PURGE REPORTED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 24032, 1 August 1941, Page 7

PURGE REPORTED

GERMAN OFFICERS QUARREL OVER RUSSIA GENERAL UDET'S SUICIDE LONDON, July 30 Reliable neutral travellers who have arrived in Turkey from Germany say hundreds of officers of the German army have been arrested, 60 of them were recently shot, as a result of a quarrel between the military and Hitler's entourage, reports the Istanbul correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. The military officers are reported to hare advocated that Russia should be attacked before France, and are nowblaming Hitler's supporters for allowing Russia time to prepare her defences.

Tliv (id-mans are beginning to realise that the decimation of crack divisions in Kusiua makes a German victory somewhat problematical. Hitler's followers are now urging the use of gas, but the military oppose it, arguing that eueh methods would precipitate Germaay's ultimate defeat. Messages received in London, to which credence is given in official circles, report the deaths of General Ernst' Udet, aoe airman of the last war, and K. Kaufmann, gauleiter of Hamburg. A most sensational report concerns Udet, who was a close friend of Goering. Udet was detained after he

vehemently protested against Hitler'.? folly in invading Russia, and was deprived of his command. The Nazis punished Udet with typical thoroughness and cruelty Tinder the surveillance of Himmler's gun-men. It is known that Udet shot himself, leaving letters which the Gestapo immediately impounded.

During the last war Udet served on the Western Front from 1914 to 1918. He became an airman m 1915 and it ia claimed that he brought down no fewer than 62 enemy aeroplanes. In 1922 he founded an aeroplane factory of his own which had a large output. His wide experience stood him in good stead in designing new models. His machines secured a worldwide reputation. On September 28, 1927, a big seaplane in which Tdet and a companion proposed to attempt the Atlantic flight fell into the sea during a trial trip off Copenhagen and was badly damaged. The aviators were saved having had a lucky escape. They were only slightly injured. Udet was the first man to alight on a glacier and take off again. In 1929 he made his debut as a film actor. Under the direction of Dr. Fanck and often as a partner of Leui Riefenstahl, the skier and mountaineer, he took part in a number of ski-ing and other Alpine pictures. Udet made a name for himself as a trick flier both in Europe and America. In June, 1933, he went to the United States to fly for films, give exhibition flights and take part, in the international contest at Los Angeles. Goering appointed his old wartime comrade vice-commodore of the German Air Sport League and later, after the official organisation of the German air force, made him a colonel'in it. Later lie was appointed chief of the technical division of the German Air' Ministry, and held that post at the outbreak of war.

KEITEL'S SON KILLED (Reed. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 31 The Berlin news agency announces that Lieutenant Hans Keitel. youngest son of Field-Marshal von Keitel. Chief of Staff of the High Command, has been killed on the Russian front. V v GUNBOAT BOMBED AMERICAN RIVER CRAET JAPANESE OVER CHUNGKING (Recti. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 31 Japanese aircraft dropped bombs directly over the United States gunboat Tutuila. anchored in the so-called safety zone at Chungking, the Chinese capital. There were no casualties, but one bomb damaged the stern of the Tutuila and sank a motor-boat. Another bomb fell between the gunboat and the United States Embassy, and a third damaged the residence of a member of the Embassy staff. After conferring with Admiral Nomura, Japanese Ambassador to Washington, the United States UnderSecretary of State, Mr. Sumner "Welles, said that the United States had made representations to Japan over the bombing. Ho added that both the gunboat and the property were across the Yangtse River from Chungking proper thus indicating that the mistake waa unjustifiable. Subsequently it became known that the Japanese Foreign Minister, Admiral Toyoda, had expressed the regret of his Government at the bombing of the Tutuila. The apology was made to the United States Ambassador in Tokio, Mr. Joseph Grew, before he had time to make a protest. Mr. Grew ■ was assured that the Japanese armed forces everywhere had been instructed to take the utmost care of American property. A message from Tokio says nine Japanese naval air units, comprising the largest squadron since the outbreak of hostilities, bombed Chungking continuously for seven hours yesterday and destroyed military establishments.