RAIL LIFE LINES

Grey River Argus, 12 May 1944, Page 5

RAIL LIFE LINES

INVASION TRAFFIC Increases in Britain fAus. & N.Z- Press Assn.] (Rec. 9.5.), LONDON, May 11. On the eve of great operations against Europe, Britain’s railway life-lines become number one priority, says the “Daily Mail.” It reveals that, under a new order, certain classes of workers in war factories who can be classed as redundant are being transferred to the railways. Hard-press-ed. the railways personnel are to be powerfully reinforced, now that their resources are likely to be more heavily taxed than after Dunkirk FRENCH RAILWAY DAMAGE'. ■'(Rec. 8.10.) . LONDON, May 11. The "Daily Mail’s” aeronautical correspondent says: The, Vichy radio has announced the drastic curtailment of the French railway passenger traffic. This indicates that Marsnal Von Rommel, after a further’ four days of terrific pounding of the French railways by Allied bombers, has assumed full control of the railway administration. The correspondent expresses the opinion that all efforts are now being concentrated on keepin g the German arms and supply 'trains running. N.Z. AIRMEN’S PART. (Special to N.Z. Press Assn). (Rec. 12.20.) LONDON, May 11. All New Zealand squadrons in Britain are taking their snare in the present pre-mvasion operations. Both fighter squadrons have been escorting bombers to France each day. The Mosquito day bomber squadron attacked several targets. The Mosquito Night Fighter Squadron is also operating. The Beaufighter Torpedo Squadron is harrying shipping along the enemy coastline, and a Lancaster squadron, in which there are many New Zealanders, is flying regularly with large night-bomber forces. Hundreds of New Zealanders are dispersed in R.A.F. squadrons, also in the offensive. FRENCH RESISTANCE FORCES. (Rec. 1.10.) ALGIERS, May 10. M. Dasti er. Minister of the Interior, in the French National Committee, said: ‘‘Resistance forces inside France ,which General Von Runstedt has estimated, at 175,000, will be given a definite status which, it is hoped, the Allies will recognise so that these forces will not be treated as sharpshooters.” M. Dastier added:. “Vichy figures reveal that 120,000 persons have been shot in France since the armistice, representing a loss that is greater than that on many foreign fronts.”

U.S. Forces FURTHER FINANCE SOUGHT. [Aus. & N.Z. Press Assn.l fßec. 11.0.) WASHINGTON. May 11. President Roosevelt has asked Congress for new Army appropriations totalling more than 155_hundred million dollars. This will bring the total United States military expenditure to forty-nine thousand million dollars for the next fiscal year. A White House statement said that the estimates contemplate the maintenance and operation of an army of seven million seven hundred thousand officers, men and women on an offensive in the global war up to June 30, 1945. Tn addition to new appropriations, there will be available more than 335 hundred million dollars that had been sent up for current appropriations. This sum was due primarily to the reduction in the projected strength of the armv. reduced ship-: ping losses, and a substantial reduction in unit costs of war items because of the volume of production GERMAN THREAT TO SPAIN OVER TANGIER,"' LEGATION (Rec. 10.10) LONDON, May 10. The “Daily Express’’ Tangier cor-

respondent says: An enormous Swastika flag is flying over the German Legation here. It symbolises German defiance of the week-old British- American-Sp.anish agreement to end spying in the international zone. Germans announced that they will stay where they are. They proclaimed to-day that the Spaniards will have to use force to eject them. They added the threat that Hitler will intervene with reprisals against Spain if the Spanish authorities dare lay hands on the German flag. The Germans are continuing all Legation activities. GERMAN SHIP MINED. .(Rec. 1.5.) LONDON, May 11. A new 10,000-ton German ship, the “Odin,” carrying a 1 full cargo of ■Swedish ore, struck a mine outside -Narvik harbour last night, and went down in a few mmutes. GERMAN ’PLANE SERVICE TO STOP STOCKHOLM, May 10. The German plane courier service between, Norway .and Finland across Sweden- -will be discontinued at the end of May, according to an announcement of the Foreign Office. The German commercial fair fine Lufthansa will operate instead. It will make one flight daily each way. The planes must not carry uniformed passengers.