NEW MINEFIELDS

Evening Star, Issue 23685, 19 September 1940, Page 10

NEW MINEFIELDS

FRESH PROBLEMS FOR NAZIS I.A.F.'S EXTENSIVE OPERATIONS MANY VICTIMS ALREADY CLAIMED Press Association— By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, September 18. (Received September 19. at 8 a.m,) Flying hundreds of thousands of miles, with only one or two losses, the R.A.F. has laid over 30 separate minefields from Norway to the Bay of Biscay. Some reach within a stone’s throw of enemy quaysides. Thousands of tqns of enemy shipping have been destroyed. The aerial minelayers also carry bombs, with which they have repeatedly attacked shipping successfully. A 7‘,000ton supply ship was bombed and probably sunk, as it received a direct hit, while a German tanker was also hombed and machine-gunned. BREWS THOROUGHLY TRAINED LMSEB IN PLANES NEGLIGIBLE (BrHiefe Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 18. {Received September 19, at 9.35 a.m.) The crews of the British aircraft which night after night have been laying minefields in enemy-occupied harbours and territorial waters from the Norwegian coast to the Bay of Biscay were given a thorough training in their work:. Before ever the first mine was laid they made long reconnaissance flights over the areas and became familiar with the routes and peculiarities of the various coastlines. That the minefields have been laid with only one or two losses in aircraft is a high tribute to the skill of the navigators and the tenacity of the pilots. 1 Besides carrying mines, the aircraft •ngaged in these expeditions also carry bombs in case an enemy supply ship should be met. Two nights ago the captain of one aircraft reported on his return that he had bombed a supply •hip of about -7,000 tons. “My navigator,” he said, “ was certain that a direct hit was scored and that the vessel was sunk.” On the same night an enemy tanker was attacked with two high-explosive bombs and afterwards machine-gunned. The first bpjmb scored s direct hit on the after part of the •hip, while the second missed the vessel' by 10yds. Though the actual end was not observed, the ship was obviously damaged and fqrced to stop. Incidents suck as these, says an Air Ministry bulletin, help to relieve the monotony of sea crossing, but the crews •ogaged in these operations know their main job is minelaying, arid-nothing is •Bowed to divert them from it. COST OF LIVING JULY FIGURES FOR BRITAIN (ffirifeh Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 18. {Received September 19, at 11.30 a.nii) ■ The cost of living figure at the end of August was 187, in July, 1914, being 100, and it was two points higher than the figure at the beginning of the month. This is equivalent to about 1 per cent. For food alone the figure it 166, or two points higher than the figure at the beginning of the month, .but two less thaif on July 1. TASMAN SHIPPING KSTMCTMN IF PASSENGER SERVICES SYDNEY, September 18. - Shipping changes necessitated by war conditions will mean a reduction soon of the passenger shipping service between Sydney and New Zealand. One company intends to withdraw temporarily its passenger service, transferring its vessels to the Australian coastal service. There will he less frequent ship communication with New Zealand, bait the liners remaining in the service will sasily be able to cope with the passengers offering. GIftMAN CONSULS ACTIVITIES THREAT OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION WASHINGTON. September 17. • The Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull) indicated that the State Department may take disciplinary action against the Gorman Consul in New Orleans (Baron von Spiegel). He said the department was paying close attention to von Spiegel’s past and present activities. [The New York ‘Post’ on Monday featured the first of a series of articles, ‘ Men Against America,’ beaded * Nazi Consul’s Threats,’ ‘ American Editor Warned of Reprisals by Hitler.’ The charges were supported by • photostat of a letter from the German Consul in New Orleans, who attempted in February, 1938, to intimidate and coerce the editor of a proAmerican German language newspaper, the Texas ‘ Free Press.’ The letter declared that Germany in future would act drastically against international newspaper propaganda containing lies.