BOMBS OR NOT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23840, 16 December 1940, Page 9

BOMBS OR NOT

BRITAIN. WORKS ON FEW PLANTS CLOSED TRUTH ABOUT AIR RAIDS "The people of Britain are working bombs or not," said Mr. Alan C. Scott] of Manchester, who has come to Auckland to investigate the prospects of establishing in New Zealand a branch of his alloys manufactory, of which 75 Iter cent of the products are being used by the British Air Ministry in the production of aircraft. "Manchester has been bombed and bombed since the war started," he said, "but few works have been stopped." He added that American newspaper headlines grossly exaggerated the damage to British towns and cities, Mr. Scott was in London seven weeks ago and saw for himself the effect of the German air raids. Old familiar landmarks in Regent Street and other well-known shopping areas were gone, houses, blocks of flats had been destroyed, but the percentage loss was comparatively slight, Mr. Scott said. He had heard from time to time on the w «i,\ out from England: "But are we getting the truth about the raids?" to which he answered: "1 believe we are.'' Work of Demolition Squads In London, as in Manchester, Liverpool, Birkenhead and Barrow, on the north-east coast, the work of the demolition squads was little short of amazing, said Mr. Scott. He personally had seen in -Manchester and elsewhere on his way to the office in tfcie morning wrecked houses and shops, but by the end of the day every trace of the wreckage had been cleared awav. This systematic method of clearance had been instituted for several reasons, not the least, important being the good psychological effect, upon the people. "This war will not necessarily he Avon by decisive action on the sea, in the air or by military conquest," Mr. Scott continued, "but by the indomitable courage and endurance of the civilian population and the dauntless acceptance by the merchant service of particularly arduous duties. One must remember that the Navy, Army and Air Force men are trained to withstand the shocks of war; civilians are not. They, the people who write comic notices and pin them up outside their houses and shops immediately after the bombers have passed over, and the men of the merchant service, are holding the fort."

Everything New Zealanders had heard about (lie Royal Air Force was true, .Mr. Scott said. "We have the finest men and the finest material, but we still need many more aeroplanes,"

ho added. "When .1 was in New York a short while ago I spoke to a good many well-informed Americans. They said they not only believed that Britain would win, but that it was inevitable the United States would be at war before long. America is doing everything she can to help us." Mr. Scott held the rank of captain in the Royal Flying Corps in the war of 1914-18. He joined up in 1915 and served until the close of the war. The closest "shave" he had was in an engagement over the sea between Ostende and Zeebrugge, when he was shot down by a German pilot who had already killed his observer. The machine fell into the sea, but luckily lie was seen and rescued by the crew of a coastal patrol boat. Hn still is a member of the Lancashire Aero Club, the oldest flying club in Britain.