 'barrister from oured horses could ride the Great Queen herself. At all Cambridge, one buyer. from down unarmoured men on events she presented their owner Houndsditch, one painter,

with a fine marble clock that still crane-driver.). foot.

ticks there.

4

By

去

one

"A small skiff manned by two men went away with a grass line to the shore. I then approached the crew of a ship lying off at an- chor. and requested. the loan of a small boat," my request being granted. The rocket. apparatus. was taken this. time and as the boat entered the breakers it was fired, but fell short. A man then dived swam ashore and overboard, established the linc, but, as opera- lions were in progress, the line parted and had to be re-establish-

away on the mantelshelf In less than four hours the fan- tastic little galleon was ready to The armoured knight

He was a buddy of the Prince set out. And then, Dunkirk or no of Wales, too, whom he often en-Dunkirk, it was discovered that was in effect the medieval tertained at his house at South-no one on board had the Port of tank. He was not com-wark. He used to send a fast brake London authority to pilot a craft

for him when a nice juicy fire oc- below Tilbury. pletely immune. The ar-curred, and the Prince would Aimies and empires may be ed.

life-and-death em- "The ferrying of troops with balist or crossbow hurled change into fire kit and ride to locked in a

brace; the very planet may the fire incognito.

be the use of the small boat was now its bolt with such vigour

They haven't crgotten him at cracking; but regulations are re-in progress and going well. By that it penetrated armour. he'd have been hardly a name to the Fire Brigade, but I suppose

midnight 60 British troops were brought on board. At this the two motor launches fouled our shore But the arbalist had to be you and me, if Gilbert hadn't seen

lines, having picked them up with wound up,...

to Do you remember the Song which took

their propellers and, to my great disappointment, after consultation, time, and was more effec-

we were compelled to cut the lines tive in siege than battle.

The two boats with their crews then towed off to their craft and The later English long-

safely moured. bow, fast and powerful, really foreshadowed mus- ketry in eribarrassing a charge of knights.

England knew the value of the long-bow. It won Crecy, Poitiers, and Agin: court. There was at one

of the Fairy Queen in "Iolanthe Louis Golding

"Oh, Captain Shaw!

Type of true love kept under! Could thy brigade,

With cold cascade

ider!"

نا

Control Of Air Arm So far this, though. somewhat complicated, is not obscure. It is when we begun to examine the relationship of the civil and mill- tary and the all-important air branch in detail that confusion threatens. There is, of course,

the Naval Air Arm working under the direction of the Navy for naval operations. Similarly there is, or there should be, a portion of the Air Force detached to work with and under the direct orders of the Army Commander-in- Chief. A separate air command co-operating with the Comman tcr-in-Chief cannot be regarded as a satisfactory solution in fight- ing which proceeds at the pace of modern mechanised warfare. The public has quite enough mili tary knowledge to be anxious on this point, and It is highly desira- ble, that any decision. which has been arrived at should be made clear at once to everybody. The knowledge cannot possibly be of any assistance to the enemy.

When The Balloon

Goes Up!'

Quench my great love, I won-gulations Fo a telephone message was put through from Pinches, an

"At 04:00 hours on Saturday, amiable and sensitive gentleman, June-1, the Massey Shaw healed Now, in this latter end of his no longer young, who designs me- for Ramsgate. The troops were tory, the name of Massey Shuw dals and manufactures them in a made as comfortable as possible comes before the footlights again small riverside factory in Lam-The weakest were put in the en But the footlights are more gran- beth. Would he pilot the Massey gine-room, cabin and hose room, diose than those that dared round Shaw to Ramsgate, and at the end while the remainder were placed them of the Savoy Theatre of her adventures, if she survived, on deck and covered over with tarpaulin, and we provided re- stage. They are the fires of a would he pilot her back again?

"Where is my hat?" said Mr: freshments and food to the best "It is understood that as soon burning city, of sinking ships, of oil tanks and ammunition dumps Pinches, putting down the re-of ourability.

as operations start when the balloon goes up"-the A.R.P., the blazing like Lucifer's embattled ceiver cohorts...

Seventeen wounded. men, police, the L.D.V., and generally time a law in England Once more you went.fire-fight- What follows is largely derived that every man, whatever ing oh ghost of Massey Shawl But from the log book of the Massey learned, were accommodated on all the local civil authorities will those fires were too desperate for Shaw drawn up from hour to hour the metal plates of that engine come under the direct control of his station, clergy and you to extinguish by ton o ter o hour to room, in a space where I would the local military commanders. judges excepted, should your "two centrifugal pumps caping Its three journeys to and from have thought it difficult to stow It is probably necessary, though able of delivering 3000 gallons per Dunkirk..., on "special service," a few books. The craft was swim- somewhat unfortunate, to make own a long-bow (which minute," and your "Sixty 100ft, as his expanded two-sheet report ming in blood above and below an alteration in the chain of com- decks. They have scrubbed hard mand at such a moment, and if the decision has been definitely meant something longer lengths of 314in. hose." (I quote briefly phrases it.

quite the specifications of the firebeat, I am not suggesting that the since, but they have not than himself), keep it Massey Shaw, commissioned at tale of the Masser Shag is an ite managed to get the stains out yet made then everybody concerned During the journey home the should be clearly told so lest ready for use, and provide 1035, built by Samuel White and self more spectacular than the nar-

rative might be of any of many fire-boat was followed for several dangerous confusion result at the for instance, that it should be that his sons should begin Half the North Sea could hardly hundreds of the small boats that miles by enemy aeroplanes using critical moment. It is essential, practicing archery at the have extinguished them. But you fared between Dunkirk and the Verey lights and machine-guns. -known who is responsible for the snatched from the jaws of doom south-eastern ports in the course That is all we are allowed to know closing of certain roads, and rail-

about that. It is as ifta van were age of 7 England was

many hundreds of gallant lads and of the "episode." long a

g a nation of archers, men who would have parished but All I say is there is something coming up behind with the heavy ways to all except military vehi- for you. I think that will have that for my part I find particular- luggage. Arrived at Ramsgate at cles, should the necessity arise,

road traffic. to which condition pleased you, oh ghost of Massey ly winning in the performance of 106.45 hours, they discharged their and for the general control of · Macaulay attributes a Shaw, quite a lot more than the the snub little fireboat destined for 60. British troops and a quantity duties.so different in such unlike of war material. Bren guns, footlights of "Iolanthe?"!

gas masks, theodolites. The crow the foreshore but carefulness of the Tudors The Massey Shaw is one of the waters. not to carry absolutism regular fire-fighting floats that the I like the thought of that crane-hm-set fair and rested at about could he seen. Heavy gunfire and

14.00 hours. '

air activity was în progress. The Orders came to sail again two Massey Shaw was then taken into: beyond the limit of public London stretch of the river for hauling the pallent soldiers aboard and a half hours later. This time Dunkirk harboin and in an at-

London Fire Brigade keep on the driver, that stockbroker's clerk acquiescence.

use in dockside. fires. ·.

under the..thud of the bombers' She is not built for elegance, but | propellers, in the devil's glare of the naval authorities fixed two. tempt to male, a rope fast on the. to spout jets of water to put out the parachute noats, It may even machine-guns on board and pro- Mole one auxiliary fireman was fires. But it was a good thing, be I like the thought of Captain vided rifles. (The first tune there left behind, the fireboat having to those Dunkirk nights, she was as Massey Shaw most of all, tugging had been nothing more formidable make a quick exit. This auxility broad as that: it meant so many with one hand at his spectral than hose pipes to keep hostile was later taken off the Molp by a more soldiers could be packed in, whiskers and brandishing in the aircraft at bay.). A little healthy troop-carrying vessel," That was her, flank to flank, sardine-wise,

other the ghost of his little ferrying was done on this occa- the only casualty incurred by the slon. Ten boatloads of mixed Massey Shaw, and not a serious halchet

troops were taken on board (übout one. 500) and transported to two paddle-boats. The Mussay Shaw

་

Co., of Cowes,)

2

no troops

An armoured knight on foot was almost as use less as a tank without gasoline. From his arm- oured horse, he looked down figuratively as well The Dunkirk "ep'sode," as you might call it with Japanese un-

"The Massey Shaw passed Dun-

At 5 o'clock next morning the as literally on the infan- der-statement, was under way. A kirk Harbour on her starboard herself brought back a further try of archers, crossbow- message came from the Home bow and proceeded towards the boatload of troops, and some more fireboat took on its river-pilot again, the medal manufacturer, Offico to the Brigade at Lambeth; beach-about three miles east of theodolites. men, pikemen, and misold they send one of their are the Mole where there were sol- Still once more, at "6:40 of the and left Ramsgate for London, The cellaneously armed vil-boats, along to Dunkirk? There diers of the B.E.F. both on the evening of the third day, the fire senior officials of the Fire Brigado were quite a number of fires blaz beach and in the water waiting to boat chugged out across the hor were there to greet her. She did leins. It is significant of ing there. Indeed they could be rescued." (The report wastes no rific waters, pitted by bombs, 10 look very ruce, I suppose, the change that the pre- It was decided to send the time in getting to the heart of the lacerated with machine-runs. In-

mined by flares from above and they will have forgiven her.. "It was all very interesting, real- Massey Shaw with Station Officer matter.),

murmured the Cambridge sent consideration of arm-Youngman, one-time Lowestoft Air battles were in progress Hyd below with hissing phos ly" our is for the benefit of fisherman, to take charge. A call heavy bombs were dropping and phorescences. They had less luck bater.

was issued for volunteers, 12 men | machine-gun fire was taking place this time with their salvaging. "It wasn't arfa lack, that infantrymen.

being needed. A little embarras- alt around us. I gave orders for the "The firebout proceeded along wasn't!" agreed the cra

·drive