GERMAN DRIVE

Grey River Argus, 11 February 1941, Page 5

GERMAN DRIVE

INTO THE BALKANS Mr Churchill's Warning [British Official Wireless! (Received February 10, 5.29 p.m.) RUGBY, February 9. Rt. Hon. Mr Winston Churchill, in his broadcast address, said: “Now 1 must dwell upon more serious, darker, and more dangerous aspects of the vast scheme of war. Hitler’s confederate, Mussolini has reeled back in Albania, but the Nazis, having absorbed Hungary, and driven Rumania into a frightful internal convulsion, are now already upon the Black Sea. Many preparations have been made for the movement of German troops into or through Bulgaria, and perhaps this southward move has already begun. We saw what happened last May in the Low Countries —how they hoped for the best, how they clung to their hopes, and how wholly they were deceived, overwhelmed, plundered, and enslaved, and have since starved. Much will certainly happen as American aid becomes effective, as our air power grows, as we become a well-armed nation, as our armies in the East increase in strength. But nothing is more certain than that if the countries of south-eastern Europe allow themselves to be pulled to pieces, one by one they will share the fate of Holland, Denmark and Belgium; and none can tell how long it will be before the hour of their deliverance strikes.

“One of our difficulties is to convince some of these neutral countries in Europe that we are going to win. Mr Churchill added that he hoped Bulgaria would not make the same mistake as in the last war.

German Troops

NOT IN BULGARIA —YET. r Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Received February 10, 9.40 p.m.). LONDON, February 10. The Sofia correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain states: "Official quarters in Bulgaria deny Mr Churchill’s statement that German troops are already moving into Bulgaria. They add that the only German soldiers in Bulgaria have been there for a long time, and are training the Bulgarian Army in the use of its German equipment.’’ Mr Churchill, in his broadcast, did not say that German soldiers have moved into Bulgaria. He said that thousands of German ground personnel have occupied Bulgarian air* fields, and that preparations have been made for troops. He added: “Perhaps, this southward movement has begun.”

Bulgarian Army

FACING THE TURKS. [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn, i (Received February 10, 9.40 p.m.). LONDON, February 10. The Sofia correspondent of the “Daily Mail” says:—Mobilisation in Bulgaria is proceeding steadily. The majority of those called up are going to the Bulgarian-Turkish frontier.. The German plan, apparently, is to have the Bulgarian Army to 'block th e Turks while the Germans proceed, unhindered, into Greece. It is no longer considered a question of whether the Germans will march through Bulgaria, but merely a question of when they will.

Central Mediterranean

BRITAIN’S FIGHT. SUCCESS AGAINST LUFTWAFFE. [British Official Wireless] RUGBY, February 9. In his broadcast, Mr Churchill said: In the Central Mediterranean, the Italian Quisling who is called Mussolini, and the French Quisling, who is commonly called Laval, are both, in their different ways, trying to make their countries into doormats for Hitler and his new order, in the hope of being able to keep, or to get the Nazi Gestapo and Prussian bayonets to enforce their rule upon their fellow countrymen.

“I cannot tell how the matter will go; but, at anyrate, we shall do our best to fight for the Central Mediterranean.

“I daresay that you will have noticed that a very significant air action was fought over Malta a fortnight ago. The Germans sent an entire Geschwader of dive-bombers to Sicily. They seriously injured our new aircraft carrier, the “Illustrious,” and, then, as this wounded ship was sheltering in Malta Harbour, they concentrated upon her all their force, so as to beat her to pieces. But they were met by the batteries of Malta, which is one of the strong-est-defended fortresses in the world against air attack. They were met by the Fleet Air Arm, and by Royal Air Force ’planes, and in two or three days, they had lost, out of 150’mvebombers, upwards of ninety, fifty of which were destroyed in the air, and forty on the ground. “Although the “Illustrious” in her damaged condition, was one of the greatest prizes of the air and naval war, the German Geschwader accepted defeat. They would not come any more. All necessary repairs were made to the “Illustrious” in Malta harbour, and she steamed safely off to Alexandria, under her own power, at' twenty-three knots.”

Soviet Official VISITING SOFIA. [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.l (Received February 11, 12.40 a.m.) SOFIA, February 10 M. Soboleff, the General Secretary of the Soviet of Foreign Affairs, is believed to be in Sofia. It is understood that he was sent by tlm Soviet to get information as regards Bulgaria’s action towards expected German action in the Balkans, and also as a Soviet proposal for a military alliance which was communicated to Bulgaria two months ago.