FATEFUL YEAR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20142, 11 January 1940, Page 11

FATEFUL YEAR

WORLD HISTORY QUIET OPENING “CALM BEFORE STORM" LAND BATTLES AHEAD ALLIED PREPARATION CHAMBERLAIN REVIEW (Eire. Tol. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Jan. 10. 2.50 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 0. ‘•This new year, which probably will be a fateful one in the history of the world opened quietly, but it is the quiet of the calm before the storm, said the Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, in his speech in Mansion House to-day. ‘‘We know that what is happening in the air and on the land is merely preliminary to the main struggle. “It is only on the sea that war may be said to be in full operation. It is on the sea that we can discern most clearly the trend of hostilities in the first four months of the war. “I think we shall find the result is not unsatisfactory if a survey is made of the progress o£ sea warfare. The attacks upon our fleets have at present produced meagre results. “Every day there are upon the oceans of the world no fewer than 11,000.000 tons of British shipping. We have lost two large warships, a certain number of smaller vessels and a number of valuable lives, yet our command of the sea is unimpaired. The defeat of the Grav von Spec was one of the finest naval actions in all our history. It was followed by her self-destruction rather than face a renewal of the light. “The South Atlantic was cleared of that raider and irreparable damage was inflicted on German naval prestige throughout the world.” The total men registered, or liable to be called up under the proclamation was from 2,500,000 to 2,750,000, said Mr. Chamberlain. Speaking of civil defence he said it was not surprising that some asked whether all the air raid precautions were necessary and whether we had \not gone too far in the direction of safety. “I wish I could take that view,” he declared. “I do not consider the risk of air raids over or diminished. It certainly would be a capitaL mistake if we reversed the policy. “Although we are not actually fighting on land we are preparing to do so with the greatest effect at the right moment, for which reason we are devoting more and more manpower to armament production.” REPORTED MISSING AIR FORCE OFFICER WELLINGTON MAN (Per Pross Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Cable advice lias been received the Air Ministry that FlyingOfficer John Denys Williams is reported missing and is believed to have lost Iris life.

He was the younger son of Mrs. R G. B. Williams, Wellington, and was educated at the Auckland Grammar School and Wellington College. He left New Zealand in 1937 to join the Royal Air Force and was promoted a flying officer last year, when. he was posted to duty in Ceylon.