AIR FORCE SURVEY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 265, 9 October 1939, Page 7

AIR FORCE SURVEY

SIEGFRIED LINE AREA

VALUABLE INFORMATION

GERMAN ACTIVITY

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) Received October 9, 10.20 a.m. LONDON, Oct. 8. Three Royal Air Force ’planes surveyed nearly twenty miles of the Siegfried Line from a height rarely exceeding 100 ft, encountering lire only once. The formation leader said the line tvas obA’iously unfinished, and it was absurdly easy to pick out.

“We passed over many villages, but saw no civilians. We were mystified about many things, including large barns exactly of the same pattern. There were peculiar experiments in camouflage, .concrete turrets being among huddles of ancient roofs and complete dummy villages,” said the leader. . , In an R.A.F. mess here, the leader of the formation, a young lieutenant, told “Eye-witness” of the astonishing things lie had seen. “Most of all, 1 was impressed by the obviously unfinished state of the Siegfried Line. It was absurdly easy to pick out, because the grass had not yet had timo to grow again over the scarred earth,” lie .said. “In many places Ave saw mounds of freshly thrown-up earth and wiiite patches where they had been burrowing in the crumbly soil. At the same time, however, we saw no one actually at work on it. . . “In one place wo flew right over a huge gun .which a group of men were camouflaging. We could distinctly see them gaping up at us with their paint pots -in their hands, apparently unable to move.

“In another place we flew over a camp, and tho men came crowding out of their huts; here, too, it. looked as though they were waving at us, though, of course, they might . have been shaking their- fists. “Wo passed many villages, but 1 did not see a single civilian inhabitant. Nearly always the streets were quite deserted, though sometimes soldiers were strolling about looking up at us.” ■ ' • • Not once was an anti-aircraft gun fired at them. No 'single German ’plane appeared to molest them. The British airmen can offer no explanation of this strange reluctance on the part of tho Germans to protect the secrets of their line.

R.A.F. UNIT INSPECTED.

BRITISH MINISTER’S VISIT,

(British Official Wireless.) Received October 9, 1 p.m. RUGBY, Oct. 8. The Air Minister (Sir Kingsley Wood) and .the . Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Simon) to-day paid an informal’ visit to a • unit of the Royal Air Forced (“somewhere in Eng-, land”). The Ministers talked with pilots and men, and inspected their aeroplaneSj tents and t mobile field kitchen or cooking trailer, capable of cooking a meal for 200 or 300 men in a short time. This work is. done voluntarily l>v some of the wives or the officers. Hot meals are supplied to those whose jobs take them beyond reach of the camp kitchens. The Ministers saw for themselves the general conditions of life in the unit, which is ceaselessly on duty in the war.

ROYAL AIR FORCE.

SETTLED DOWN IN FRANCE.

(British Official AYireless.) RUGBY, Oct. 7. Air Chief-Marshal Sir Cyril Newall, addressing British Press representatives in Paris, said the Royal Air Force had now been firmly established in France for several weeks. Fvery type of plane was being u c ed or was waiting to he used, and there were many more to come. Royal Air Force units had been stationed in various parts of France and were, working in extremely close cooperation with the British field forces, the French Air Force, and the French Armv. - Sir Cvril Newall expressed sincere thanks for the great reception, hospitalitv and assistance given to the R AiF. officers and men by the inhabitants of the villages in which they were stationed, and to the French Air Force itself.

REPORTED MISSING.

NEW ZEALAND AIRMAN

LONDON, Oct. 7

The Royal Air Force casualty list includes Acting-Pilot Officer F. A. Bishop, of Caulfield, killed on active service; Aoting-Wing-Commander I. M C A. Cameron, of Victoria; and Pilot Officer C. W. Sutton, of Auckland, both missing. PUBLIC OPINION POLL. NEW YORK October. 7. A survey by the American Institute of Public opinion revealed that 73 per cent, favoured United defence of Canada if invaded bv a European power, 72 per cent, favoured defence of any South American country within 1500 miles of the Canal zone and 53 pci- cent, favoured the defence of any South American countries.

ARMS EMBARGO.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7

.Despite the desire of the opponents of repeal of the'arms embargo to delay the vote on Senator Tobey s motion to separate the two main features of the Neutrality Bill because they believe it is certain to he defeated and so would he regarded as an Administration victory, the Administration will force a vote on Monday. The isolationists have lost two senators on whom they were counting, Senators Barbour and Bailey having issued a statement supporting repeal of the arms embargo.