HISTORY AS IT HAPPENS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 75, 29 November 1940, Page 2

HISTORY AS IT HAPPENS

In this section weekly will appear a day by day record of the events of history in the making. As some time elapses in the publication of "The Listener’’ this diary is one week retrospective

Thursday, November 14 Sir Robert Brooke-Popham appointed to the new post of Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in the Far East. With this announcement it was officially stated that further British reinforcements had reached the Far East. The former Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Navy defined Japan’s new idea of the new order of Asia as sovereignty over all-the territory between Indo-China and the Phillipines, and Manchukuo and New Guinea. Letters received in America from Denmark indicated that the 51,731 ton liner Bremen was sunk in the Kattegat on a date unspecified. The Greeks completed the capture of strategically important mountain tops in the Pindus area. Other reports indicated that they had carried the offensive well into Albania. In New York the Dies Committee on un-American activities announced an investigation into the activities of Italian and German Consuls in the United States. When a native of Ireland appealed for exemption from territorial service in New Zealand on the grounds of national neutrality, his appeal was dismissed because it was stated his country was part of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Friday, November 15 Later Admiralty communiques state that the Jervis Bay’s convoy lost only four ships. The Greeks announced further advances and the R.A.F. followed up the Fleet Air Arm’s successes against Taranto. In a very heavy German raid, Coventry was damaged severely. The United States Secretary for the Navy in a statement on national defences said that America would not appease anybody. Soon after the diplomatic talks between Russia and Germany threats against Turkey were publicised in Germany. Japanese naval circles, interviewed by Reuter’s Agency, did not deny that Japan might try to establish herself further south. Saturday and Sunday, November 16 and 17 Returns from Canterbury’s Cup Week showed that the betting at the races was £458,352, compared with £599,217 in 1920 and £196,315 in 1932. More detailed reports of the damage showed that Coventry had suffered more than anything newspaper correspondents remembered in Finland or Spain. An official statement said that Britain had made several diplomatic offers to Russia before M. Molotov’s visit to Berlin,

The Eastern Hemisphere Economic Conference was reported to be concluding plans to create a_ self-sufficient economic bloc east of Suez. The Commander of the Jervis Bay (Acting-Captain E. §. F. Fegin) was posthumously awarded the V.C. C. G. E. Harker, National Party candidate, won the Waipawa by-election by 4,360 votes to the 2,974 votes gained by H. Christie, Labour. Monday, November 18 Figures then to hand indicated that the percentage of appeals from men called in the second ballot was smaller than for the first. The drawing of the first ballot for overseas service began in Wellington. Italians were still retreating before the Greeks, who then threatened the important strategic city of Koritza, the largest town in Albania. A new Command to co-ordinate the work of the Army and the Air Force was created in Britain. Reports from Japan suggested that a final opportunity to come to terms would be given the Government of Free China. Tuesday, November 19 The fall of Koritza to the Greeks was announced without official confirmation. The Marketing Department’s newly announced meat prices for 1940-41 were little different from the previous season’s. The Coventry death-roll mounted to 300. In Tokio the National Patriotic Party scattered posters saying: "Prepare Against America." Preparations were in hand for a conference in Berlin, between representatives of Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, and Hungary. : Wednesday, November 20 Hitler received Leopold of Belgium at Berchtesgaden; Count Teleki and Count Csaky, Hungarian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, left Budapest for consultations with Ribbentrop and Ciano at Vienna, Further successes in the vicinity of Koritza were claimed by the Greeks, despite increased Italian air activity. Using tactics similar to those employed against Coventry, heavy formations of German bombers attacked Birmingham and other centres in the Midlands, Extensive damage was caused in several areas. The Turkish press asserted that the country could resist any aggression. A black-out was to operate throughout Turkey as from November 21.