MONEY FOR PLANES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 May 1941, Page 5

MONEY FOR PLANES

RETIRING 'MINISTER’S GRATITUDE. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 11. Money for aircraft subscribed by the. public amounted to £1,299,800 at the end of last month, stated Lord Beaverbrook, Minister of State, and formerly Minister of Aircraft Production. "I desire to express my gratitude to all who by common acts of sacrifice and devotion have brought the fund to this magnificent total,” he said. “The aircraft fund was created by a sponaneous wave of public feeling. It was carried through to triumph by the generosity of people at home and abroad.” Approximately . 40 per cent of the money was given by the colonies and Dominions, 31 per cent by the people of Britain. 11 per cent by India and 10 per cent by the Dutch colonies. MASSIVE ATTACKS AIR MINISTRY REPORT. . (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) RUGBY, May 12. Further massive attacks on Hamburg and Bremen are described in an AirMinistry communique, which states: “Last night, in very good weather, the Bomber Command again attacked objectives in Hamburg and Bremen. A heavy weight of high explosives and incendiaries was dropped on shipbuilding yards and industrial areas in both cities. Many fires were started and left burning. “Small attacks were made on other targets, including Emden and docks at Rotterdam. "Four aircraft of the Bomber Command are missing. “The Coastal Command last night attacked docks at Ijmuiden and a seaplane base at the Island of Texel. No aircraft are missing from these operations.” GERMAN CLAIM BRITISH AERODROMES POUNDED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.20 a.m.) BERLIN, May 12. The Luftwaffe, with the object of spiking the increasingly heavy R.A.F. raids on Germany, pounded twenty British airports last night, including many from which long-range craft take off. The High Command admitted that stronger R.A.F. formations, back over Germany, heavily bombing Hamburg, Bremen and elsewhere, left “some'dami age.” dead and wounded. WAREHOUSE FIRES ADMITTED BY NAZIS. AFTER R.A.F. RAID ON BREMEN. ! (Received This Day, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, May 12. German officials admitted that the R.A.F. set several warehouses on fire in Bremen in last night’s raid. The German Press has appealed to Germans to curtail trips to the country during Whitsuntide. The United Press recalls that a curtailment of passenger traffic usually means large troop movements. INVASION ATTEMPT? REPORTED SPECULATION IN BRITAIN. (Received This Day, 9.35 a.m.) NEW YORK. May 12. The United Press London correspondent says many persons in Britain believe the Luftwaffe’s persistent and widespread attacks on the R.A.F. may precede a German invasion attempt, and that operations are now entering the pre-invasion phase.