BRITAIN READY FOR ATTACK

Southland Times, Issue 24153, 15 June 1940, Page 6

BRITAIN READY FOR ATTACK

Partial Evacuation May Be Necessary

AREAS SUBJECT TO INVASION LONDON, June 13. In the course of a statement in the House of Commons o” the evacuation of the school children the Minister of Health, Mr Malcolm MacDonald, spoke of the risk of a German invasion of Britain and said that the enemy would probably attempt to seize certain places on the coast and to occupy them as bridgeheads through which to pour men and materials. British forces resisting such attempts ought not to be hampered by refugees crowding the roads and civilians would 'do their best service by staying where they were. “It is true, however, that the resistance of our forces to the enemy would be simpler and easier if, before the operations started, the civilian population of those places was reduced to a minimum,” he said. “In those circumstances it would be desirable before the operations started that there should be the evacuation of a considerable portion of the local population. The prospect is under review every 24 hours by the Government and, in a case like that, some evacuation may be necessary for military reasons and the Government does not rule out the possibility of compulsory evacuation.” A great hospital system was being established throughout the country for civilian and military casualties. Fifty hospitals were treating several thousand military casualties from Dunkirk. NO COMPULSION The Government had decided against compulsory evacuation from congested areas. T t was true that people taken to reception areas would be much 'safer, but the Government could not guarantee absolute safety. We were fighting an enemy who bombed peaceful villages and machine-gunned civilians working in the fields. If the Government compelled evacuation and some were killed it would be assuming a heavy responsibility which should not be assumed short of absolute military necessity. Large numbers of parents were determined that they would not be separated from their children and would break the law L' evacuation were compulsory. The discipline of the nation would break down. Another argument against compulsory evacuation was that the great majority of men and women in the congested areas were concerned with vital war production. For these reasons the Government had selected certain categories for organized evacuation. Expectant mothers were taken from London daily, but the great majority of the evacuees were school children.

PLANE CRASHES ON EAST COAST

(Received June 14, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 13. An aeroplane, believed to have been British, crashed in flames after apparently striking a barrage balloon cable on the East Coast. It set fire to a silo, flourmill, barges and rail trucks at the wharf. The aeroplane and members of the crew were not found.