INVASION PLANS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24410, 23 September 1940, Page 7

INVASION PLANS

AN AMERICAN REPORT NAZI PREPARATIONS THOUSANDS OF BOATS (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) NEW YORK, Sept. 21. (Received Sept. 22, at 11 p.m.) The Scripps Howards foreign editor, Mr William Philip Simms has published a letter received from an unnamed Norwegian shipping mag nate describing Germany's recent plans to invade England in which he asserted that Hitler was reputed to be willing to sacrifice 80 per cent of the attacking force foi the purpose of establishing a bridgehead He said the Germans had requisitioned 10,000 Norwegian and other bottoms, the motors of which they maintained ii / immaculate repair They installed wheels in the bows of boats to enable them to be driven ashore at full speed carrying 35 men. Each German would wear British uniform. The Germans plan to approach the British Isles from all directions whenever the weather is foggy, concurrent!" with 11,000 aeroplanes The Germans calculated that the invasion would be successful if 20 per cent of the attackers landed, although they anticipated that 50 per cent would succeed Heavy Losses During Practice The vice-president of the Armco International Corporation. Mr Robert Solberg, who had returned from France, declared that the Ger mans had not attempted an invasion of Britain, but had suffered heavy losses of life from manoeuvres in the Channel preparatory to an attempt being made. Barges were sent two miles to sea and then returned to practice landings on the Frencli coast. British planes and submarines were aware of this, and waited for the barges. Thousands of Germans were lost. Mr Solberg was recently at a French port where bodies of Germans were washed up every day. A Dutch lieutenant, Carl Tei Weele, said that there were many German invasion exercises off the Netherlands coast, and many lives were lost as the result of advance information reaching the British Some refused to take part in the exercises, and were sent back to Germany with their hands tied.