WAR PRODUCTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23902, 28 February 1941, Page 8

WAR PRODUCTION

GROWTH IN AUSTRALIA LARGER INCREASES AHEAD MR. MENZIES' PREDICTIONS LONDON, Feb. 20 Speaking at a London luncheon, the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. 11. G. Menzies, said that nearly 600,000 Australians would be engaged in war services before 19-12. Already more than 400,000 were engaged in munitions work. Australia envisaged building aero engines up to 1800 horse-power, and there was a possibility of exporting training aircraft by the middle of the year. .Many millions of rounds of ammunition fired over the City of London and in defence of Britain was supplied by Aus t rid in. "Whatever our achievements have boon so far," he said, "there is not the slightest doubt that the achievements of the next 12 months will he three times greater." "Very many people in this city and in this country have said to me and to other Australians, 'How marvellous it is that you Australians, all those thousands of miles away from us, should he doing what you are doing in this war.' This is a generous emotion, but I have a grave intellectual quarrel with it," Mr. Monzics added, says a British official wireless message. "It is not marvellous that Australians should be doing what they are doing. II tiiis wore your fight, and we courageouslv were helping you, 1 should say that would be true. Hut this is our fight just as much as it is yours. If there is one thing that is clear to every British citizen living in any part of the British world, it is that your light is mine and my light is yours." v. Mr. .Monzios referred to the strange belief of the Nazis that British women had loss courage than British men. "The Germans will never win the war by knocking outhouses over," he said. "They cannot win this war until they have knocked over the spirit of the British people."

COLOGNE ATTACKED HEAVY BRITISH RAID . LONDON. Feb. 27 Important industrial areas of Cologne worts the objective of Royal Air Force raids last night. The raids were heavy and successful. Cologne is of particular importance to the German war machine because of its canal system, used extensively for the transport of material, and its large armament factories and oil refineries. Heavy raids on the invasion ports of France were carried out by Royal Air Force bombers during yesterday and last night. Watchers on the Kent coast heard loud explosions from across the Channel and searchlights and the flashes of bursting bombs' were seen. A daylight raid was carried out on the docks at Calais. There was no interference by enemy aircraft and all our bombers reached home safely. One of the escorting fighters was hit and the pilot had to bail out. An Air Ministry communique says a squadron of Royal Air Force bombers, escorted by fighters, attacked docks at Calais yesterday afternoon, while other fighters'carried out an offensive sweep over the Channel and Northern France, says a British official wireless message. There was considerable anti-aircraft gunfire, but very few enemy aircraft were encountered. At Calais hits were observed on the quayside and jetty of the tidal harbour. One British aircraft fighter is missing.