BRITISH FLEET MOBILISED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22519, 29 September 1938, Page 11

BRITISH FLEET MOBILISED

♦ ANTIAIRCRAFT UNITS INCREASED WOMEN’S ORGANISATION FOR SERVICE HURRIED PREPARATIONS FOR EMERGENCY (UNITED PH ESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received September 28, 1.20 p.m.) LONDON, September 28. The Admiralty announced, after a Cabinet meeting, that the Fleet was mobilising as a precautionary measure.

Instructions are being issued on September 28 after the King issues >a proclamation calling up naval reservists. The notice directs men of the Royal Fleet Reserve, class B, to proceed to the .depot on Wednesday morning. They are not to await individual summonses. Officers, other naval reservists, and pensioners, will receive individual summonses if their services are required. British anti-aircraft troops, as a precautionary measure, have been called up. Five divisions have already taken up strategical positions in vax-ious parts of Britain. Antiaircraft units, following the recent recruiting campaigns, have increased m numbers from 2600 to 45,000, and possess the most modern equipment. The authorities have cancelled the leave of the Metropolitan Police, and certain officers have been recalled from leave.

As a precautionary measure, all physically defective children in schools and institutions under the control of the London County Council will be evacuated to-morrow morning.

The War Office announces the formation of a women’s organisation named the Auxiliary Territorial Service, which in a national emergency will perform non-combatant duties with the regular and Territorial Armies and the Royal Air Force. The service will include motor drivers, clerks, and general workers, including cooks. The number required at the outset will be 2000 officers and 23,000 members.

The formation of the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service is perhaps the outstanding event of a hurried day of war preparations against emergency. It will be raised on a national basis through the countv Territorial Army and Air Force associations. Married and single women are eligible to enrol. Officers enrol for an indefinite period and members for four yeai’S, with the ontion of re-enrolment for a period of one, two, three, or four years at a time. STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED (Received September 28, 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 28. The Order-in-Council, under which the defensive units were called up last Monday, has been published.

It states that the King declared a state of emergency to exist.

PREPARATIONS IN LONDON

(Received September 28, 9.30 p.m.)

LONDON, September 28. City banks and business houses are arranging for duplication of their records and in some cases are moving their offices to the country. The many precautions in Lancashire include the rapid construction of trenches in Manchester parks.

REFUSAL TO LOAD IRON FOR GERMANY

(Received September 28, 9.30 p.m.)

LONDON, September 28

Thirty-six men at King’s Lynn refused to load a German steamer with 100 tons of pig iron for Hamburg. They said; “We should not load a cargo that may be used against us in a few days.”