1941-02-27 — Page 39

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THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 27, 1941.

CHINA MAIL

"-WINDSOR HOUSE

THE PARTNERS SPEAK

ex-

The two European Axis part- ners have spoken but it is tremely doubtful whether the must ardent Nazi or Fascist re- ceived any reassurance from what their leaders said. The Italians certainly did not. Mussolini's speech, which was, as he himsel! confessed, given reluctantly, was nothing

more tha a series fechle excuses for Italy's downfall for which he alone is responsible He put forward the argument that the as Italy was unprepared for war at the same time as she had already been at war for six years' -her losses were understandable

000

*.f

In the next breath he declared that Haly WDS supporting the weight of 2,000,000 solders. an enormous air force and artil Jery. He gave, mdeed, some in- teresting figures of the great pre- parations which were made to capture Egypt and destroy Brit- ish might in the Mediterranean area. He had sent, he said. 1,900 gins of all calibres and of the minst recent type, more than 15,- 300 machine-guns, 11,000,000 art- illery shells, more than 1,000,000,-

for rounds of ammunition automatic weapons, 24,000 tons al clothing and 759 armoured car's These figures, outlining the care- ful preparations the Italians had made in Libya, are worth quoting as they not only refute his state- ments of "unpreparedness”. but they also indicate The strength against which the British had to contend, and give an idea of the amount of "war materials" cap tured. His farther plaintive com- plaint that Haly had always been obliged to fight her wars far afield was a gross mis-statenient as Al- far banta cannot be considered

way. Mussolini, who constantly erts that he is the spotless child of truth, can, when the occasion suits him, prevaricate as well as is partner in crime, who wrote un his book "Mein Kampf". the big lie there is always a rer- tan force of credibility

the

"In

47

THE SAME OLD RECORD

DREAMS

HUMANITY

ERSATZ

LA

57

CRIME

RUINS

ONE MIRACULOUS

WE

HAVE

VICTORIES

PEACE

BEHIND

AD NAUSEAM

F

MUNICH

BEER CELLAR

Empire Heroes

East And West

14

Pilot Officer

a

J. R. B. Meaker,

has

recon-

Page T

They Go On Fishing

I can't mention the names of the trawlers or the skippers concern- ed; but at about midday the first put his trawl down about 15 miles off the

in coast, which wasn't sight. There was a slight easterly breeze and something of a haze, though no sea to speak of, when, at half-past twelve, two enemy aircraft were seen to the south- eastward and approaching fast. They lived down, and spent the next hour-and-a-quarter circling round and attacking ut close range.

They started by dropping several bonibs, which fell "ufficiently close to send their splinters raining on board, to do much damage. Meanwhile, the third hand had got busy with nis

By "Taffrail"

first

ma-

Lewis gun, plastering the Heinkel at close range and ap- parently damaging her, for after time she flew off out of sight. But before this both aircraft flew round and round in circles

with Spraying the trawler chine-gun bullets

It was against one, and the trawler, with her crew of nine, was a very easy target, particularly as her trawl was down and she couldn't weigh it. As her skipper said, she could unly hope for the best and steam round and round in circles.

tw.)

'em

for one-

Well, that little ship--she was a ship of 159 tons, forty-one years old-was fairly riddled with bul- lets and bomb splinters. Her fuel, mast, ventilators, super- structure, wheelhouse, sides and deck were punctured again and again. The compass and telegraph were damaged; the shrouds, rig- ging, wireless aerial-practically every rope--cut or stranded. One bullet went in through the open door of the galley and punctured the oven door after wounding the cook, The hand manning the Lewis gun was also wounded, as was the skipper who told me the story. A bullet which had first hit some- British airmen operating against | attack on two occasions and mai

At the who comes from Ireland, although thing else struck him in the back the Italians in the Middle East, as {chine-gunned the boat.

of his head. "I felt something hot," well as against the Nazis in Ger-end of the day he returned to his only 21, has shown himself to be many and occupied territory are

his pri-resolute in attack, with a calm, he said, "and put up my hand and base and handed over

this in the neck of my included In the latest lists of soners. In the announcement of determined temperament." He has found

five aircraft.jersey." showing me a splayed out Hitler's speech in which he awards issued by the British Air the award it is stated that Acting shut down at least

copper bullet with the usual steel kindly informed his listeners that Ministry. The airinen rume from Flight Lieutenant Campbell had Pilot Officer T. F. Neill has des shown "skill, initiative and deyo-troyed six and Pilot Officer N. K.

core. He showed me the scar, too. Stansfield,

Canadian,

Another bullet went through his he was "feeling more fresh than many parts of the Empire.

Major Robert Henning Proller tion to duty.' ever," was given on the 21st an-

jersey, and there were more frag- Flight Sergeant Bertram James brought down seven, niversary of the birth of the Nazis the first South African pilot to

Le decorated in this war. He Thomas, of the Middle East Com- One of the best photographers ments of metal in his head and Parly.

Force has just one shoulder. "I can feel It lasted one and a half serving in the Middle East and mand, has been awarded the Dis- of the Royal Air

By a been awarded a bar to his D.F.C. pricking," he explained. "My old hours, the greater part being de-↑ has been awarded the Distinguish- tinguished Flying Medal.

woman picks out two or three new cupied in retracing the growth ofled Flying Cross, While operating superhuman effort he saved his He is Flying Offeer Alistair Len1-

bits every morning.' the Nazi party and incidentally, ; over Italian territory his plane plane and the life of his air gun-ox Taylor. One recent

ner. obscure was hit and forced down, He was

After a dive bombing raid naissance over Kiel, the announce-

The other story's about a 33- his own rise from

considered the rank of a disgruntled agitator, to, listed as lost. For fourteen days on a gun position he attacked an inent states. was

he tramped across the desert. Italian aircraft. He was hit by most valuable for the Navy dur-year old trawler which was also his present position as unhappy

Fufering terrible hardship, but an explosive bullet and severely ing the war. Another time he took intermittently attacked

and-a-half hours when engaged secured figurehead of the German nation.

eventually

into staggered

the wounded in the

fog and right shoulder.off Hitler's speech differed from Mus-British lines. He gave directions Behind him his observer was kill- valuable photographs of the Dort-in fishing. She didn't carry a ma- chine-gun; but her skipper fired the most solini's only in the fact that the which led to the rescue of his aired. Despite his weakness through mund-Ems Aqueduct,

his rifle every time the acroplane Germany's the bit crew. His deed was one of great loss

point of of blood. Flight Sergeant vulnerable

The aircraft dropped latter has already tasted

Thomus set his course for Berbera, busiest industrial waterway. From caine near. ter fruit of defeat and was try-endurance.

Another pilot serving in the about forty miles away.

Almost other exceptionally successful re-several bombs, which missed, and for his ing to soothe his people

of blood, and connaissancas ne brought back then used her machine-guns, The Middle East who has been award- exhausted by loss

there diplomatic failures and calastro-

ed the D.F.C. is Acting Flight with his right shoulder useless, he photographs of Cap Gris Nez and ship was hit again and again, and phie military rebuffs, while the Lieutenant William Weir Comp- made a successful landing, with Flushing. He has completed 60 of cases, as th

casualties, as the men had taken former spoke of the preparations bell He is in charge of a flying the undercarriage of his plane these photographic missions.

cover-all except the skipper, who defeat boat. He sark two Italian sub- | retracted. The official description Germany was making to

Described as a particularly bril bobbed up every now and then to "Enemy No. 1" as Mussolini des-marines in two days and machine- of his bravery is "a superhuman lant tactician, Flight Lieutenant are his rifle.

had effort."

Archibald Ashmere McKellar has cribed the British people. There gunned a third because he

Seven fighter pilots who

Then he had the idea of firing re-been awarded the

his bar to were. however, various points in run short of bombs. He is known

for us "Dead Eye Dick." call

of ordinary rockets, pointing them in defence ceive awards, six the D.F.C. and D.F.C. During the Hitler's speech which

While on patrol he sighted his one a bar to the D.F.C., have be- London he shot down eight planes the acroplane's direction. He fired comment, both on account of their

first submarine and immediately tween them shot down 54 aircraft in eight days, and led his squa-eight in all, and the aircraft, mis- inaccuracies, but also because of set his plane into a dive. As he over Britain and Dunkirk.

Pilot dron with fighting spirit and te-taking them for something lethal, 'kept at a respectable height, "But the facts which they were intend-flattened out, he released his Officer W. L. McKnight, a Cana- source,

bombs. The submarine reared dian, receives the

I expect we'd have been done in," bar to

To conclude, here is a simple the skipper told me, "if the fog His talk of the Versailles Treaty, out of the water, nose first, like D.F.C. He has destroyed six Ger- story which is typical of the hadn't come down and saved us. his protestations of innocence, his a stricken fish, and then slid back man machines in the last thirteen courage of civilians of the British We chopped our gear away and again vertically and sank from weeks. He is described as a "cour- Isles. In their everyday life now steamed full speed towards the desire for justice have been re-

sight. All that remained was a ageous and tenacious fighter." have be-

they are likely to run into dat

where shore,

the aeroplane peated so often-they

Flight Lieutenant J. I, Kilmar- come a formula in all his public

The following day he spotted a tin has downed 12 machines, and ger, but they are always ready to mightn't have followed even if the Ger- Italian submarine on the surface. his dash and determination, with

meet it with a stout heart:

fog had lifted." utterances--that even the

William Joseph Jenkins is a the clear thinking, combing to make man people looking at Europe to- Again he dived and before

What amazed me was the calm Swansea air raid messenger. A day must feel that these declara- crew realised

attacked, he had let go his bombs. Flight Lieutenant

they were being him a magnificent leüder. Acting rait was at its height. An urgent sort of way these men accepted

P. S. Turner, tions of peaceful intentions

the another Canadian, has shot down message had to be taken from the situation. They were neither somewhat out of date, but here They found a mark beside

of them young. Both had wives conning tower. In spite of and there cautiously interpolated rough sea and

aten machines. On September 15, Manselton to the control room, a a gathering storm, one of the three victorious days distance of some three miles, Jen- und families. Their general at- sentences hold the attention. One Campbell taxied his flying boat { referred to by the Prime Minister, kins mounted his motor cycle and titude, like that of the men of the was with great skill among the wreck- Mr. Winston Churchill, in a mes- set off on the journey, avoiding Merchant Navy, was that they

ed to conceal.

are

..I have

taken on," he added, "many de mocratic enemies in the past and have always been victorious." This strange reference

patch of bubbles.

sage

the

in dense

were

ΠΟ

of these injected thoughts

prevented gas mains weren't going to be embodied in his remark that "only age of the submarine and rescued

of congratulation to the wreckage and burst He then a few fools could ever thinks of four of the crew.

re-Fighter Command, he brought Falling bricks knocked him from from going to sea and earning sumed his patrol and spotted

machine, but his

and their livings by any pestilential dazed revolution in Germany.

third submarine. Although had no bombs left he dived to the few seconds it locked as though knocked him unconscious. Helpers

he down a Nazi machine, and was bruised he remounted. He hat Germans. Come what might, they'd he then hit by cannon shell. For a'

a not gone far before borals carry on, and be damned to the

Huns. his machine were helpless and out-

They were phlegmatic, stolid came and he recovered, and in- of control, but by clever hand-

men, these two skippers; hard- to the state of ing of his lost opportunities and ling he regained control, and even sisted on continuing with his ur- mind developing in Germany is his failure to win the first bout destroyed a second 'plane before half mile to go. The tyres of his ther and a hard life. It didn't seem He had another bitten seamen inured to foul wca- gent message. significant and hardly, one would last September? Those are a few he brought his own damaged' ma- machine were flat, ripped open to occur to them that they wero- think, necessary for а beloved of the chinks in Hitler's armour chino safely back to his base,

by bomb.splinters, but he rode on, doing anything particularly dar- leader to utter. Against, whom which show the world that he is Flying Officer T. A. F. Elsdon. He was blown off yet again, but ng or praiseworthy in adding to was the threat directed. The not as invincible as he would like from Scotland, has a bag of six still he remounted, and delivered the nation's food supply of fresh 'fish, though' in these days thelp job Fuehrer then expressed the read-it to think. Possibly our Far to his credit,On September 4,

his message, when leading his squadron, his

Is just as tough as that of the iness of Germany to "measure East neighbour, Japan, will not

method of attack was successful Jenkins háu been awarded the thousands of others, from the fish- our strength again." We like this fall to draw the necessary con- in destroying nine aircraft and George Medal recently instituteding fleets who are serving in the word, "again". Was Hitler think-] clusion,

probably three more.,

by the King,

minesweepers and patrol craft.