Britain's Threefold Shield

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 160, 10 July 1939, Page 7

Britain's Threefold Shield

Gravely Shake Morale of Air Raiders

BEST GUARANTEE OF PEACE (British Official Wireless.) Received Sunday, 6.30 p.m. RUGBY, July 8. As part of the celebration of the opening of Birmingham’s new airport at Elmdon by tho Duchess of Kent to-day, the Birmingham Corporation gave an aviation dinner last night. Tho Direct-or-General of Civil Aviation, Lieuten-ant-Colonel Sir Francis Shelmerdine, said civil aviation was faced with many difficulties mainly due to tho increased speed of rearmament. Civil aviation was short of aircraft funds but they could be proud of the part they played in the rearmament programme. They had more than forty licensed aerodromes and many others. Every one was being used or would shortly be used for the purposes of the R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve. The facilities civil aviation had been able to provide had made possible vast increases in the number of pilots. Air Vice-Marshail T. L. Leigh Mallory said to-day they realised the enormous debt they owed to industrial centres like Birmingham and tho effort which had been made in recent months to provide essential equipment. Notable strides have been, made and the gaps in Britain’s defence of last autumn had for the main part been filled in. He thought Britain's defence scheme would gravely shako the morale of any attacking air force, so much so that after tho first attempt the full volume of attack would in a very short timo die down to a small trickle. During the past eighteen months the three services had been forging a shield of defence which was immensely strong and its very strength would mean that it would never have to be put into operation. The Lord Privy Seal (Sir John Anderson) was the chief guest at a demonstration of the A.R.P. organisation held at the new Southgate factory of Standard Telephones and Cables Ltd. yesterday at which 6000 factory workers wore taken to a series of shelter tunnels and basements. Lord Rothermere, who was Secretary of State for Air when the Air Ministry was created in 1918, has made a gift of £IO,OOO for tho general benefit of R.A.F. sports.