Daily Post - 16.04.1942, Blaðsíða 3

DAILY POST
Peace and Qulet In the
Fiord
A party of German seaman
went ashore in a small Nor-
wegian village. Maybe they
were drinking French wine, or
beer — or just ersatz coffe.
They were certainly spending
a quiet Sunday afternoon. —
Their ship rode peacefully at
anchor in the fiord. They all
felt fairly happy, and probably
they congratulated themselves
on being far away from the
war.
Just then the air raid warn-
ing was received in that tiny
village. “Achtung — Hood-
sons,” shouted a soldier. The
Germans rushed to the jetty
and tumbled into a motor
launch. They must get to the
guns on board their ship to
drive off the British aircraft.
HUDSON
The Germans’ launch was
leaving the jetty when the in-
vading aircraft swept up the
fiord. It was a Hudson of
Coastal Command, flying just
Until
above the water — straight for
the German supply ship.
As it neared the ship the
Hudson climbed to mast level
and dropped its bombs. Two
of them landed on the ship
and exploded a few second
later. The ship listed and be-
gan to settle by the stern.
Then the Hudson turned to
deal with the Germans in the
launch. Streams of machine
gun bullets ripped through the
hull. The Germans dived hast-
ily for cover.
Later, when he landed at his
base, the pilot of the Hudson
told the Intelligence Officer
that when he climbed over the
ship he felt a very slight
bump. He examined his air-
craft and found the leading
edge of the wing dented.
As there was no shot fired
at the Hudson the damage
could only have been caused
by one thing — the ship’s
masts as the Hudson skimmed
low over the vessel.
Cyprus is
well Defended
Cyprus to-day plays its part
safeguarding the lines of com-
munication with Turkey, Iraq,
and the Russians through the
Caucasus. The new fortifica-
tions and the building of aero-
dromes have improved its
strength, and its defences are
augmented by the fact that
R.A.F. fighters stationed in
Syria about 100 miles away
can operate over the island.
THE DEFENCE OF CYPRUS
After the campaigns in Crete
and Syria, Cyprus was heavilv
reinforced. Many new aero-
dromes were built and new
defences were put up. By the
Autumn of 1941 the island had
the largest garrison in its
history. The reinforcements in-
cluded chiefly English tr'oops
with armoured detachments,
artillery and anti-aircraft
guns.
Letters
Dear Mr. Editor,
Having ‘ read the letter in
your paper yesterday about the
Forces’ programme, I hasten to
put on paper the view which
the killjoys would dearly like
to suppress.
Morale, we are told is an all-
important factor in war, and
morale after all means keeping
a sane, happy and balanced
view of life. If our morale is
helped more by swing music
and “Hi Gang” than by the
dreary hair-splitting of Pro-
fessor Joad, does that mean
that we are nit-wits?
The folks at home are to have
their boxing and greyhound
racing curtailed. For morale’s
sake leave us some of our
simple pleasures!
Sigm. Walters.
[The question whether the
B.B.C. gives us too much light
entertainment or not appears
to have aroused considerable
discussion. What do readers
think? We will be pleased to
receíve any letters on the sub-
ject.]
Editor.
____Voice from the Past _
Seventy-seven years ago today, Abraham Lincoln was
assassinated. The words of his greatest speech, the Gettys-
burg address, are more than ever appropriate today:
“Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought
forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty
and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created
equal . ..
“It is for us to be here dedicated to the great task re-
maining before us; that this nation, under God, shall have
a new birth of freedom; and that GOVERNMENT OF THE
PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE, SHALL
NOT PERISH FROM THE EARTH.”
I
j SOLDIERS!
BEAUTIFULLY COLOURED
ICELANDIC POSTCARDS
A book with pictures of Icelandic works
of art.
English books.
Stationery.
Always try BÓKAVERZLUN ÍSAFOLDAR farst.
Austurstræti 8 (next door to Morgunblaðið).
s •
GEORGE
SAYS...
Leading Seaman (Yo-ho)
Benbow has perfected an auto-
matic torpedotube. Clips of ten
or belts of fifty may be used.
The recoll is sufficient to drive
back the working parts of the
ship at a rate of twenty knots.
thus helping to baffle both the
enemy and the torpedo fellow.
Under no circumstances will
the A.T.T. be used for anti-air-
craft fire unless fitted to a
submarine.
*
Owing to the shortage of
metal, brass hats will be with-
drawn from issue. Substitutes
are bound to be discovered.
*
Now that a certain “búð” is
selling hops, one only needs
yeast, malt, a Field Brewery
(or large pan) and the courage'
to drink the resultant fluid.
Bottles should be clearly lab-
elled and used only in an em-
ergency as hand-grenades. The
period of passing out is from
3 to 30 seconds.
Summer, no doubt, will
once again do circus tricks on
ponies.
*
So the R.A.O.C. is getting'
commando drill. George is sure
they are proud men. The only
unit in the army that can lose
its trouser buttons and replace
them without filling in six in-
dent forms. Jerry doesn’t know
what he’s up against because
it is almost certain that Hitler
believes the Dados to be an ex-
tinct bird.
\ *
Are these Spring Boards the
Russian break up the meetings
of M.O.s to decide who has
really collapsed during the
winter and who is likely to
collapse in summer?
Troops’ Radio
Thnrsday. Jack Telman and
his Ensa Condert Party featuring
Joan Tumer, Myrtle Moss and
Eileen McCormack and ‘Anna‘ a
p;ay for broadcasting by Captadn
R.N.S. Phillips.