March of Events

Northland Age, Volume IX, Issue 67, 31 May 1940, Page 3

March of Events

Tuesday The general impression in French military and political circles today is that the situation has slightly improved in the last 24 hours. The German High Command, shortly before midnight, claimed that German troops had entered Calais, but London military circles repeated that Calais still remained in Allied hands. In spite of German occupation of Boulogne, stubborn Allied resistance is reported to have halted the main German advance towards the Channel. A Belgian communique said the Belgians on the Allied left flank were resisting the enemy push toward Calais. Various local successes had been obtained and 500 German prisoners were taken on Saturday. Since May 10 Belgians have brought down 255 aeroplanes. Omnibus services in Paris resumed today after a lapse of 10 days, during which the buses have been used for the transport of troops and refugees. The French Press outlook is confident, although this new note is tempered by emphasising that the position is still precarious. Italy is reported to be preparing to enter the war and June 11 or 12 is persistently named as the date. II

Duce is known to have been subjected to pressure from Hitler, who is staking everything upon a speedy victory. • Italy’s position brings a number of other nations, not now involved, into the line of speculation. Chief of these is the Soviet Union. The “News Chronicle” correspondent, Mr. Vernon Bartlett, says : There are increasing indications of Russia’s readiness to listen to the Allied case. Russia’s warning to Italy to keep out of the war, broadcast on May 19, was only one of many recent attacks upon Italy. Soviet relations with Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and other Balkan countries are becoming increasingly cordial.” The Turks do not appear alarmed at the Western Front position. It is believed that they regard this as the natural development from the Low Countries’ refusal to hold preliminary staff talks with the Allies. It is also thought that the Kremlin has received the biggest shock in this respect, and might turn against the Reich rather than contemplate a victorious army on its frontier. It is not thought that Russia would tolerate Italian expansion in the Balkans, which would cause Allied Fleets to enter the Black Sea.

General Sir Edmund Ironside, formerly Chief of the Imperial General Staff, has been appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Home Forces. He is succeeded by Lieutenant-General Sir John Dill, who recently became VictChief of the Imperial General Staff. General Sir Walter Kirke, who held Sir Edmund’s new position, has been retired. Wednesday Against the unanimous advice of his Ministers and the feeling of the country and his Army, King Leopold 111 of the Belgians has ordered his Army to surrender. Arms were laid down at 4 o’clock this morning. Bitter comments have been made by the French Premier, M. Reynaud as well as the Belgian Government which has announced its intention of forming a new army to fight alongside the French. “The act of one man does not commit a whole nation,” said the Belgian Prime Minister, M. Pierlot. Dunkirk, the town through which the three Allied armies were provisioned, is now open to German attack in the North, for that was the section which was defended by the Belgians. Terrific fighting continues around Calais which was still in French hands at nightfall. A grim defensive strug gle is raging all over Flanders and in spite of terrific loss of life, the enemy has made only small territorial gains. The British Front is still intact though the situation in Northern France is described as one of increasing gravity. 'ln Britain a great scheme is in progress for the conservation of foodstuffs. The country has been divided into 800 self-contained areas, each having one main and one “buffer” food depot sufficiently supplied to feed the population for a few weeks without outside help. These depots

are operating under the food distribution scheme. In this way foodstuffs will be stored in a very large number of small centres instead of keeping huge stores concentrated in ports until needed. Congestion will thus be avoided and essential stores will not run the same risk of being destroyed by enemy action.

Technical schools and colleges in Great Britain are urged to concentrate on the production of machine tools for use in the armaments industry, and the motor industry has been warned that its utmost services will be required to maintain military vehicles in the event of hostilities within Britain.

Two new classes, representing men 28 and 29 years of age and those just turned 20 are to register for military service in Britain from June 15 to 22. More than 600,000 are involved, bring-

ing the total number of registrations to 2,850,000. The Eirean Army is being brought to war strength and placed on a war footing almost immediately. An American paper says Hitler’s new “secret weapon” is a fleet of aeroplanes each of which is capable of carrying a 30 ton tank. The wingspread of the aeroplanes is 200 feet and they have four motors each of 1200 horsepower. They are said to be similar to Domiers or Pan American flying boats, and constructed as a shell, with trap-doors through which a tank or light artillery can be loaded by means of a hydraulic lift. The British Local Defence Volunteers (which are to act as auxiliaries to the Regular Home Forces in the event of air attacks landing parachute troops) have reached 400,000. Arrangements for this force are being kept as clastic as possible to suit the members, most of whom work in the daytime and live at home. In some districts firms are organising their own units. In country places inhabitants look to prominent residents or retired military officers for a lead. Units are often composed of gamekeepers and beaters. The War Office announces that additional companies for special duties in the United Kingdom are to be formed. The age limit for enlistment will be from 18 to 19i years. It is stated that Sir Stafford Cripps has left on a mission to Moscow. The British Government has received a reply from the Soviet Government respecting the impending visit, which is designed to endeavour to establish a basis for resumed talks between the two countries. Certain formalities yet have to be concluded and there is no reason to believe that the reply will be unfavourable.

Thursday The British Expeditionary Force will fight as long as its ammunition lasts was the statement made in London last night. Despite having their left wing uncovered by the loss of the Belgian Army, the Allied forces were fighting magnificently and contesting every inch of the ground. In order to protect the British and French forces in Flanders, the Allied Air Force were making a massed intervention, dropping a curtain of bombs between the sorely pressed armies and the enemy. The German advance is trying to close in and aircraft is keeping up a continuous offensive but the British Expeditionary Force has successfully counter-attack-ed and retired. The Allied armies are manoeuvring to take up new positions in the North in an effort to present a front to every direction from which danger threat-

ens. The Germans continue to increase the weight of their forces striking from the Lys River northwest to Zeebrugge, Ostend and Dunkirk. The French are said to be still holding Dunkirk. Bitter anger at King Leopold’s surrender is being expressed in Belgium where several thousand demonstrators met before the statue of the late King Albert of the Belgians, on which wreaths had been laid. Black crepe had been tied round the base of the statue and a notice affixed which read : “Venerated King, who made our country great, give us strength to wash away the shame with which your unhappy successor has covered Belgium. We swear to avenge this treason.” The Premier, M. Pierlot, and members of his Cabinet, took part in the demonstration. Later the German radio threatened them violently. The Government has advised the Governor of the Belgian Congo to disregard King Leopold’s order to surrender, adding that Belgium is still at war with Germany.

Of the 10,000 German parachutists who landed in Holland, at least 7000 were killed, it has been ascertained. Even those who landed safely took

20 minutes to recover from the shock. The parachutes carried men, motorcycles and sub-machine-ffuns. The men had enough tabloid food for a week, a small meat ration and pocket petrol stoves. They carried automatic guns capable of firing 200 rounds without reloading. The Minister of Shipping has said that deaths in the British Merchant Navy due to enemy action number 1082 officers and men and 116 passengers. Deaths in the fishing fleet total 144. France is calling up every man. even those previously placed on the reserve list for health or othrr reasons. Rejecting the proposal of a National Government in Australia, Mr. Curtin, the Labour leader fwho is the Leader of the Opposition; said : “There is nothing that could be done by a National Government which the present Government could not do. I see in a National Government a danger to the principle of representative Government and to the great movement of organised Labour. Instead of being helpful, it would produce embarrassment.” Mr. Curtin added that the members of the Labour party were whole-heartedly behind the war and were always available for consultation or assistance without becoming Ministers of the State.