AID FOR GREECE

Evening Star, Issue 23726, 6 November 1940, Page 7

AID FOR GREECE

BRITAIN MEETS HER PLEDGE PREMIER'S GUARDED SURVEY DISPOSITIONS SECRET IN MEANTIME (British Official Wireless.) Tress Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, November 5. (Received November 6, at 11.43 a.m.) The Prime Minister was followed with the closest attention in the House of Commons when dealing with the Mediterranean and aid for Greece. He said: — " We have already established a naval and air base at Crete, which will enable us sensibly to extend • the activities and radius of the Navy and Air Force. We have begun bombing attacks on military objectives in the cities and bases In South Italy that will continue on an ever-growing scale. I would also say forces are in movement with desire to help Greece to the utmost of our capacity, having regard to our other obligations. I hope I shall not be asked to give any other account of such measures, as we are able to take. If I were to set them too high I should raise false hopes; if I set them too low" I might cause undue despondency; if I said only what they were that would be exactly what the enemy. would like to know. We shall do what we can—that is all 1 can say.” As to the circumstance of the Italian movement against Greece. Mr Churchill emphasised the care with which the British Government refrained from any action likely to impose upon the Greeks the enmity of the criminal dictators, and that for their part the Greeks maintained so strict a neutrality that the British Government- was un r acquainted with their intentions and dispositions. “The Greek king, his Government, and his people have resolved to fight ■ for their life . and honour. France and Britain guaranteed to go to the aid of Greece if she were the victim of unprovoked aggression. It was a joint agreement,, hut, unhappily, the Vichy Government is engaged at this moment in loyal collaboration with Hitler and his scheme of establishing a so-called “ new order ” in Europe. At any rate, the Vichy Government is no longer in a position to play an effective part in the task Britain and France had accepted.”

INVASION PORTS

BOMBED BY R.A.F. MAIN ATTACK AGAINST BOULOGNE LONDON, November 5. ■ (Received November 6, at 8 a.m.) ' It is officially stated that owing to adverse weather the R.A.F. bomber operations last night were not on a heavy scale. However, the invasion ports and aerodromes in enemy-occupied France were attacked. While the Germans, disregarding the bad weather, attacked widespread areas in Britain, the R.A.F. flew across the Channel to-night in the teeth of a southerly gale, to bombard targets on the French coast. The flashes of exploding bombs, searchlights sweeping the sky, and the burst of shells were visible from the English coast. The attacks appeared to bo aimed against Boulogne and also-the long-range guns at Cap Gris Nez. ADRIFT IN SMALL BOATS SEAMEN RESCUED BY TANKER ALGECIRAS, November 3. (Received November 6, at 1 p.ra.) Twenty-eight members of the crew of the Kingston Sapphire arrived at Gibraltar. They spent 15 days in small boats before they were picked up by a Spanish tanker. Thirteen of the crew were drowned. SHIPPING LOSSES NAZIS DOUBLE THE FIGURES (British Official Wireless,) RUGBY. November 5. (Received November 6, at 0.20 a.m.) The mercantile shipping losses duo to enemy action in the week ending October 27-28 were eight ships of a total tonnage of 10,860, comprising six British (9,086 tons) and two Allied (6,874 tons); Besides the 42,348 tons loss represented by the Empress of Britain, which has already been announced, the Germans claim a total of 33,000 tons merchant shipping sunk. The enemy losses to October 31 were: —German. 220 ships of 1,132,639 tons, an increase of 05,639 tons since September 29; Italian, 72 ships of 365,661 tons, an increase of 71,661 tons; and 27 other enemy vessels, of 44,190 tons, under enemy control or useful to the enemy, an increase of 11,190 tons.

AIR RAIDS ON BRITAIN

LONDON THE MAIN OBJECTIVE THREE ATTACKS BEATEN OFF (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, November 5. (Received November 6, at 11.30 a.m.) An Air Ministry communique states: There have been three enemy attacks on Loudon to-day, each time by several squadrons, and one of about the same size in Dorset. This last did not penetrate beyond the coast, and a iew bombs dropped in the water caused no damage or casualties. The raids on London were composed mostly of fighters operating at a great height. Our fighters and anti-aircraft guns engaged the enemy, and none succeeded in penetrating to the capital. A few bombs were dropped in several towns in East Kent. In Ramsgate and one other town damage was done to private property. There was little damage elsewhere. The casualties were few, but they include some killed. Three enemy aircraft were destroyed. Throe of our fighters wore lost, but the pilots are safe. The attacks on Britain were resumed before darkness last night, and were widespread and on a fairly heavy scale. Bombs wore dropped in many places in England and Scotland, but the damage was relatively slight. London was again the main objective, but bombs foil in two towns in the Midlands, the Merseyside, and places in South-east England and the Eastern Counties. The number of killed and injured was small. SEVEN RAIDERS DOWN LONDON, November 5. (Received November G, at 1 p.m.) It was reported at 9 o’clock that seven enemy aircraft were destroyed to-day. Sis R.A.F. fighters wore lost, but three of the pilots are safe. _ LONDON S LONGEST NIGHT RAID LONDON, November 5. (Received November 6, at 11.35 a.m.) After the longest night raid of the hlitzkreig London had two alarms before noon to-day. The R.A.F. intercepted two enemy formations of 11, each flying at 20,000 ft above the sea, forced back one formation, and scattered the other. A high explosive fell in the London area. One person was killed and eight injured.

GERMAN SUBMARINES

TWO SUNK IN FIVE DAYS ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS OF EMPRESS OF BRITAIN (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, November 5. (Received November C, at 10.5 a.m.) The destruction of two U-boats in five days, one of which sank the Empress of Britain, is revealed in an Admiralty statement. The sinking of tho Empress of Britain constitutes a heavy loss, but although it is unusual for the Admiralty to publish regular sinkings of U-boats it is able to state that two German U-boats were sunk during the period, one of which was the U-hoat responsible for sinking the Empress of Britain.