BRITAIN'S ORDEAL

Grey River Argus, 11 February 1941, Page 6

BRITAIN'S ORDEAL

Air Raids Withstood MR CHURCHILL’S TRIBUTE. (Received February 10, 5.30 p.m.) RUGBY, February 9. Referring to the heroic endurance of the British people in the face of the enemy air raids during the last few months, Mr Churchill said that it reminded him of the British squares at Waterloo. “’lhey are not squares of soldiers; they do not weai the scarlet coat," he said: ‘lhey are just ordinary English, Scottish and Welsh folk," men and women and children, standing steadfastly together, but their spirit is the same, their glory is the same, and, in the end, their victory will be greater than far-famed Waterloo. More honour to the civial defence services for all time emergency and regular volunteer and professional who have helped our people through a formidable ordeal, the like of which no -civilised community has ever been called on to undergo. “If I mention only one of these services to-night, the police, it is because many tributes have been paid to others, but the police have been in it everywhere all the-time. As a working woman wrote to me in a letter, “what gentlemen they are!"

EMPIRE TRAINEES. RUGBY. February 9. A large contingent of R.A.F. trainees from this country will return to a Scottish port to-day, having gained their wings in Canada under the Empire training scheme. ' After a brief period of further training, they wlil be posted to their service stations, and they are looking forward eagerly to early participation in the air battle for Britain. They are the forerunners of thousands of other pilots, who wid augment the Royal Air Force at regular intervals, from the Canadian training school. The scheme is now : n full operation, and is training potential pilots from Canada, Austral. 'a, Ceylon and practically every corner of the Empire.

In addition to the British pilots, to-day's party included a Canadian contingent, and another composed of Australians. Most of their instruction was given by Canadian pilots, who, before the war. were employed in flying machinery and supplies to remote parts of north-west Canada and Alaska. The keenness and skill of the trainees is indicated by the fact that the entire group completed their training without serious mishap. Indeed, the only damage recorded during that period was one bent propellor.