SAFE AGAIN IN ENGLAND

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 158, 4 June 1940, Page 8

SAFE AGAIN IN ENGLAND

THOUSANDS OF THE B.E.F. \ ' . ’ MANY STILL TO BE RESCUED {United Press . AssociaUon^^.-.Electric Telegraph.— Copyright.) ' _ '• LONDON - , June 2. , . Tens of thousands-more mhm bers of the 8.E.F., inchitlino- the Grenadier and Coldstream Guards, arrived at a southeast port to-day with FreiiclVAand a sprinkling of Belgians. The steady influx died away/at nightfall to a thin trickle, mostly French, but the latest arrivals said thousands of: Allied troops were still on the-Dunkirk beaches when they left. It was learned ,in London, to-night that at least 300,000 members/of the B.E-F. are.-mow safe in England.

CRITICAL STAGE. The evacuation is not yet complete, nor is the fate of the remainder of General Prioux’s Army known, but the arrival of the British infantry brigade which was engaged in the rearguard fighting shows that the operations have entered the closing and most critical stage. This infantry brigade embarked from a beach northward of Dunkirk at 5 a.m. It has been in the midst of the fighting from start to finish, and was among the troops leading the advance, to Belgium. It also fought rearguard actions from the farthest point reached by. the B.E.E. back to the gates -of Dunkirk. The brigade one day covered 40 miles in 24 hours \ VOLUNTEERS TO FORE. A British Official Wireless message says tha ( t in. the evacuation many small boats were manned by volunteers who brought their own craft from British yachting stations. Both age and youth were represented amongst those’.; manning these small boats asi ferries to the larger ships, which were unable to approach near the beach because of the shallowness of the water. Qne motor-boat Had on board a boy of fifteen who did yeoman service. Another was in the charge of a mail of 69 and towed across eight wherries laden with cans of water. When these were landed the wherries were used in conjunction with the motor-boat to get the soldiers from the shore to the larger ships. For three days and nights this work was continued, although under continuous attack. SUPERIORITY IN AIR. The superiority of the British pilots over the Germans was strikingly exemplified during the intense operations near Dunkirk oil Saturday, a British fighter pilot-having been engaged in a number of combats found himself both out of ammunition and close to an enemy bomber. Instead of making himself scarce, he immediately manoeuvred skilfullv and got on the Juniter's tail. Then" the British pilot worried the enemy so much by a succession of stunts that ultimately he made a fatal error in trying to turn and went crashing into the ground. Seldom can an unarmed pilot have gained a victory over a fully armed enemy. • FLEETING SUCCESSES. HITLER’S POWER WANES. j (British Official Wireless.) 'i ./ RUGBY, Mav 31. In a broadcast speech on Friday evening Mr Arthur Greenwood (Minister without Portfolio) said: “Though we have suffered grievous loss, we have inflicted greater losses on the enemy. Our power in.the field, on the sea, and in the airy waxes as his wanes. Our economic resources expand a» his are eaten up. Our economic stranglehold makes it,, more and more difficult for him to replace his weapons of war, clothing, footwear and food for the people and fighting men. | “Hitler has engaged on a desperate gamble. His lightning war is _due to the knowledge that to win the war he must win quickly. He knows he cannot stay the course. If his swiftly-re-peated hammer-blows fail he has failed". That is not so with us. As lie flings his-whole weight against us he may gain successes here and there. But every step forward he makes toughens the spirit and intensifies the determination of our people.” - MOUNTING CASUALTIES. BRITISH ADMIRALTY LIST. - / (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 2. The Admiralty has issued a list of 597 casualties—66 officers and’ -L531 ratings— which are not connected with any particular ; incident or ship, but have occurred in meeting the: hazards of war. Of the officers 23 l)ave been killed, M are missing believed killed, lour are missing, and 25 are woundp ed, while of the ratings 207 have been killed, 19 died of wounds, 57 .are missihg believed killed, 20 are missing and 228 wounded. Among the officers killed is one from the destroyer Hardy (which distinguished itself at Narvik) the notification of whose death- was received after publication of the casualty list. The ratings include two members'of the “Naafi” (canteen organisation) staff killed, one wounded, and three Maltese ratings wounded. The list contains the names of 16 hoys—one killed, two died of wounds, two missing believed killed, and . 11 wounded. A German communique states: Four warships and 11 transports have been sunk and 14 warships and 38 merchantmen damaged by bombs. * TAKEN TO SAFETY. CHILDREN IN DANGER ZONE. . ; • LONDON, June 2. Nearly 50,000 children in 97 special trains were evacuated from towns on the east and south-east coast to-day for. the Midlands and Western GounSoldiers took their places as the playgrounds were transformed into battlegrounds as a precaution against'.invasion Over-, 100,000 schoolchildren. yfW the Greater London area were register-v ed during the week-end under the Government’s second evacuation scheme and will shortly be drafted to safer areas. .• : V. " ' kv'V :