NAMES AND PLACES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 43, 19 April 1940, Page 2

NAMES AND PLACES

Land of Small Farms Denmark, for the second time, has been invaded by Germany. The last time was in 1863, when the fertile provinces of Schleswig and Holstein were added to the German Empire. Once a great empire embracing Norway, Sweden, and a great part of the present Germany, Denmark to-day is the peninsula bounded by the North Sea, the Skagerrak and the Kattegat; a group of islands at the entrance to the Baltic Sea; Iceland and Greenland. Her West-Indian Islands were ceded to the United States in 1916. The whole of Denmark is comparatively flat, the highest point above sea level reaching only to 564 feet, but the country is not monotonous, as 8.7 per cent. of the land is covered by beech forests. There are no rivers, but many large brooks, known as " Aa," water the countryside. One third of the population of 3% millions lives by farming small holdings and produces for export great quantities of dairy produce, cattle, eggs, bacon and pork. Oats and barley are the principal cereals; oysters and lobsters are exported in large quantities. Since 1849 Danes have been forbidden to purchase small holdings with the object of amalgamating them under one farmer. In this way the formation of large estates has been prevented. Danes have the reputation of being the finest dairy farmers in the world. Cattle are kept under cover during the winter. The latest trade figures show that Denmark’s exports amount to £63,599,000 a year, .of which Britain takes £35,424,454.

Food From Denmark Great Britain was Denmark’s largest customer, and purchased most of her butter, eggs, bacon and cheese. The German occupation of Denmark will have a marked effect on the export of those commodities to Britain. Here are the British purchases: 9/10ths of Denmark’s fresh eggs 9/10ths of her preserved eggs 99% per cent. of her bacon and pork 1/Sth of her fresh meat 1/5th of her cheese 99 per cent of her condensed milk. Denmark’s annual export of the above essential foods amounts to £48,000,000. "Denmark's Day of Doom" Within the last two years a BBC official spent some time in Denmark investigating the control of her industries and the men who held key positions throughout the country. When he returned to England he wrote a book, giving it the title "Denmark’s Day of Doom." His contention was that Germany would have little difficulty in invading Denmark, as practically all key positions were held by Germans or by men who were favourable to German occupation should the need arise. He seems to have been one of the true prophets,

Sir Geoffrey Blake’s Career Vice-Admiral Sir Geoffrey Blake, K.C.B., C.B., D.S.O., who has been appointed a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty, is well known in New Zealand. He was Commodore of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy from 1929 to 1932, and became a RearAdmiral during his appointment here. Sir Geoffrey took H.M.S. Dunedin to Samoa in 1930, during the Mau troubles, and later assisted with the organisation of relief measures during the Napier earthquake. He joined the Navy in 1897 and had risen to the rank of Commander when the last war broke out, when he joined H.M.S. Iron Duke as Gunnery Commander. From 1917 until 1919 he ">

was with H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth, Admiral Beatty’s flagship. Then he was sent to Washington as Naval Attaché to the British Embassy. After commanding H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth, he served on the staff of the Royal Naval Staff College, of which he became Director in 1926. From that post he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Atlantic Fleet. When he retired in 1938, Sir Geoffrey had been in command of the Battle Cruiser Squadron and Second-in-Command of the Mediterranean Fleet for two years. Amusing Propaganda Soon after war broke out the walls of British homes and public buildings were plastered with notices warning people against discussing information

which might be of use to the enemy. Some of those notices appear in Army Headquarters, in Wellington. Under a crown are the words "Don’t help the enemy. Careless talk may give away vital secrets." All that is to be changed. One of the world’s most amusing artists, Fougasse, has designed a new series to replace the dull originals. Each of the new pictures points its moral most forcibly and is amusing at the same time. One picture in the new series shows a couple of clubmen sunk in their armchairs in front of a painting of Bonnie Prince Charlie, who sports a Hitlerian forelock and moustache. Other designs have Goering eavesdropping in the background. Fougasse, who is art editor of Punch, was born Cyril Kenneth Bird. He was wounded on Gallipoli, and lay on his back for four years with a shell splinter in his spine. During his illness he took postal lessons in drawing. His _--

wife sold his first jokes, and paved the way for his success. "Fougasse" is French soldier slang for a land-mine which often fails to explode. Canadian Leader Brigadier-General Victor Odlum, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., who is to command the 2nd Canadian Division overseas, is the son of a University Professor and a former politician. He is also a keen supporter of the Little Theatre movement and President of the Vancouver Little Theatre Association. General Odlum served in the South African War with the 2nd and 3rd Canadian Mounted Rifles. In the last war he had a distinguished record, and commanded the 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade. He

was mentioned in despatches seven times, and gained a bar to his D.S.O., as well as other honours, including the Order of Danilo, 3rd Class. He is 69 years of age. Territorial Age Reduced Young men of 18 are now able to begin their military training with the Territorial Forces. The Defence authorities have decided to lower the age limit from 21 years to 18 years, as it will enable many young and enthusiastic men to begin their training immediately, instead of waiting until they come of age. This applies to those of 20 who are hoping to join up for war service as soon as they are 21. The new regulation means that they will have the advantage of a year’s military training before joining up.

Distinguished New Zealander Air Commodore K. R. Park, M.C., D.F.C., who has been promoted acting Air Vice-Marshal, is a son of Professor James Park, of Dunedin. He left New Zealand in 1914 with the 4th Reinforcements, and served on Gallipoli with the New Zealand Division. Later he joined the Royal Flying Corps and saw service in France, where he was twice wounded. After the war he stayed in England and soon attained posts of importance in the Royal Air Force. In 1934 he was appointed air attaché at the British Embassy, Buenos Aires, and in 1937, when he returned to England, he was appointed aide-de-camp to the King. In June, 1938, Air Vice-Marshal Park was appointed senior air officer in the Home Fighter Command under Sir Hugh Dowding. His brother, Lieut.-Colonel Park, is in London. The "" Pocket Hercules " One of the men who have been urging British leaders to take the initiative and attack Germany is the Right Hon. Leopold Stennett Amery, known as the "Pocket Hercules." He visited New Zealand during a tour of the Empire while he was Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs. Many years of mountaineering have made him as tough as a rafter at the age of 66, Once when a Socialist M.P. called him "a swine and a dirty little guttersnipe," Amery retaliated by smacking his face. At a political meeting, when a 6-foot heckler called him a liar, Amery leaped from the platform and laid the man out. During the South African war Amery organised the war correspondence for the London Times and afterwards wrote a history of the campaign. He served in Flanders and the Near East during the last war and later became assistant secretary to the War Council. Since 1911 he has been a member of Parliament. Now he wants to see the Allies embark on full-scale aerial warfare on Germany in order to shake the confidence of the German people in Hitler and to force the Germans to draw heavily on their reserves.