1941-08-28 — Page 39

THE CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 28, 1941.

CHINA MAIL

WINDSOR HOUSE

ANTIDOTE

Pro-

IRAN

The V sign is an anti- dote to defeatism. It is a defiance, in the occupied countries, of things as they are, and a reminder like that graven on Solo- mon's ring, that "even this will pass." These em- blems have a power to in- spire men far greater than mere logic, since human beings do not conduct! their lives by logic, but by sentiment ΟΙ instinct. Thus the Union Jack! stands for British power | and courage, the Red Cross for mercy and help. Now, to add to these, we have the V for Victory.

The German paganda Department' which at first sought to suppress it in the occupied countries, also, by an extraordinary blunder, sought to show that its Morse equivalent is in the opening bar of the great C Minor Symphony of Beethoven, a product of Germany, when Germany still had the respect and affection of the world, and preferred music to machine-guns. The only result of this was that the citizen of France or Nor- way is able to go down the street yodelling the first two bars of the "Fifth," and when chal- lenged by the German op-|

that never carry guns--of 'planes priority passengers a month All Lisbon flight, one has to get it into pressor, declare that it

that for a year now have kept the planes. Quite rightly. This is proper perspective, was the German "Vik-

open, through Nazi-infested skies. service, stripped of its peace-time toria" he meant, not, the, Britain's metine to the Empae.

luxury, is running Ow for one victory of Britain. By]

It is the story of the pilots who reason only- to bring the whole adopting it with a ver fight, as, day alter day, of the Empire and America into characteristic Jack of they ny through the war zone close range of the battlefront. that ends on the other side of the humour the Germans between Britain and Lisbon- last. Think of Winant slipping over to world.

help it to spread, and give]

at permanence.

i

WHAT? NO MORE FREE RIDES ?

Pilots Who

Never Fight

This is the story of the planes, ten times over.

link with the Continent.

They have just celebrated the first anniversary of the opening of

without! # service

service

Not once has a plane been shot

down. It has been suggested that

need some discussion. Red Cross,

By

Five

hundred

Noel Barber

about

To realise the importance of the

These boats and 'planes that leave Britain for Lisbon are often winging southward on the first stage of an 18,000 mile journey

From the heart of The war, these planes are serving more than 20 countries.

In 1940. they flew 5,000,000 miles keeping the lifelines of the open. They delivered 30,000,000 letters-letters that would have taken weeks or months if they had gone by sea.

South Africa's Airways

Centre

It has now got a good the

which it would be impossible for start of any clumsy Nazi the rest of the Empire to be serv attempt at adoption by air. Coming as it does when the Russians' courageous

Germany finds it useful to have the States to have a chat and skilful defence is peedy means of contact with things with Roosevelt. Could he causing perturbation in fritain-for war, after all, does have done that without a plane Berlin, and the roar of prisoners of war, repatriation--all to get him to Lisbon? Never.

Durban is now the centre of a that oper- the

twice-weekly service augmented R.A.F. these things have to be worked

The service started in June, ates along the familiar sky paths squadrons on their way combat.

1940, before France fell, but while of East Africa, India and Malaya Hurricanes werd to blast Germany grows

battling over to Australia. And though to-day" The pilots take

continent, chances, the

landplanes the trip from Lisbon to Africa is louder and more persis- They never take the same route, never missed a flight.

rbutine, less than a year ago 11: was adventure, tent each day, it may, de- Sometimes they zig-zag along the

When France fell another sec- coast, sometimes they fly wide in- spite its apparent ingenu to the Atlantic. When they near 11on of the war plan of Britain's ousness, help consider-Pritain, they change altitude and civil aviation came into action. ably in shortening the hunt for friendly banks of cloud

Flying Boats Take Up Task

out between deadly foes, locked in

are taken out,

no

the

our

and