1941-04-28 — Page 7

HONGKONG® DAILY PRESS

THE WAR AT SEA:

CONFUSED POSITION IN AEGEAN: IMPORTANCE OF

ISOLATED INCIDENTS

"The" position in the Aegean Sea has been very con- fused this week, and since most of the news is from Ger- man and Italian bulletins, most of which are untruthful, it is difficult to picture what is happening," said MR. H. "C. FEATHERBY, B.B.C. naval commentator,

when he broadcast from London yesterday.

U.S. LEADERS CALLED WAR MONGERS BY GERMAN PRESS

BERLIN,

April 27 (Reuter)-

CABLE

AIR POWER

SUSTAINED ATTACK

ON GERMANY BOTH

war mongers and war propaganda BY DAY AND NIGHT

are the epithets used by the Ger-

man Press to describe the speeches

We are building up our striking power and so strengthening it

of Mr. Cordell Hull and Colonel that it will be able to keep up a sustained attack on Germany both Knox on the question of getting by day and night," said MAJOR OLIVER STEWART, M.C.. A.F.C.

B.B.C. aviation expert, when he broadcast" from London on Satur American supplies to Britain

The Goebbels paper. "Voelkischer day on the war in the air. with special reference to the problems Mr. Featherby said that but it was also a part of the same Beobachter" says that the speeches which the RAF. have had to face in the Balkans there had been several little to harass the enemy's supply "have put everything previously "Many calls were made on the RAF, and the air forces of the these machines items of news from the sea services. In sixty minutes British said by official war-mongers into Dominions," said Maj. Stewart, "but wherever

operated they have always gained a tactical ascendency over the warships placed 550 tons of shells the shade this week, which, if studied in on enemy stores, warehouses, dock "Both speakers acted as though enemy, Our pilots and aircraft crews have always outfought the the light of naval operations, equipment and ships, and it was the two European Dictators were enemy. had a much greater impor-far more devastating than ann full march against the peaceful

"This has led some people to British fighters were on their de United States"

wonder why, in spite of this tacti-fensive there and could not give tance than appeared to be the aerial attack.

Similarly, the "Lokal Anzeiger" cal ascendency, our air force could protection to British troops against case at first. All these events

"The standard allowance ..in

"ซะ

had their place in the blenaval gunnery is about 60 yards at calls the speeches war propaganda not have done more to check the dive-combers." picture and it was the duty of/4. range of 10,000 yards and, ac- and says that the outcome of the enemy's advance in the Balkans.

cording to naval correspondents,Balkan that was abou; the distance of cur American public opinion "as is

a commentator to show where these isolated pieces ft.

HARASSING THE ENEMY Take the African coast first," "said Mr. Featherby" "The match eastwards of the German armour- ed divisions has come to a halt be- cause of sea 'pressure on their flank and rear. The British raid on Bardia was not a mere school- boy's adventure, but was deliber- ately planned to harass the enemy's plan.

The bombardment of Tripoli was a venture on a larger scale.

GANDHI ISSUES STATEMENT IN REPLY TO AMERY

WARDA, INDIA, Apr. 27 (Reu ter) "Congress must bide by the policy of non-violence, despite heavy odds facing it," said Mahat- ma Gandhi on Saturday in the course of a long statement on Mr. 1. M. S. Amery's speech in the

fleet from Tripoli.

"We are told that 15-inch shells were used in the bom- bardment,"

Mr. went Featherby. The shells weigh "1,950 lbs. and the area affected by the blast of the shell is 150 square yards. With these facts in our minds. therefore, it is not difficult to imagine the de- vastating effect of this bom- bardment.

BIG DIFFERENCE **Some people will ask whether these coastal bombardments are effective enough and that they thought they were told that bom- bardments of this kind of the Dar- danelles in the last war did very

little damage.

་་

The answer is this There is a big difference between the shelling of isolated bülldings, like forts, and the shelling of warehouses

adventure has shocked

shown by the hysterical cries of the encircled people who want to clear a path for war"

- NOT AVAILABLE "There is a reason for this and it is concerned with the air bases

must which we These bases in Greece were few, and some of them were not ever

'rom

alled air

"There is another thing which might be considered." continued Major Stewart. "In most of our and campaigns we have been operate. working along with

torces. In France, we worked with the French air force. In Greece we worked with the Greek and Yugoslav air forces.

U.S. ENTRY IN available. Even if we had avail WAR BELIEVED

INEVITABLE

able a huge air force, we could not have put it into Greece without preparing bases there and putting

them into service.

"We had few air bases. but the Eighty-two per cent. of Americans tewness of these made it easy for now believe that America will be the enemy to concentrate large involved in the war before it is forces on them,

So It became ne- over, according to the latest. Gal-cessary for our fighters to spend a good deal of their time not only lup Poll.

in assisting our troops but also in protecting their aerodrome."

Major Stewart said that they had now learned 2 lesson to keep everything prepared and to do everything in their power to meet such a position.

The poll was taken between April 10 and April 20.

The figure compares with 59 per cent. five months ago.

In the air battles" over Britain no place there had they been knocked out. That was because

PRACTICE NECESSARY

1

"An enormous amount of prac- tice is necessary for this, and even then extra supplies are necessary for the totally different kinds of aircraft which are being used to- gether..

"Had the Greek and Yugoslav aircraft worked together and being equipped with the same kind of mactines, they would have been able to use their full strength. But they have never been welded to- gether and the consequence was that the Germans in the Balkans were not fighting an Allied air force but three separate air forces. "That made the war there much

land shops crowded together in a Fifteen Japanese were injured in her had been able to use all that easier for the enemy and more dif-

[harbour. Unless, therefore.. the Labour Corps available to the

are

Germans and Italians there quicker at work than our own de malition corps, the damage at the

BOMB EXPLOSIONS IN S'HAI CINEMAS

SHANGHAI, April 27 (Reuter) →

two simultaneous Shanghai in time-bomb explosions in the Ritz and Towa· cinemas at 3.37 p.m. yesterday.

Three of the injured belonged

House of Commons on last Tues-port will prove an effective check to the Japanese Naval Landing |

day.

Party,

to German progress and so delay it until Admiral Cunningham is

The interiors of both theatres Mr. Featherby declared that the were badly damaged. Nazi attempts to open Benghazi as a supply port had brought" down on them attacks by the RA.F., and the Nazis would find great diffi- calties in trying to restore the rallen fortunes of Signor Mussolini In "Africa.

Mr. Amery's description of the ready to carry on his work again." Congress policy

"Allor as nothing" said Mr. Gandhi, was misleading.

He recalled that he had at one me stated that as the British Government could not grant India Independence the Congress party should be satisfied with complete freedom of speech and pen.

Was that all or nothing?" he asked.

Goebbel's Clumsy Lies

SYDNEY: Apr 27

between Britain and Australia were vigorously denounced by Mr. Fad- den, acting Prime Minister of Aus tralia, in Sydney yesterday..

He said.

stands "Australia

the British and Greek troops the Balkan sector.

"Australia is fighting as öge

of the Empire's partners which

will pull its full weight until victory comes.

NAZI CLAIMS

airfields any time.

In Greece the need for such bases was just as important and the ability of the. British air force there depended on the protection of the bases." Even if the bases in Greece could have been kept working the

Statistical Review Of R. A.F.'s Week's Activities

Continued from Page 1

Mr. Featherby next referred to The total of the British losses in, squadron engaged a powerful for-

1.

that three British aircraft were

ALONG WHOLE COAST

BIG BATTLE -

ficult for us. The scarcity of al bases weakened our effort in this theatre. Nevertheless, a deal of ground work was done and when the full story of this war comes to be told it will be found that our airmen played just as an heroic part as the ground troops.

"No one accepted the idea of abandoning Greece when the on- slaught started. The omcers and men of the Royal Air Force re- garded it as, a privilege to do everything they could to help them, in spite of the fact that there were other calls on our alr arin that were seemingly as Im- portant!

NEW THRUST

were necessary to hold off the new thrust by the enemy... In East Africa there was a perpetual need for exerting our air power.

MONDAY, APRIL 28, 1941. —PAGE

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America Is Waking Up From Slumbers-Smuts

situation," declared Maj, Stewart. Referring to those people who "appear to be depressed by

the use by the Nazis of fast motor-these four days in the whole of mation of Junkers 87 and Messers- "There were claims In North boats which were probably what NORTH AFRICA was only six. chmitts-109 Icur times their num-Africa where every man and plane was known as "E" boats and A particularly big buttle occurred hers and destroyed seven without which corresponded to the British on April 23, when four Junkers-87 loss to themselves. MTB's. These boats did not have and four Messerschmitts-109, were much hitting power and it would shot down.

On April 20, in the big battle have given far more cause ΤΟΥ

Evidence of the considerable over Athens, 14 German aircraft

"So that "the forces that could anxiety if the Nazis had succeed- (Heutered in getting their submarines into area strongly held by the British were shot down, the total of enemy German allegations of dissension that area. But so far there has in Tobruk is provided by the fact losses on April 22 was 22, including be detached and sent to Greece British were not large and could not have two by ground. defences,

CAPETOWN, Apr. 27 (Renter)-"America is waking from her been no evidence of this.

well prepared bases for them. slumbers", declared GENERAL JAN SMUTS, FRIME MINISTER OF There had been a lot of boasting lost in this fight. two of the plots losses on this day were only seven been large even if there had been

with three pilots saved. about the activities of Italian sub-landing safely.

During the week ending at dawn "I don't agree with the view that SOUTH AFRICA, in a broadcast from Capetown last night. marines in that area, but it was

hundred on April 25, heavy R.A.F. raids on a

'more machines in

WINNING "GERMANY", he said, "WAS

VICTORIES AND now established that itallan- sub-

and

Nazi-controlled Greece might have saved Germany

the LOSING THE WAR". In contrast to Axis air activity solidly behind Britain in this wares were very limited in theil which is concentrated in Tobruk, Europe, included the big KIEL and

ability and, even if German crews and is proud to be associated with were used, it would still mean that the RAF extended its range or WILHELMSHAVEN raids on the "I don't think that a hundred more

a number of difficulties would have operations along the whole coast of night of April 24, when docks and machines there could have had the turn of events in the Balkans", Gen. Smuts said, "The sudden shipyards were heavily bombed, any possible effects. If it had been collapse of Yugoslavia after a brief resistance and the overwhelm- LIBYA. to be overcome first.

DERNA was raided daily also four raids in three nights on intended to send more than a ing of Greece after their heroic defence against terrible odds Claims from Berlin and Rome except April 18 and 22 and the Ga-Brest and attacks on Cologne, Dus-hundred. other difficulties would make these people fear for the future of the Allied cause. regarding the mass sinking of Bri- zala aerodrome four times. A num-seldorf, Aachen, Osnabruck, Dun-have arisen on the question of "They also note that the British |

་་ REACHED END tish transports, cruisers, tankers ber of enemy aircraft was destroy-kirk, Ostend, Le Havre ord Rotter-sending them" there."

forces have once more retired "If Hitler falls in his attacks on and supply ships in this area were ed on the ground, akhough detail dam.

Maj. Stewart declared that it before the superior force of the the fortress of Britain itself he described by Mr. Featherby as the ed observation was extremely dif The attack on the OSNABRUCK was because they had lost so many enemy. They forget that, in the will have reached that end and allegiance to the cause to which usual Axis propaganda. So far the cult because of the weather. power station was especially note-air bases in the Balkans and North fast war the position of the Alles will have lost the war. To succeed we have given our support"

Admiralty has only announced öne Four heavy raids on BENGHAZI worthy because it was attacked Africa that the enemy advance in that quarter of Europe was far he will be compelled, sooner or Mr. Fadden suggested that the sinking of a British warship and resulted in a direct hit being re-from low level in daylight, The was assisted.

worse than it is today. Even so later, to attempt en invasion of Germans should try another ine that was the Rajputana which was gistered on orie ship and other main building was seen to be hit Instead of an "intense propaganda sunk in the Atlantic and had noth-shipping heavily damaged in the and debris thrown high in the air loss to us of so many aerodromés victory in the end.

"I don't want to exaggerate the the Allied cause moved to a grand Britain, drive to tell the German and penting to do with the Aegean opera- course of an early morning rald on Particularly signincant, too, were in Greece and North Africa," con-

"Compared with this funda- VAST SCALE tral countries that trouble has tions.

April 22. A dozen large Ares were the BREST raids in view of the tinued Maj. Stewart. "We still have

mental issue all the rest are mere There is such a rush of events arisen between

The Admiralty had always taken started and there was a particular continued presence there of Gnel-some bases and we have also our that people are apt to become con-:

incidents, Victorious diversions tralia

care to notify the sinking of ships ly heavy raid there on the night of senau and Scharnhorst.

aircraft-carriers which are noating fused, to lose their sense of per- through the Balkans or other parts as soon as the next-of-kin had April. 22-23,

The D.F.C. was awarded to Pilot bases. If we want to make sure spective and fall to put events in of Europe will not finally avail been informed, and the fact that Even heavier blows were dealt on Officer Ross and the DFM to of being able to fight the enemy their proper values and relations him. no such announcements had been the Axis lifeline to the Libyan Sergt. Street on April 24. It was there we should make sure of our in the vast scale of war.

"He may successfully over run made this week made it clear that front in the course of three heavy revealed that in an earlier raid on bases on the ground.. the German and Italian claims night raids on TRIPOLI.

*This war will not be settled in one country after another Fifteen Brest. an extremely heavy bomb were baseless.

the Balkans, and the confusion Europe but unless he over-runs tons of bombs were dropped on the dropped from 1,000 feet scored a

and "And now a few words about the

commotion which Germany Britain he has lost the war". right of April 18, ten tons ory April direct hit on one of these vessels.

has stirred up there will be the The daylight raids The week was also remarkable on Germany were made by bomb end only contribute to her an- for the number of attacks on enemyers who flew deep into the country doing whatever present successes coastal shipping off NORWAY, the We cannot yet afford to send over she may appear to have achieved. WAR EFFORT OF 'LOW COUNTRIES and FRANCE.)2 large squadron in full view of: That Britain went to the as- Nine vessels were sunk or left sink-the enemy because our bomber sistance of Greece and other small BRITISH

"There will never be half-hearted

Britain and Ans.

"They should tell them that the Australian Parliament is meeting early in May to decide

how to make a greater war effort than anything attempted hitherto "

CHINESE OFFER TO QUEZON

in the event of emergency.

SOME SHIPS HIT, "We know that Some of our 20. hits being scored on a Spanish ships have been hit in the course west and Karamanai moles and

of air attacks round the Greek one stick of bombs straddling a coast," declared Mr. Featherby, large ship on the night of April

"They were hospital ships and 22.

The week's

#I

ENEMY SHIPPING

HOME FRONT

Home front.

મ

PEOPLE

in

these hospital ships were the . STRIKING INCIDENT.

ing, three more probably destroyed squadrons are still too small. Bat countries at whatever cost to her- MANILA, April 27 (Reuter) transports of 10,000 tons and the

LONDON, April 27. (Reuter)—* The Chinese Consul-General, Mr. tankers of the 8,000 tons that the occurred on April 21, when a night-damaged.

striking incident after directs hits and many others eventually we must bomb Germany self is to her lasting credit. Bri- Kwang-sun Young offered to Mr. Nazis gay they have destroyed.""

by day and night, and when we tain Is Investing in friends as Mr. Bevin, Minister of Labour, on er on patrol spotted and rammed Francis B. Bayre, United States

Mr. Featherby concluded with sa Messerschmitt-109 so badly that had an estimated tonnage of 7,000 that our casualties will not draw in the process of war, and Britainble of the United States about the The largest of the ships sunk undertake that we must be sure Germany is investing in hatreds Friday night broadcast to the peo- High Commissioner, and Senor reference to the Nazi propagandait crashed. The British fighter was The total tonnage of six sunk was upon our reserves.

is thus building up the moral war effort of the British people, Manuel Quezon. President of the which was being directed against damaged but landed safely. Commonwealth, the services of Spain and the impiled threat to

estimated to be about 27,000, three "Our daylight raida must be suc- capital with which the real new We have no intention of easing Greece, 120,000 Chinese in the Philippines Gibraltar which, he said, was most were continually delivered on troop merchant ships and one

successful attacks others being two medium sized cessful in damaging the country world order will be floated after up, he declared We are deter-

mined not to falter. essential to Britain. In this con- columns and raids being carried vessel

escort and in completing such an opera- peace.

tlon without losses. To do that "As has often happened before,¦ Our confidence has never been The Japanese Consul-General, nexton he referred to a so-called out on Katarini and Bedes aero- Mr. Nihra, yesterday visited Naga new weapon which the Germans dromes and on shipping at Khol- of only 50 feet, was hit by four larger than

One ship, attacked from a height we must have a day bomber force, Germany is thus winning victories greater and it has not been dia Camarine Province), the Northern claim to have discovered

at present, and we and losing the war. To keep turbed by the knowledge that the and ki. A number of aircraft was des bomba amidships. Five direct hits must also have fast bombers. We developments of the war in their immense resources of the United hemp centre, where there is a con-which consisted of a new type of troyed on the ground at Sedes. At were made on another at the same know that the RAF is now being proper perspective one had always States are now becoming available siderable Japanese population and bomb designed to blast through Katarini, a fire which broke out height. conferred with Japanese there.

equipped with the best of these to bear in mind what I consider~*`It ta Britain's main task at pre was visible for 80 miles.

From all these extensive opera- types and although we have lost to be the real crux of the situa-sent to hold the main" citadel of Japanese merchants in that area

R.A.F. Aghters in Greece operat-long 19 British aircraft are miss-many useful bases in the Balkans tion, it is this that as Hitler freedom and to keep open. com- are closing their shops because of

ed heroically against heavy odds, ing. Three German aircraft were and North Africa we must train begun the war he is the aggressor munications until America's" mat- poor business but say they will re-

outstanding engagements occurring definitely destroyed, and others our air force to outfight the enemy and must continue his aggression crial assistance can play its full on April 18, when a Hurricane damaged.

wherever we may meet him." to the very end.

part.

main:

solid rock,

"All this foreshadows new threats and new action in the Western Mediterranean," said Mr. Featherby.