WAR CHRISTMAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 December 1940, Page 5

WAR CHRISTMAS

GREAT BRITAIN ALERT BUT CHEERFUL SOLDIERS & CIVILIANS CELEBRATE. MESSAGES FROM RULERS AND LEADERS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, December 25. In spite of the absence of German air raids over Britain last night, Londoners remained in their tube shelters and enjoyed communal Christmas celebrations. Underground . stations presented an unusual appearance with gay decorations, the singing of carols and dancing. On Monday night the Royal -Air Force had again attacked Hitler’s invasion ports, and the “Daily Mai!” said: “The onslaught, which appeared to be the greatest for many weeks, was specially significant in view of rumours of a possible Christmas invasion.” From the British coast the glow of falling orange flames could be seen through a mist shrouding the straits, and there was an almost continuous roar as bombs were rained down on the enemy-occupied coastline from Boulogne to Dunkirk. According to a German source in Washington, the Luftwaffe has been instructed to refrain from any action over the British Isles’ on Christmas Day and tomorrow unless they are “compelled to retaliate” for British bombing attacks on Germany. There is no relaxing of '.Britain’s vigilance, and so far as was possible without reducing the effectiveness of the constant watch, .the men and women concerned will get time for their Christmas' dinner.

GREAT BRITAIN ALERT BUT CHEERFUL

For the soldiers, sailors and airmen everything possible is being done to make Christmas something like what it used to be. More than 400 mobile Y.W.C.A. canteens are visiting isolated units distributing Christmas gifts. Concerts, dances and other classes of entertainment are being arranged. Thousands of overseas troops have secured Christmas leave, and for those who have nowhere to go, a warm welcome is waiting as a result of a national appeal for hospitality to be extended. Even in Iceland the troops are not being forgotten and the small island population has invited the troops to share in the Christmas dinner. The New Zealand High Commissioner in London, Mr Jordan, announces that all New Zealanders serving in the forces have received Christmas gifts amounting to several thousands from home. The following Christmas messages have been issued by religious, national and military leaders: — THE POPE. The Pope in a Christmas message to the world from Vatican City said: "The Church can not favour any political system rather than another,” but a “new order must be based on victory over the principle that might makes right. I hope that those who will frame a peace treaty when the time comes will be sufficiently mature to draw up a real new order based on liberty and fraternal co-operation.” He. added: “I have done something for the war prisoners, including the Poles and also the Italians in Egypt and Palestine, and Italian internees in Australia and elsewhere.” PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. President Roosevelt, in a Christmas radio message from Washington, urged the nation to have faith in a better world based on brotherhood instead of conquest. “It is unintelligent to be defeatist,” he said. “Crisis may beget crisis, but the , progress underneath does not wholly halt. It does go forward. There is so much to do and we want to do it in a voluntary way; we do not want to have a way imposed on the world by conquest of the world by the sword. That would not follow in the footsteps of Christ and would not make for a happier Christmas in the future in any nation.” Mrs Roosevelt in a message to occupied Norway said: “God give you strength to believe in the fundamental good of human beings. Work for it unceasingly,- for in the end right will triumph over might.” The Norwegian Crown Princess Martha said her greatest hope was to rejoin her countrymen “in peace and freedom in 1941.”

GENERAL WAVELL. “We can close 1940. in a spirit of confidence for the future,” stated the British Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East, • Sir Archibald Wavell, in a Christmas greeting to his troops. “We will serve together till the final victory, and then will come the real struggle to build a world worthy of the principles for which we are fighting, namely, freedom, truth, peace and goodwill.” QUEEN WILHELMINA. Queen Wilhelmina of Holland said the passive resistance of her subjects to the tyranny imposed upon them filled her with pride. 'MARSHAL PETAIN. Marshal Petain, in Vichy, expressed sorrow for those in want, who had neither wood nor coal to heap on their fireplaces as was customary at Christmas, who had little to eat, and who did not know what the morrow would bring. To these he conveyed his deepest sympathy, but urged them not to forget Christmas, for to do so would be like giving up all hope. NAZI LEADERS. The German leaders made many speeches. Hitler was one of the few who refrained because he was spending Christmas with his soldiers in the west. The German Commander-in-Chief, General von Baruchitsch, said: “Last year, when I spoke to you, we stood before the Maginot Line, which was intended to defend France. Today we face Britain, which will be protected by the sea only so long as it suits us.” The Labour Front leader, Herr Hess, spoke of service to Germany being equivalent to service for the Almighty, because the Almighty had created Germany, and had given Hitler to Germany in order to make it great. Dr. Goebbels spoke to the children, urging on them the need for making every sacrifice. KING VICTOR EMMANUEL. In Rome King Victor Emmanuel, in a Christmas message to the Italian troops, said: “You are opposed to an enemy who have at their disposal all the greatest sources of offence, but yon know how to show that no obstacle and no difficulty can stop Italy's glorious march.”