IMMENSE FORCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 120, 19 April 1940, Page 7

IMMENSE FORCE

i BRITAIN’S ACHIEVEMENT. I OVER MILLION MEN. DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) ■'Received April 19, 9.45 a.m. RUGBY, April IS. Major-General .J. H. Beitli — known in tlie world of letters as lan II ’ay—Director of Public Relations at the War Office, in a speech said that Britain had made tremendous efforts in the raising of man-power. In less than a year it liad trained and equipped over a million soldiers. “Some of these to-day arc. in France,” he said, “some arc in' the Middle East, some are in Norway. Where the next lot will go to we don’t know. But it is certain they will he neded somewhere if freedom is to be restored to the world.” CANADA’S EFFORT. CONFIDENCE IN VICTORY. Received Anril 19, 11.55 a.m. 'LONDON, April 18. Mr N. M. Rogers (Canadian Minister of Defence) lias arrived in London to discuss with British Ministers and leaders of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces various features of Canada’s war effort. He stated that Canada vvas certain the Allied cause would ultimately prevail. Canada aimed at effective collaboration with England and ■France until the common objective was achieved. AUSTRALIAN FORCES. EXPANSION REVIEWED. CANBERRA, April 18. The Prime Minister (Mr R. G. Menzies) announced in the House of Representatives, to-night, that the Australian War Cabinet had decided to place orders in the United States for 49 more Lockheed-Hudson bombers at a total cost of £2,277,000. He said at the outbreak of war the total strength of tho Australian Air Force was approximately 0500, while to-day it exceeds 9000. An Army Co-operation Squadron was ready for army co-opera-tion with the Australian Forces overseas and might be despatched in the near future. 'Mr Menzies added that 12 ships and 1000 men had been added to the Australian Navy, while since the outbreak of war 138 merchant ships had been defensively armed in Australia. Orders for anti-submarine vessels for the British Admiralty had been placed m Australia to the maximum of Australia’s capacity to build them. Mr Menzies emphasised that the war had entered a most crucial sta"e. A neutral country in Europe had had its warning that in effect it had no rights, and the success of the Allied effort would assuredly have a tremendous influence upon those at present wavering in the shadow of the Third Reich. Air Menzies reviewed the military activities of the Commonwealth and concluded by announcing that recruiting for the Seventh Division would begin in May when the total strength of the corps, with the First Reinforcements would be approximately 50,000. EMPIRE AIR SCHEME. EXTENSION ANNOUNCED. (British Official Wireless.) Received April 19, 9.30 a.m. RUGBY, April 18. The Air Ministry announces that the British Government has gratefully accepted the offer by the South Alrican Government to afford facilities there for training Royal Air Force personnel for the South African Air Force. The offer also extends to Britisli subjects from other parts of Africa. Tlie Air Ministry states that an aii mission will shortly depart for South Africa to discuss the necessary measures for the scheme. Tho head of the mission will he Aii Chief Marshal Sir Robert BrookePopham, who assisted in the inauguration of the-Empire air scheme. He lias been closely associated with flying since 1912. He will also visit Southern Rhodesia to promote the air training scheme which has been initiated by the Government of Southern Rhodesia. ’PLANES FROM AMERICA. HUGE QUANTITIES BOUGHT. Received April 19, 10.15 a.m. WASHINGTON, April 18 It is announced that the Allied purchasing Mission has already purchased “huge quantities” of the latest type of United States military aircraft. Contracts were signed i.n New York yesterday for unspecified numbers of Curtiss pursuit ’planes and Douglas bombers. A third contract is being concluded for one of the latest types which was released on Monday. BRITISH PROPAGANDA. CRITICISM IN THE TRESS. LONDON, April 18. The Times, in a leading article on the control of news, cuntrasts the German use of the camera in the Norwegian campaign with the British disregard of it. It points out that no photographs have been forthcoming from the British side, though tlie daring . use of the camera, may at any moment be most valuable for tho Allied cause. The Amsterdam correspondent of tlie Times says that the Dutch Press publishes photographs of the Glowworm and pays a tribute to the excellence of the German propaganda, which the Telegraaf says is much better than that of the Allies. It is asked if Germanv produces seven photographs of a British destroyer on fire why England cannot, produce one p’eture of. seven German destroyers sunk. Regret is expressed that in contrast to the German propaganda about their troop arrivals, there is no eye-witness’s report of the landing of the British forces in Norway. The First Lord of Iho Admirnllv (Mr Churchill) on April 11 told the House of Commons of the presumed lo=s of IT.MS. Glowworm, a destroyer which was detained when cn route to Narvik to lay niincs 'through waiting to pick up a man overboard. She engaged three enemy destroyers, and later reported that; an unknown enemy ship was before her. Tlie last message ended abruptly and the Ad- I miralty conclude that she was sunk by su- | perior forces. |