1940-12-02 — Page 23

THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 2, 1940.

CHINA MAI GREGE ATIWART

WINDSOR HOUSE

THE AXIS?

One of the most inter-

+

as

seen

Page

Singapore Planning For All Contingencies

The announcement by the

ment of the Straits

Settlements.

esting aspects of the Italo-omfleer Administering the Govern Greek war is its apparent (Mr.. S. W. Jones) that the plans undesirability,

drawn up three or four years ago by the Imperial Government for from Berlin. The clash the defence of Malaya have now been carried out is welcomed as occurred just before Mus- confirmation of the belief that the solini met Hitler at Flor-Singapore plan is now complete. ence. Had Il Duce con-

The foresight of those who, 20 years ago, decided to establish a ceived it as part of the great naval base at Singapore has Axis plan for conquest in never been more apparent than it is to-day when the island, at the South-eastern Europe, southernmost point of continental Asia, is the corner-stone of British and primarily a step in the strategy over a wide area in East Asia, the western Pacific, and the campaign against Britain, Indian Ocean. The defences of he might well have wait- Singapore are in perfect trim and fully prepared for any emergency, ed a few hours for final consultation with partner.

It is not always realised that his Singapore is much more than a naval base, although that is its primary function in the scheme of Empire defence. It is no less

on

the

German comment the affair has been re- markably detached. Ber- lin's attitude seems to say that of course Third Reich will support its Axis partner, but that for the time being this war is Italy's business.

MALAY PENINSULA

Miles

0 5 10 15

RAF BASL

Fragg

NCAFORES CIVIL

GEAIR BASE, algapore.

STRAIT

important as an air base, while the troops and fortifications which defend the naval and air bases make it a fortress of the first or- der.

☆

Ready For All Tasks

Less has been heard in recent years of the supposed "menace" of

All Herr Hitler's plans for Hungary, Rumania, Yugoslavia aimed at or- ganisation of this region as an untroubled store- house of supplies for the Nazi military machine.Singapore to the Japanese Empire. The Japanese have evidently come Mussolini's little war is to realise that a base which is as far from Yokohama' as Gibraltar causing a disturbance is from New York could not seri- right at Hitler's back ously threaten their home coast- door. It has enabled Bri-very good purpose in operations in the China Sea and beyond cannot tain to establish British be doubted. forces on Continental

line. That it could be used to

a

From A Singapore Correspondent

non-European, The Air Force is making the maximum possible use of the local-born population Malayd, and a technical corps of routes leading to and from Singh-provide the R.A.F. not only with artisans and other non-flying per- pore. The Colony's own R.N.V.R. good operational centres but would sonnel has been formed for ground also mans patrol vessels which naturally be invaluable in facili-crews, MT, drivers,, and motor- operate in Malayan waters, These tating the dispersal of ships and the minesweepers

the air launch crews. The Air Ministry are forces attached to the R.A.F. Faris organising a special one-year; manned by Malay ratings with East Command.

training course with the coopera- Europcan officers. The Malays are From Singapore the by tradition a seafaring race, and looks out across the South China tion.

R.A.F.tion of the Department of Educa there has been no lack of the right Sea to Hong Kong, and south-east material for recruits. Training to Borneo and Sarawak, west to has now been going on for more Ceylon, and south to Port Darwin than six months, and these men, and Australia. Its duties in war- who are enlisted for service in time would be similar in

local waters only, are proud to be serving in what they hope may one day develop into ર Royal Navy to assist in local defence..

R.A.F. Patrols Singapore is not so well known

air

seme

to

respects to those of the Coastal Command in Great Britain. The A Fortified Coast Sunderland flying-boats for re-i connaissance work are well known

Singapore is immensely strong in Singapore, as are the Blenheim in fortifications. The coastal bat- bombers, local photographs of which have appeared in the Mala-teries have tremendous range and yan newspapers. The R.A.F. units protect all sea approaches to the in Malaya have a large area

naval base. The advantage héli patrol, and the long toast-line of by land batteries in an encounter the Malay peninsula would need

with warships. was shown in the to be constantly watched if there Norwegian campaign, and there is were ever a threat to this country hostile vessels approaching Singa- every reason to believe that any to the outside world As an centre, although

Apart from the hofmal R.A.F. pore would receive, a very warm some writers activities, the air defences of Ma- have suggested that it may one, laya are being strengthened

reception. day become even more important the resuscitation of the Volunteer by for its air strength than as a naval Air Force in the Colony,

The garrison includes British, station. Be that as

The Indian, and Malay soldiers, who it may. the new organisation

cmbraces Royal Air Force is at present busy flying clubs, whose aircraft will with their roles in the defence of the are all by now fully acquainted in all parts of the Malay penin-be available for training and other Singapore and the Malay penin- sula. There are several Service duties. Another activity of aerodromes on Singapore island, Volunteer Air Force, financed by door" approaches to

the sula. The defence of the "back and the civil airport, one of the the Malayan Governments, is the via the cast coast, presents a spe- Singapore, most modern east of Suez, is also formation of a flying school where cial problem and training in at the disposal of the R.A.F. country the R.A.F. have available preliminary training until ready given to all the units likely to be. UP potential R.A.F. pilots are given "jungle warfare" tactics has been both their own aerodromes those originally built

and to proceed oversea for interme- affected. The jungles are one of civil diate and advanced Service train-the natural defences of Singapore, purposes. Malaya is not a large ing. As the existing cadets pass for, although there is no virgin country, but is very well provided | with aerodromes, from Alor Star aut into the R.A.F, others will be proaches to south Malaya through jungle on the island, the ap- and Kota Bahru in the north to enrolled. All British subjects are Johore, and many square miles of Singapore in the south, and these eligible, whether European or country farther north, are covered

for

Deep Shelters For All

into the

to

the townspeople

can

with thick wooded territory through which Д hostile force could not hope to advance. The additional fact that there are com paratively few roads on the east of the peninsula considerably sim- plifies the defence problem.

-Võlunteer Aid-

The townspeople of Malta have ground, settled down to a new life below quickly get to shelter. The Italian The Malaya Comunand includes Around. This strange existence raiders come on the average twice several thousand volunteer troops; is becoming almost as normal to a day (or night). They have to Europeans and non-Europeans in It has been remarked that soil and British ships in naval base is never really con the Grand Canary, who have fer Sicilian coast, and so the warn- recently been completed at camps them as it is to the Guanches of fly fewer than 60 miles from the civilian life whose training has pleted," since changes in naval

generations lived in caves. new bases in the Medi-practice are always making new Guanches kept

The ings are short. When the air-lasting two months. These units demands on a repair, and refitting avoid a tax on doors; the Maltese be sent underground

to the earth to craft are near the population can are being reinforced by Europeans terranean. Berlin is also station, but it can be said that the go below for 100 per cent, security minutes

in a few called up under the Compulsory

Training. Ordinance, the Singapore naval base is complete from Italian bombs. pondering whether

The Militia in the sense that it can carry out

have been working extremely hard Malta has deep shelters, cut

and will soon be fully trained. ties that bind Turkey to all the tasks assigned to it. Since

the King George VI graving dock, accommodate all her townspeople.

sandstone, enough

The Army makes good use of the Russia and to Britain will one of the biggest of its kind in They were made, to some extent,

non-European man-power in the country. There is the well-known not begin to pull those the world, was officially opened in preparation for war. Not this In the evening most of two years ago, work has been con- war, but war centuries ago.

the Malay Regiment, raised a few townspeople go to the shelters. years ago and now at full strength: two Great Powers more tinuing at the base unceasingly.

The Knights of St. John ruled Different families when the raids Malay units in the Royal Engine- Much has been spent in finishing Malta for three centuries and began staked their closely together.

in the dockyard built towns

claims, like ers, Malays in the R.A.S.C., and the workshops

and fortifications. gold-diggers. Now they have other ancillary units, and Eura- arca, improving the facilities for They quarried for their stone section of a shelter which 'sians have been recruited for an, warships using the base, increas- beneath the sites, and then cut regarded as their own. All of them, anti-aircraft regiment ing the accommodation available, underground passages from one have taken part of their bedding Royal Corps of Signals. and providing the Admiralty with set of fortifications to another, there and some families also have a powerful and up-to-date radio Some of these quarries were ex- their own cooking utensils.

station.

overhauling, and refitting vessels from greater distances. The Navy has its bases in the Mediterranean ex-sufficient for all purposes, but in

cavated and some of these tunnels

ago.

and

the

This really was no time to make trouble in Greece.

Bombs have been scattered Problems of internal security Perhaps Il Duce did not

were dug 500 years ago: others, freely above them, hut in some were studied long before the Fifth Although Singapore is primarily notably those at Valletta, were 150 raids no one in these shelters Column menace became apparent expect trouble. The slight-a base for warships operating in made after the Knights had de- has been injured.

** in Europe, A strict control over “ Far Eastern waters and the Indian reated a Turkish siege 375 years mess of Italian forces at Ocean there is no reason why it!

When the battering of the towns aliens is maintained and in un made

many people homeless, emergency, forces are available fo first sent against the should not be used for repairing,

these refugees made

buildings. their per- guarding strategic manent homes below ground, One These arrangements will be sup Greeks suggests that a

of the largest shelters. Can ac-plemented in the near future by commodate 3000 people.

the formation of a Local Defence "fifth column" was

Without these shelters there Corps, similar to the Home Guard certain circumstances it might be Malta thus had these ready-would have been a heavy toll of, in Great Britain, with brashes pected to prepare the road convenient to send a ship all the made refuges when Italy made life: For Malta is one of the most in every part of the country. The

way to Singapore, which has so war upon her. for Italian conquest. The been entirely free from any had no need to make any more, world. On the island, 17 miles those who are over military age.

The authorities thicitly-populated parts of the men enlisted will be principally impulsiveness of the Ita-danger of enemy action. The same but they set to work to make the long and 0 miles wide, there are

applies to merchant shipping, and shelters more easily accessible some 270,000 people. In Valletta, Singapore's food control ar- lian move suggests that I the Singapore Harbour Board has and, where possible, to give the the capital, there are 55,000. Most rangements are chiefly concerned very adequate dry docking accom- people a little comfort with their of the houses, made of stone, are with ensuring the maintenance of Duce may have wished to modation which would supplement security.

strongly built and have cellars adequate stocks of rice in the the naval facilities. The fact that i They cut additional tunnels which are a protection from blast, Colony. The Government has in have one fait accompli singapore has a floating dock and into the rock, and they linked up but the people prefer the greater stituted a pooling system by means with which to confront graving dock both capable of tak many deep wells and niso the dry safety of the less comfortable of which the emergency stocks are ing the biggest vessels afloat moats which surround all Maltese deep shelters. There is also the constantly turned over to prevent his

spectacular partner the work which can be carried out, with the main shelters. They also in thnes of danger, prefer com- individual rationing, to be enfor

means that there is no limit to towns, to improve communication psychological factor, that families deterioration, A modified plan for

when the two met at Flor-here.

put into service a disused rail-pany to loneliness. However ced only in the event of shipping". way tunnel nearly a mile in little it may be justined, there Is routes being seriously disturbed, ence.

While the Navy preserves its. length.

a feeling of greater safety in num- is being tried, and rice consumers customary and necessary, silence Where possible and where. Ku- | bers.

are required to register with their regarding its operations, it is. pos- cessary, they have installed Malta thus has the good fortune usual dealers. The food control. But the Fascists have sible to refer to some aspects of drainage systems and fitted furs of being able to carry on its or- department also fixes maximum the work of the Straits Settle- to improve ventilation. At the dinary life, to work as usual, to prices for a number of other es- got themselves into some-ments R.N.V.F. and the shore entrances to some of the larger sleep in safety, and to get a cer- sential commodities, including- cstablishment which is training shelters they have, provided the|tain -amount of relaxation, in flour, milk, and sugar, and there thing that they cannot Malays for service with the Navy, women with washing facilities, spite of the fact that raids have has been remarkably little food

The R.N.V.R. are chiefly respon- With additional entrances and been so numerous that the people profiteering during the past *121 get out of.

sible for. " mincsweeping ****tradel improved communication below. long ago ceased to count them, months.