NEW YEAR HERALDED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 29, 3 January 1940, Page 8

NEW YEAR HERALDED

CELEBRATIONS AT FRONT. CAREFREE SPIRIT SHOWN. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph'—Copyright.) PARIS, Jan._ 1. The password “Happy New A oar was riling hack and forth on the \vcsteru Front in French and English as the Allies fraternised behind the lines in estaminets, village inns and dugouts. Front line troops echoed • the cry and the Scottish regiments observed special celebrations. The British Connnander-in-Chier I (Lord Gort) published extracts of a I message from Mr Chamberlain in I which the Premier paid a tribute to the great progress of the British Expeditionary J'oreo, their smart appearance, tiieir readiness to meet all calls, and their courage and determination. Members of the R.A.F. held gala dinners in snow-swept aerodromes and hangars hidden in the woods. The British Official Wireless states that Captain H. H. Balfour, Air IJn-der-Secretarv, has paid a visit to the R.A.F. in Franco. The tour _ lasted two davs during which Captain Balfour inspected many units and used an aeroplane for transport. “I have conic to see myself, lie said, “how things are going and to hear if there are any complaints.” He stated that the only general complaint was that English beer was too dear. “Tlicv are quite right, too,” Captain Balfour said, “and I must see what can be done.” A Berlin war communique states: “No events of importance have occurred on the Western Front. Encmv ’planes which tried to reach the German North Sea coast were forced to return.” AUSTRALIAN AIRMEN. INSPECTION IN ENGLAND. LONDON. Jan. 1. The Australian airmen who arrived in London on Monday were inspected to-day by the Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Command. Air Chief-Marshal Sir Frederick Bowhill, addressing the men, said: “What 1 have seen gives me the greatest satisfaction. Not only am I proud to have you in my command, but I am proud you are here to help us in the great task of the defence of this great Empire. That you will carry out your duties truly and well goes without saying. I congratulate your commanding officer.” The inspection took place at an R.A.F. station near a west coast port. The Australian airmen will fly the famous Sunderland flying-boats, and their duties will include anti-subma-rine work and general sea reconnaissance. They will join two R.A.F. squadrons who have already distinguished themselves, one of their exploits being the daring Kensington Court rescue for which a number of their members were awarded some of tlie earliest decorations of the war. NEW ZEALAND UNIT. LONDON, Dec. 30. Lord and Lady Willingdon and Mr and Mrs Jordan inspected the antitank battery at Aldershot composed of New Zealanders resident in England before the war.; Lord Willingdon offered to act as their postman if they wanted to send letters when lie goes to New Zealand shortly. Major C. J. Duff, commanding, asked him to take the battery’s best wishes to the Government and people of New Zealand. Mr Jordan took the salute during the march past. BRAVERY REWARDED. MORE NAVAL DECORATIONS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Dec. 30. Lists of decorations awarded officers and ratings in the Royal Navy, Royal Naval Reserve, and the Koval Naval Volunteer Reserve, published on Monday, include awards “for unfailing courage, endurance, and resource in trawlers, drifters, and minesweepers in the hard, perilous task of sweeping the seas clear of enemy mines and submarines”; “for undaunted courage, steadfastness, coolness and lesomce in saving ships and lives at sea in face of peril and adversity.” Long lists of awards and mentions in dispatches are given “for outstanding zeal, proficiency, skill and energy in successfully combating enemy submarines.” The award is also announced ol DS 0 for the commander, D.S.C. for two officers, and D.S.M. for nine ratings, all of the submarine Ursula, for “a courageous and skilful attack, in which an enemy cruiser was sunk.” Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Ramsay has been promoted to the.rank of Admiral and Rear-Admiral R. VHolt has been promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral as a result of the retirement of Admiral Sir Sidney Bailey. , , . , TT ~ The promotion of Rear Admiral Holt to be Vice-Admiral recalls the incident on the Yangtze, when, in H.M.S. Bee, Vice Admiral Holt went to the rescue of the survivors of the United States warship Panay, which had been bombed by the Japanese. Ari eight-column supplement to the London Gazette lists 274 naval heroes, mostly from little ships such as trawlers and drifters engaged in mine-laving, minesweening, and Üboat spotting (states a Press Association message). Awards range from six D.S.O.’s and 36 D.S.G’.’s to an A T T$ E Ursula becomes the proudest of His Majesty’s fighting craft. Twelve awards were made to her, and she has thus become proportionately the most decorated in tho Fleet. The Gazette also announces 213 naval promotions, including New Zealanders and Australians NAVICERT SYSTEM. MORE COUNTRIES INCLUDED. (Britisli Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Jan. 1. The Ministry of Economic Warfare announces that Bulgaria, Greece, Rumania and Turkey have been added to tho list of consignee countries for which the navicert system is available. Navicerts are now being issued by the British representatives in the United States, Brazil, the Argentine and Uruguay for exports from those countries to tho following countries in Europe: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Esthonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Rumania, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Yugoslavia. GERMAN LINER HOME. BERLIN, Jan. 1. Reports from Hamburg say tlie St. Louis, the last of the five HamburgAmcrika liners, lias reached Germany after an absence of seven months. She is commanded by Captain Gustav Scliroeder. The St. Louis is a motor-ship of 10,000 tons.