CHRISTMAS SCENES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 December 1940, Page 5

CHRISTMAS SCENES

IN BRITAIN & ON BATTLE FRONTS GUNS CONTINUE TO ROAR AT BARDIA. GENERAL WAVELL ANTICIPATES FURTHER SUCCESSES. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, December 25. Christmas Day, the second since the outbreak of war, is scarcely different from any other day except that the Battle for Britain apparently is temporarily in abeyance. No bombs fell throughout the country during the night. An Air Ministry communique, giving this information, adds that there was > very little enemy activity throughout yesterday. Despite the absence of raiders, shelters were full last night, either of those bombed out of their homes or those who have grown to prefer the communal life of the shelters to the solitude of their own homes. In many shelters the customary gloom was relieved by decorations, holly, mistletoe and spangles predominating. Hundreds of those rendered homeless owing to bombs are celebrating in the shelters with Christmas dinners provided by the more affluent regularusers of the shelters. It was a depressing Christmas morning, the London blackout lasting until 8.37 a.m. The few people in the streets in the early morning shivered while waiting for. infrequent buses. Some would be heard to murmur. “Merry Christmas, mate” and then dolefully add: “I wonder when we shall get another- really merry one.” Meanwhile no truce operated on other fronts. No church bells were heard in Bardia—only the thunder of the heavy guns which for days have been maintaining duels of great intensity. General Sir Archibald Wavell. in a special Christmas order of the day, declared that the operations had not ended and that further efforts in a similarspirit would bring further successes. "Our success has been a triumph for careful preparation, good administration and hard training.” he added. "Only troops trained to the highest! moral and physical pitch could have carried out the operation so swiftly and successfully at such small cost.” Air Marshal Longmore sent a similar message to members of the AirForce. The Navy has continued to play its part in sweeping the Mediterranean, protecting convoys and attacking Italy’s bases.