INVASION PLAN

Grey River Argus, 2 August 1940, Page 7

INVASION PLAN

ATTRITION IDEA Enemy Statements [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] BERLIN, July 31. The News Agency stated: After the conclusion of the campaign in France the impression has arisen that Ger-1 many is waging war against Britain’ half-heartedly. Nothing is more er-' Toneous. Germany is warring against Britain with the same determination and certainty of victory as against Poland and France. The burden of| this effort now rests on the shoulders of a few thousand men only—crews of submarines, torpedo-boats and planes.) The question when Germany is going to strike is answerable thus— Germany has been striking daily and hourly for five weeks since the French armistice? The method now being used permits the use of a limited number of men only. ROME, July 31. Signor Gayda has warned Italians not to expect an immediate invasion of England, explaining that, because of different conditions, a spectacular lightning campaign similar to that against France is not feasible. Instead, more gradual tactics are required, to wear down England and weaken the resistance. An invasion will probably be attempted when the preliminaries have been thoroughly accomplished. [British Official Wirelessj » RUGBY, July 31. The Italian wireless announcement which was repeated from German stations, that the “Ports of London, Newcastle and Southampton have been closed to commercial naviga-l tion,’’ is described in authoritative) quarters as ridiculous. The figures fori entrances and clearing at British p0rt5—2,750,000 tons per week —given recently by Mr Alexander, is a sufficient answer to the Italian and German claim which continued: “Commerce is therefore completely paralysed, and the Germans have achieved their aim.” It is remarked that, if the German aim has been achieved, it is curious that they continue their so far abortive and expensive endeavours to bomb convoys in the vinicity of Dover. 75-Mile Channel Barrage BY GERMAN ARTILLERY IN FRANCE. (Received August 1, -9.20 p.m.i NEW YORK, August X. The “New York Times” says: Th? German Army has placed or is rap idly placing, multiple lines of artillery to lay a barrage of seventy-five miles along the English Channel from Eologne to near Dunkirk, controlling t«e width of the Channel..

Channel Islands

EVACUATION CRITICISED.

(Received August 1, 7 p.m.j RUGBY, August 1.

There were criticisms in th e House of Common s regarding the evacuation of people from the Channel Islanas. | Replying, Mr. Peake said it was regrettable that any part of the Britisn Isles should have been abandoned to the enemy, but the. Government could not disregard advice that was given it by the military authorities. The Government’s information was that there were reasonably" good stocks of most of the principal foodstuffs in the islands. He added: “The Government has nothing with wh'.cn to reproach itself. Regrettable a» was the decision to evacuate the is* landers, it is a matter of some satisfaction that so many people were »<• successfully brought away, and that the islanders, however hard their Jot may have been, were spared the most cruel horrors of bombardment and modern warfare. Enemy Air Raids on England BRITISH DESTROYER LOST ANOTHER CHANNEL BATTLE LONDON July 31. The Admiralty announces that His Majesty’s destroyer Delight was damaged as the result of an enemy aitattack, and subsequently sank. The loss of life is small. Forty British fighters engaged the Germans over the Channel yesterday afternoon. A patrol of Hurricanes firstly intercepted the Messerschmitts and bombers, whereafter stronger ( British forces arrived. One German plane is reported to have been destroyed. The battle moved eastward as the raiders fled. However several Germans got through and dropped bombs inland. Machine gun bullets fell in the streets of a south-east coast town tonight, when R.A.F. fighters engaged enemy planes. LONDON, July 31. A German plane over the southeast area dropped four bombs near houses, setting fire to one and damaging others. Two people were taken to hospital. The inhabitants of a south-west town went to shelters thrice during the night. British bombers were active. No bombs were dropped. When waves of bombers attempted to penetrate inland across the Welsh coast, the formation was broken up, and the bombs fell into the sea and near a lifeboat station. There were no casualties. Spitfires and Hurricanes went up when a German plane attacked ship-! ping south-east of England. Bombexplosions were heard inland. The raider disappeared. GERMAN VERSION BERLIN, July 31. A communique states: The air arm on the night of July 30 bombed the harbours at Swansea and Plymouth, and an aeroplane factory at Filton. | Only a few British planes raided! west Germany. There was no material damage, and no casualties. Our fighters shot down two raiders. It is known that 21 British planes were shot down on J'uly 29. I LONDON, July 31. 1 Mr Churchill paid a surprise visit to north-east England, and inspected

coastal fortifications and defence works. , Addressing the workers, Mr Churchill said: “I don’t know whether Hitler has missed the bus, but whatever happens he won’t have such a comfortable journey as he might have had a few months ago.” British people were reminded of the precautions they should take, to reduce the effect of enemy air raids, in a broadcast by the Minister for Home Security (Sir John Anderson). So far, he said, the enemy’s air attacks had been comparatively light, but people must be prepared for heavier raids, and must see to it that they learned from recent experiences. The ordinary house gave a good deal of shelter against air raids, and those who did not have other air raid shelters should strengthen a room for this purpose immediately. Steel shelters should have the proper amount of earth covering. People, in houses should keep away from windows during raids. It was important that people should be prepared for poison gas, and should practise wearing their masks at least for ten or 15 minutes each week, to become accustomed to them. Liquid gas might be sprayed from aeroplanes, and this was another reason for keeping under cover during raids. Fire was one of the greatest, dangers, but to meet this the stirrup-hand-pump had been devised. With hardly any training, people had with these pumps and a few gallons of water stopped serious fires started by incendiary bombs. In severe air raids, the noise would be found to be very exhausting, and people would be well advised to keep a tin containing wads of cotton woo] smeared with vaseline. A wad should be lightly inserted in each’ ear when the air raid started. Sir J. Sanderson, in the Commons, referring to the magnitude of direct taxation, declared that the Prime Minister’s salary of £lO,OOO was reduced by taxation to £3 873. The Ministry of Agriculture states that, since the outbreak of the war to July 27, 49 farmers were prosecuted for disobeying orders to cultivate their land. The fines totalled £1,477. GERMAN RED CROSS PLANES. (Received August 1, 9.30 p-m.) LONDON, August 1. The German wireless, referring to the British decision not to grant !m--munity for the German Red Cross planes, says: “These planes have saved the crews of many aircraft, whether enemy or friendly.”