Radio Ban and War Precautions

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23719, 27 July 1940, Page 11 (Supplement)

Radio Ban and War Precautions

measures are being taken among motorists in Britain to guard against assisting possible invaders. An instruction has been issued that radio sets must be removed from all cars, while roads arc being deprived of signposts, which would appreciably assist an enemy landing in the country. There is no great proportion of cars in Britain fitted with radio equipment, but there is no doubt one such vehicle would be of value if it fell into the hands of a small enemy detachment. The chances of this happening cannot be gauged, but it is known that the enemy's greatest successes so fai have been achieved by exploiting methods which might have been dismissed a year ago as fantastic or impossible. Signposts have been removed from important road junctions as a precaution against parachute troops. This action was adopted some months ago in Switzerland, where the removal ol all road indications was ordered in the German-speaking section of Uri. Roads themselves are assuming a new importance under modern war condi tions as possible landing pla—> _ for troop-carrving aircraft. The authorities are reported to be alive to the danger, but the precautions taken on strategical routes have 'not been disclosed Motorists have been widely warned to stop immediately if called upon to do so on the road. Already, it is stated, more than one driver has been shot at for failing to obey such an order. It is pointed out that- commands may not always be given at barricades, and for that reason persons suffering from deafness or driving noisy vehicles have been advised to be particularly alert.