INVASION PLANS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23759, 12 September 1940, Page 9

INVASION PLANS

TALK IN GERMANY PRELUDE BY AIR BRITISH COUNTER-STROKE By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright LONDON, Sept. 10 Military circles in Berlin, according to the correspondent of the Swiss newspaper Basler Nachrichten, are emphatic in declaring that the air offensive on Britain is a preludb to invasion before the end of September. It is added that the disorganisation of the south of England is the first essential.

The Berlin morning papers say that the London raids are justified by months of r.ccklcss and planless British bombing, which killed 78 German children and wounded 51. The Voclkischer Bcobachter says : ''lt is a mistake to call the present action the battle of Britain. The Germans gard it modestly as the battle of London from •which will develop the battle of Britain." Germany's Reserve Forces

The correspondent of the Times oif the German frontier says that almost three-quarters of the space in German newspapers is taken up by reports and descriptions of the air battle over England. Some proclaim that this constitutes the beginning of a decisive fight against Britain. Others declare that the mightiest war machine of all ages is now running at top speed, but the official German spokesman, as usual, asserts that only a small part of Germany's war potential has been in action, while an immense reserve is scattered all over the Reich and also along the Channel coasts, ready for use at a moment's notice. The air blitzkrieg on London, combined with the shelling of the English Channel coast, is regarded in London as an attempt by Hitler to prepare the way for an invasion of Britain, but it is stated that his plans have been thrown out of gear by intense British bombing of the ports on the French and Belgian coast and attacks on Norwegian ports, from which an invading force could be launched. At all the Channel ports the enemy had concentrated large number of flat-bottomed boats, oil which very heavy damage has been inflicted in the past few days. Shells Across the Channel Five persons were killed on the British coast as a result of the German shelling of the Dover area on Monday night and again on Tuesday morning. , A Berlin communique admits that "some- enemy vessels approached the French coast in hazy weather last night and fired a few salvoes at random, but no damage was done." "German coastal batteries last night dispersed a convoy running out from Dover," continues the communique. "Four ships returned to Dover and two to Deal, towing a damaged steamer. The eighth ship was abandoned on fire. The firing ended owing to growing darkness. "An hour later our long-distance guns fired on a battery at Dover which tried to reply to our attack against the convoy. Our guns silenced the enemy after a two-hour battle."

PATHETIC SCENE EAST END OF LONDON HOMES HEAPS OF RUBBLE " LONDON, Sept. 11 The East End of London presented a pathetic scene this morning, stated Mr. Howard Marshall in a broadcast. In parts of tliis district, homes have just collapsed in heaps of rubble, and their former occupants are collecting what few belongings remain and taking them away in costermongers' carts or in perambulators. , "Many people I saw this morning were dazed, miserable and frightened, but there was no panic," said Mr.'Marshall. They were people who had just

been bombed out of their homes. There was a strained look in their faces.

These people, he continued, are being treated with the greatest kindness, and the relief organisation which is caring for them is working smoothly. It includes a scheme of communal feeding. FUTURE AIR ALARMS SPECIAL WARNING SYSTEM MAINTAINING FACTORY OUTPUT •LONDON, Sept. 10 A new arrangement has been made about air raid warnings, which are tobe regarded in the future by industrial workers as a sign to be alert, but. not an alarm. This is to avoid all but a minimum, of interference with industrj' and production. Essential work is only t-o be stopped when special warnings are given by watchers on rooftops. The risk involved will be reasonably small, as precautions will be taken to ensure that there is an air raid shelter near the place of work. The aim is to maintain maximum industrial output consistent with the greatest possible protection of the workers concerned. The new system will remove the disadvantage of frequent sounding of sirens. Many people will already have adapted themselves to a somewhat similar arrangement in their private affairs to prevent prolonged interruption in their work.

RELIEF OF DISTRESS MELBOURNE COUNCIL'S GIFT. (Received Septefhber 12, 12.20 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Sept. 11 The Melbourne City Council has voted £25,000 to the fund opened by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne for the relief of distress in bombed areas in London. . The Mayors of the other capital cities in Australia have opened similar funds. LONDON TUBE SERVICES LONDON, Sept. 11 Transport officials stated this morning that services on the underground were almost normal on the main lines, except on a few short sections where the line runs above the ground. Buses, tramcars and trolley buses are running on all routes, although in gome districts there are curtailed services.