BERLIN BOASTINGS

Evening Star, Issue 23818, 24 February 1941, Page 8

BERLIN BOASTINGS

DEADLY BLOCKADE OF BRITAIN " CONFIDENT OF INVASION SUCCESS Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright BERLIN, February 22. In a review of the war the Overseas News Service says: “The view is expressed in Berlin that an intensive U-boat campaign, in co-operation with surface craft, can effect a deadly blockade of the British Isles. Great successes are expected from air attacks on the armament industries, communications and field positions in Britain. “ Germany will also attempt to find a radical military solution of the Mediterranean problem to enable her to take advantage of every opportunity for a direct attack on Britain. The possibilities of invasion' are so manifold that it will be difficult for the British to see through the feint attacks. It remains to be seen whether Britain has employed its offensive forces in the wrong place, because the smallest British harbour or village is of more vital importance as a bridgehead for German invasion than Libya or Abyssinia is in British hands.” ““ — “ • \ COMMUNIST CONFERENCE LITVINOV REMOVED FROM GENTRAL COMMITTEE WARNING TO SEVERAL COMMISSARS MOSCOW, February 22. The Communist conference removed M. Litvinov from the Central Committee of the party “ for not securing fulfilment of his obligations as a member.” The conference elected the new Russian Ambassador to Berlin, M. Dekanosov, to the committee, with M. Maisky as a reserve member. The conference warned M. Kaganovich, the commissar for the aviation industry, that if he does not improve his work he will bo removed from the Central Committee. It also warned the commissars of military supplies, merchant marine, and chemical, fishing, and electrical industries. Newcomers to the committee include M. Kuusinen, the Soviet’s puppet in the Finnish war. FIFTEEN-YEAR PLAN ELABORATION SOUGHT MOSCOW, February 22. The Communist Party’s Central Committee has instructed the State Planning Commission to elaborate a 15-year general economic plan aimed at outstripping the leading capitalist States in the per capita production of pig iron, steel, fuel, electric power, machinery, and other basic products as well as articles of consumption. Among the full members dismissed from the committee is Pauline Zhemchuzina, the wife of M. Molotov. MALAY STATES MONETARY GIFTS TO BRITAIN (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 21. The Colonial Secretary, Lord Moyne, has acknowledged from the Federated Malay States the sum of £450,000 as a free gift. The money was raised by war taxation and additional Customs duties from September to December, 1040. It is also announced that the Rajah of Purlis, the smallest State in the Malay Peninsula, has given £17,500 as a further contribution to Britain for war purposes. AIR GUNNER'S HEROISM CONTINUED FIRING. DESPITE WOUNDS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 21. The spirited actions of the R.A.F. squadron over Albania recorded in a message to-day are pictured in the story of the gallantry of a sergeant air gunner, as'described by the Air Ministry news service. As a small formation of R.A.F. bombers was approaching its objective in Albania recently it was suddenly attacked by a host of Italian fighters. In on© bomber the sergeant air. gunner had his knuckles smashed by an Italian bullet. A second later another bullet seared his arm, and a third struck him in the stomach. He rammed his shattered hand into the trigger guard on the gun and continued to spray the enemy with bullets, after which the attacker broke off the action. The intercommunication telephone had been shot away, and the sergeant crawled painfully through the fuselage to report to the pilot, and then went back to his post. The aircraft flew on, dropped its bombs, and returned safelywith the gunner still at his post. The sergeant Tvas later delighted to hear that his trigger finger would heal enough to let him “ have another go ” at the enemy.