WAR NEWS IN BRIEF

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 January 1942, Page 4

WAR NEWS IN BRIEF

POLICE CHIEF KILLED. JERUSALEM, January 21. During a search in a suspected house in Tel Aviv a mine exploded killing a Jewish police chief and seriously injuring one British and two Jewish policemen. Several constables and pedestrians were slightly injured. CANADA & CONSCRIPTION OTTAWA, January 20. According to the United Press News Agency, Mr. Mackenzie King will announce the holding of a referendum regarding the ihtroduction of conscription in Canada. Possibly he will do so in the Governor’s speech at the opening of Parliament on Monday next, January 26. COMMONS AND BROADCASTS. LONDON, January 21. It is learned in official circles that Mr Churchill, in view of the differences of opinion, will announce his intention in the Commons, not to proceed with the motion that a statement on the war situation to be made by him shortly be electrically recorded, with a view to being subsequently broadcast. LATER. After Mr. Churchill announced in the Commons the withdrawal of the motion that his forthcoming statement on the war situation should be electrically recorded, with a view to being subsequently broadcast, he replied to a questioner that it was still his intention to broadcast to the country on the same day as he was making the Commons speech.

TYPHUS DANGERS LONDON, Jan. 20. Methods to protect Allied troops in the Middle East in view of the typhus epidemic which “has assumed dangerous proportions in eastern Europe and has made an appearance in Spain” are receiving careful consideration in London. The Under-Secretary of State for War (Sir Edward Grigg) said that special measures had been taken to protect troops against the spread of the typhus epidemic outside Europe. Measures had already been taken to supply vaccine and set up laboratories in the Middle East. The War Office is understood to have been in touch with the Russian authorities, who have vast knowledge and experience of the disease.

GERMAN TANK REPAIRS RUGBY, January 20. Details of German tactics in Libya in recovering and repairing tanks temporarily knocked out in action or suffering from mechanical breakdowns are given by the War Office. Success depends on the employment of very large numbers of skilled artificers in the front line. A German tank regiment, comprising nine tank squadrons in three tank battalions (a formation roughly equivalent to a British armoured brigade) usually has at least 400 skilled artificers attached to the regiment itself. About half form part of the squadron, while the remainder, including a workshop company and a workshop platoon, whose duties include recovering damaged vehicles, are attached to battalion and regimental headquarters.