14.2.44 No. 4.
SUBMARINE'S RECCED DIVE
When the submarine H.M.S. UNSEEN arrived in a home port recently, after completing a 23,000 mile commission, hen "Jolly Rover" bore a strange emblem.
her class. It was a, diver’s helmet, symbolising a record dive for any submarine of
forced to dive to feet This occurred when she was pursued by enemy destroyers and 145 below the maximum depth for which she was designed. No damage or ill-effects resulted.
Since H.M.S. UNSEEN" left a British port in September 1942 for the Mediterranean
Her zone of operations, she has accounted for 20,000 tons of enemy shipping. Commanding
Officer is Lieutenant M.L.C, Crawford, D.S.C., LAN., of Southsea, Hampshire.
For some days, before one of her attacks, the submarine kept observation oh an enemy ship lying half submerged off Sous sc. Then one day a lighter, equipped with a crane, was seen alongside the vessel apparently helping in the salvage operations.
What happened then is. described by Sub .Lieutenant H.J. Linden, R.N.V.R., of Knaresborough,
Yorkshire, former medical student at Leeds University, now the UNSEEN’s torpedo officer.
"We fired one torpedo" he said, "end. when we took a peep at the result we found, no lighter, and the merchant ship was looking much more like a wreck, settling deeper in the water. We had achieved the rare but happy feat of two at one blow."
attack a tanker the Following another successful on by UNSEEN, enemy destroyers launched a five-hour depth charge attack, in which the submarine recorded sixty different explosions.
Her patrols then took the UNSEEN to the Adriatic where she penetrated a screen of f two destroyers to torpedo a supply ship.
"Much to our surprise their was no counter-attack from the destroyers," said
Lieutenant Sallis. "They raced away out of it, leaving us to conduct an uninterrupted reconnaissance of the sinking ship. We took off four prisoners, all we had room for,
-and left the others with previsions for several days.
"While returning with her prisoners the UNSEEN encountered an anti-submarine
" schooner which, said Idout on out Sallis, "provided us with probably the most interesting
episode of the commission.
for a with our machine "We. closed the range and surfaced gun action, opening up
while vc our three-inch the schooner’s crew from their guns "brought guns to keep away
gun into action.
one of machine gun ammunition ""Rather to our surprise, we had only fired pan when
over the sue. we saw the crew abandoning ship "by jumping
/ "We went alongside, 2
two still "We went alongside, and our boarding party found only people on board,
had the 57 years old captain, and the 63 years old bo’sun. Unfortunately the submarine
had for drifted some distance away from the schooner, and the boarding party to swim it.
"Leading Stoker Alfred Symonds', of Weymouth (since promoted to Petty Officer),
and over tried to capture as much of the schooner's small armoury as he could, jumped
the side with six rifles and three revolvers slung round his neck. Not until he had
sunk two or three fathoms with the weight did he decide to abandon his prize, and it was a chagrined stoker who rose to the surface to be hauled inboard, for
he had lost his scaboots too."
On another occasion the UNSEEN went in pursuit of two large landing craft and sank the leading one with two torpedo hits.
"She just blew/ up in. small pieces" said Sub.Lieutenant Linden. "We had only one
torpedo left and were determined to make certain of the craft with it. We followed it to the mainland before we could get in our attack. The vessel was moored alongside a
jetty.
"Away went our only torpedo. It missed the vessel, but hit the jetty, and all
that could be seen afterwards was the tangled remains of a jetty, two buildings
work demolished, six without roofs, and a very much damaged landing craft. Not bad for a miss.'"
Last but largest prize of this campaign came when the UNSEEN eluded an escort of four flak trawlers and torpedoed a 6,000 ton tanker.
"That provided us with the biggest, brightest and best explosion of our career,"
said Lieutenant Sallis.
’ A large proportion of the UNSEEN s crew arc "hostilities only" ratings and, in
the words of the commanding officer, "They all did a splendid job of work."
The UNSEEN has beer adopted by Llwchwr, Glamorganshire.
NAVAL AFFAIRS.
NOTE: Photographs available from B.1.P.P.A. 14/2/44 - No. 5
NOT POR PUBLICATION, BROADCAST OR USE ON CLUB' TAPES BEFORE 0830 HOURS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1944. THIS EMBARGO SHOULD BE RESPECTED OVERSEAS BY PREFACING ANY MESSAGE WITH THIS EMBARGO
Air Ministry Nows Service Air Ministry Bulletin No. 12919
SCHOOL FOR "ACE" FLIERS
D.F.C.s go to learn INSTRUCTING
In the West of England a R.a.F. station which has no operational aircraft, probably
- has more decorated personnel than any other unit in the country. It is a flying
instructors school of Plying Training Command, and it . is not unusual to find 30 or
40 D.F. Cs in the officers' moss there. Most of then are taking; a course.
the The unit is unique in another sense. It represents a cross section of opera
tional commands at home and overseas. Its "pupils" have a tremendous diversity of
experience, ranging from service in the arctic to the Burma jungles.
Here are officers from almost every battle front, some still bronzed from tropical
all suns, with interesting experiences. The Ranks range from warrant officer to
squadron leader.
The purpose of the unit is to train operational pilots as instructors. The rest period which the operational pilot gets when ho has finished his tour does not imply inactivity: it usually involves some months on instructional work, and as non of action are, often enough, men of few words, they have to be taught the art of instructing, so that they can pass on their knowledge to others.
Pilots who have seen action arc usually disposed, at first, to look askance at teaching jobs, but they soon realise how vital is adouate instruction to the newly- fledged pilots who will shortly be following in their footsteps.
Pilots who take a course, are often considerably surprised to find that their flying is far from as smooth and polished as it should be. Operations tend to nalce a pilot's flying a bit "rough", so at this school, flying in Oxfords or Masters, the pilots knock off the edges and assimilate the art of instructing.
A typical comment is made by a pilot who has flown on many night sorties in
Stirlings: "When I was doing ny elementary training I thought 'what a nice job ny
instructor has. ju.ll he has to do is sit there and natter'. Nov; I’n trying to do the
sane thing. I realise how difficult it is to do the job properly.
/The staff 2
The staff at this school is just as representative of the air fronts as its
pupils. The school has had as its commanding officer since its formation* Wing
Commander R.J. Gosnell, D.F.C., who did a year’s continuous operations as a
Wellington pilot and leader of a squadron in the Mediterranean theatre in 1 •
The staff of the school is always changing its composition as its members return to
operational duties.
The chief flying instructor is a famous fighter pilot, S/Ldr. M.M. Stephens. D.S.O.
D. F.C., and two bars, who has seen a great deal of action in'the Mediterranean.
He has done about 550 sorties, mostly in fighters or fighter-bombers, and has had, many combats. One of his most exciting experiences, However, was on the ground. after
he had shot down a Me109 during the siege of Tobruk he had to bale out, suffering from
a cannon-shell wound in the leg. He cane down in no-nan' s-land, about 300 yards from
the German lines. A barrage was plastering an area close by, but he decided to try
to reach the British lines, over a mile away, This involved his hobbling over rocky,
thorny ground for over a mile, but he achieved it. 14.2.44 - No. 6
NOT FOR PUBLICATION, BROADCAST OR USE ON CLUB TAPES BEFORE 0830 HOURS ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1944. THIS EMBARGO SHOULD BE RESPECTED OVERSEAS BY PREFACING ANY MESSAGE- WITH THE EMBARGO
Air Ministry News Service
Air Ministry Bulletin N0.1288
Air Chief Marshal Sir Sholto Douglas, paying his first visit to Coastal Command
1 squadrons since he recently became the Command s Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief,
Czech and Polish units of the as well as United inspected R.A.F., R.A.A.F. 9 Command.,
States Navy squadrons operating with the Command.
At the station of the Czech squadron, he decorated with D.F.C’s the Czech pilot
and. navigator of the Liberator aircraft which sank an enemy blockade-runner in the
approaches to the Bay of Biscay on December 27th, 1945* The ceremony took place when r Sir Sholto Douglas was inspecting aircrew and ground, staff of the squadron.
At various bases during his tour, the A. 0. C-in-C spent a considerable tine in
operations rOons, hangars and workshops, examined aircraft engaged in the Battle of
the Atlantic, talked to aircrews and their commanding officers, and watched, ground
sections at their work.
In the operations room of a station from which United States Navy aircraft are
operating, he found American controllers working with British assistants and United
States quartermasters who were being helped by R.A.F. sergeant-clerks. He was
impressed by the efficient Anglo-American co-operation which has been developed among
all ranks of the two nations.
at the Sir Sholto Douglas visited an American Red Cross canteen, recently opened
as of the the station and saw R.A.F. personnel guests U.S. Navy, enjoying amenities,
which include a library of 2,500 books.
At another station he was given a demonstration of-the airborne lifeboat, dropped
by Air/Sea Rescue aircraft of Coastal Command to aircrew-- who have been forced to
"ditch" in the sea.
Photographs available at P.N.A. 14/2/44 No. 7
TRAWLER’S 70,000 MILES WITHOUT A BREAKDOWN
When the trawler H.M.S. EDAY had her first refit at Malta after 16 months'
continuous service in the Mediterranean, her propeller was so wvrn that the
Engineer Commander at the dockyard said he had never seen one like it before.
"The ship's "bottom was over an inch thick in marine growth," said Lieut.
G.S. Kelman, R.N.V.R.,' of Aberdeen, the First Lieutenant of the EDAY, "The -
dockyard officials were so interested in our condition that they had photographs
specially taken,"
These two facts arc some indication -of the continuous hard work put in by
ms is this little trawler, which built at Hull early in the war. She commanded
by Lieut, L.G.H. Mole, R.N.V.R., of - './arc, Hertfordshire, and all her officers belong
either to the R.N.V.R, or the R.M.R. Her crew consists entirely of "hostilities
only" ratings*
One who has particularity distinguished himself is the engineer, Chief Petty
Officer Engineman A.L. Allanson, of Cleothorpes. has "It was through the great work of Allanson that the ship/kept going so long
without being, forced into dock through breakdowns," said Lieut. Kelman, "Usually
trawlers of this type have a boiler clean after 2,000 boiler hours; we've done
10,000 without a let up, which means we've steamed about 70,000 miles since we arrived in the Mediterranean in September 1942.
"One special job the chief engineer did was to caulk a boiler, thus enabling
take in the us to part Sicilian invasion. It was an outstanding piece of work
on his part and on that of Petty Officer Engineman P.E, Gammer, of Milford Haven,
who helped him.
"There was 70 lbs of pressure on the boiler when these two men worked "Tor over
two hours, in a temperature of 160 degrees, caulking the bank seam of a combustion chamber#"
For such work it is normal for a ship to "blow down," draw fires, and hand the work over to dockyard authorities. But Allan son and Gammer did such a good job
that the caulking lasted a long time#
The EDAY took part in the North African landings, the Sicilian and Italian
invasions, and claims to have "been the first of H.M. trawlers to enter Oran,
Syracuse, Augusta, and Crotone after their capture.
/while ..... 2
While the EDAY was on her way to- the front"line- harbour of Bone, she was
ahead of the convoy and got singled out for attack by two enemy torpedo bombers.
Describing the incident, Sub Lieut. T.w. Harford, R.N.V.R., of Birmingham,
who was a commercial artist before the war, said:*- "It was a tense moment. We
4 saw their torpedoes go into the water and we went hard astern and both missiles
• missed us, while we had the satisfaction -of filling one of the planes with lead.
see the in the He .came in so near we could blue light pilot's cockpit.
"We certainly poured a lot of fire into him. we've got some good gunners
.
on board, especially Seaman Gunlayer V, Noble, cf Fraserbor o ugh, near Aberdeen.
He has been with the ship, since she commissioned and you could not wish for a man
more cool and calm under any sort of attack. What's more, he's terriffically
keen on his Job and cannot keep, his hands- off our 'big' gun.”
The EDAY went through a lot cf "bombing when taking part in the Sicilian
r was but invasion. One day 30 JU.88 s 'pattern bombed’ the convoy she with,
through all attacks she saw only two Allied ships hit.
"Apart from two days we spent in Syracuse, where we swept the channel, we
" were three weeks on duty patrolling off the Loaches, Lt. Kelman said, "Then we
and there E-boat went up to Augusta stayed doing anti-submarine and patrols and
sweeping. It was Just hard and monotonous work.
"When the Italian invasion came, we made one trip to Salerno Leaches and then,
did escort duties up to Brihdisi, Taranto, Bari and so on, taking up ships
carrying supplies for the 8th Army."
NAVAL AFFAIRS 14/2/44 “ No. 0
NOT FOR PUBLICATION, BROADCAST, OR USE ON CLUB TAPES BEFORE 0830 B.S.T. (i.e, FOR EVENING PAPERS) ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1944 THIS EMBARGO SHOULD BE RESPECTED OVERSEAS BY PREFACING ANY MESSAGES FILED WITH THE EMBARGO
Air Ministry News Service Air Ministry Bulletin No, 12923
W. A, A.F, MISSION TO INDIA
Air Chief Commandant Dame Katharine Trefusis Forbes, the first director of the W.A.A.F, has reached Cairo on route for India, The object of her visit, which is expected to last some months, is to explore the possibilities of employing women more extensively with the R.A.F. in India, At present a number
the base of './omen’s Army Corps (India) are serving at R,A.E, headquarters and units.
The Air Chief Commandant, who was awarded the D.B,E, in the New Year’s
Honours List, recently returned from a coast-to-coast tour of R, C,A. F. stations
» in Canada,
During her Indio visit she is being accompanied by two V.A.A.F, officers,
Group Officer I,M, Campbell and Squadron Officer I,M. Carroll, Group Officer
Campbell a kinswoman of the late Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, has been deputy
of the r for three has been a member of the director Y, . A. A. F, nearly years and service since 1939. Squadron Officer Carroll, a sister of Captain Kelly Regers, the well-known B. O.A.C. pilot, has held a responsible appointment on the personnel staff of the Air Ministry for a considerable time. 14/2/44 No. 13
AIR MINISTRY AND MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY COMMUNIQUE
hir Ministry No. 12936
Early last night, there was enemy activity ever parts of East .Anglia and'South East England including the London area.
Bombs were dropped at a number of places causing a little damage and a Small number of casualties;, seme of which were fatal.
Pour enemy aircraft were destroyed. 14.2.44- ~ No* 14.
Air Ministry No. 12935.
AIR MINISTRY COMMUNIQUE
A Coastal Command Mesquite yesterday destroyed an eneny flying boat off the coast of Norway*
One enemy aircraft was destroyed last night in the course of intruder patrols over Northern Prance by cur fighters, none of which is missing* 14/2/44 - No. 16.
Not for Publication Before 1330 B,S»T> today
SOUTH EAST ASIA COMMUNIQUE NO. 42
New Delhi, l4th Feb. 1944
TIDDIM. On the 12th February parties of Japanese troops in the Fort White area
were dispersed by our ‘artillery fired On the 13th February active patrolling in
that area was continued by our forces*
ARAKAN Fighting continues and the general situation is unchanged, though there .are
indications that the Japanese position continues to deteriorate.
In the Taung Bazaar area patrol activity continued. Operations directed towards
clearing our lines of communication are making progress and the situation is
improving steadily• Air medium bombers of the Strategic Air Force, Easton/Command, attacked
Kyaukpyu on the- night 12th/l3th February, Other mediums in daylight on the 13th
February attacked the Japanese divisional headquarters at Rathedaung 25 riles south
of Buthidaung, There was no enemy air opposition.
R.A,F* escorted dive bombers of the Tactical Air Force continued to operate in
support of our ground forces in the Arakan. Fighters continued sweeps and patrols
over the Arakan battle zone and a force of enemy fighters was intercepted near Taung
Bazaar. One Japanese aircraft was destroyed, one probably destroyed and twelve
damaged. We had no losses.
During the 12th and 13th February, fighters and fighter bombers continued a.
and day night offensive against enemy transport camps and troops in the Mayu
Peninsula, the Chin Hills and the Upper Chindwin, A railway bridge at Tangon, north
of Shwebo was blown up. In all over-200 sorties were flown with no losses.
Heavy U.S* bombers of the Strategic Air Force attacked Heho aerodrome in strength during the night 13th/l4th February, Results are not yet available.
U* S* fighters and fighter bombera of* the Tactical Air Force, Eastern Air Command celebrating the second anniversary of the l0th U.S* Air Force in on the 12th
February attacked targets in Northern Burma on a large scale, 120 sorties were flown. In a dozen separate missions they bombed and strafed troop and supply con- centrations and lines of c ommunication* rotor convoys on the^ road were attacked by three formations and large numbers of meter trans port were
destroyed or damaged* Fires were started ever a wide area.
One of 'our aircraft is missing. 14/ 2/44 - No. 17
NOT FOR PUBLICATION, BROADCAST IN OVERSEAS BULLETINS OR USE ON CLUE TAPES BEFORE 2330 B.S.T. ON MONDAY, l4th FEB. (i.e, FOR TUESDAY MORNING PAPERS)» NOT TO BE BROADCAST Hi HIE MIDNIGHT NEWS OF 14/15 FEB. THIS EMBARGO SHOULD BE RESPECTED OVERSEAS BY PREFACING ANY MESSAGES FILED WITH THE EMBARGO.
THE DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY IN ITALY
The Durham Light Infantry took part in the bitter fighting in Salerno, landing
south east of the town on the 9th September, For many days they helped to repulse
i
hard-pressed enemy attacks cm the beach-head, especially in the Capezzano area.
By the 18th September their formation had thrown back wave after wave of enemy
assaults and Was able to press forward north of Salerno, and five days later the
advance was in full swing. On the 26th September the Durhams helped to take
Epitaffeo di Cava,
Their line of advance new ran through the coastal sector, and they drove
forward until in the second week of October they met strong resistance on the line
of the Volturno. They crossed the river on the 13th October and helped to beat
off determined enemy counter-attacks during the next few days. On October 23 the
Durhams were attacking towards Noceletto, and three days later, having cleared the
town, they were moving forward towards Gascano, an important point on the main
coastal road- N and railway.
During December the Regiment was engaged in the bitter fighting on Monte
Camino where, in spite• of heavy machine gun-fire and minefields, they pressed
forward towards Calabritto capturing commanding heights and features of tactical
importance. Later the Regiment took part in the grim battles on the Carigliano.
record The .of the Durhams in the -present war is studded with great
achievements. The heroes of - Prima Sole, the hardest fought action in Sicily,
they also share in the credit of many important operations in North Africa:
of Gazala, El Alamein, and the fierce battles the Mareth Line being among them.
MILITARY AFFAIRS. 14/2/44 No. 21
HEADQUARTERS EUROPEAN THEATER OP OPERATIONS.
Communique 177
It is announced by Headquarters, European Theater of Operations, U.S.
Army, that P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bombers of the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe today bombed the Nazi airfield at Gilze-Rijen, Holland. They were escorted by other P-47 Thunderbolts.
No enemy aircraft were encountered. There' were no claims and no
losses.
It was the fifteenth operation of the Strategic Air Forces in eighteen
days. 14/2/44 - N0.26
Air Ministry News Service Air Ministry Bulletin N0.12940
TWO ME. 109 s DESTROYED BY SPITFIRES
" PILOT BALED OUT AT 500 FELT AFTER STEEPLECHASE •:
Two Spitfires chased an Me. 109 round church spires and over
roof tops in northern France this morning before the enemy aircraft
was sent crashing into the ground by a burst of machine-gun fire
from one of the Spitfires, which was piloted by an Australian*
Another Me. 109 was destroyed by a Canadian warrant officer and a
London flight-sergeant*
The enemy aircraft eve re intercepted by a formation of R.A.F,
Spitfires on offensive patrol off the French coast. As they saw
the Spitfires, the He.lo9s dived inland with the Spitfires on their tails.
The Australian, a flight-sergeant, describing the chase, said:-
"My Hun was going flat out for home, dodging all over the -place* He
led me towards flak toners and gun posts in the hope that they would
in a burst take a pop at me. But I got close enough to got 'with ny
the to bale when no re machine guns* This caused pilot out no only
about 5OO feet up." 14/2/44 - No. 23*
Air Ministry News Service Air Ministry Bulletin N0>12934
BASUTOLAND. SQUADRON 1 S LUCKY SPITFIRE
One of the most outstanding Spitfire’s that the Basutoland squadron - now operating
from an advanced - airfield on the Fifth Army front ever had before being reported
- missing last December survived many mishaps. It was outstanding from every point of view. It became known to squadron pilots and ground crews for little eccentricities, for its extraordinary capacity to surmount mishaps, which should ordinarily have caused
a "write off”, and for its exceptional success 'when in action.
•n December n for 18 last year, the aircraft took off from a advanced airfield its
last, flight. It was later reported missing, It had to its credit no fewer than
fifteen and a half enemy aircraft destroyed. In the words of the squadron engineer
c ficer, kinds of odd incidents used to happen to it."
This individuality, plus a high degree of airworthiness, made the aircraft extremely popular with pilots. Everyone on the squadron regarded the aircraft with the affection
that goes to battle-seasoned crews or machines. Eventually, the aircraft became known
"as Grandpa!' of the squadron, and its loss on December 18, laid a gloom for a time on the men who knew her story.
The aircraft joined the Basutoland squadron in May, 1943, and retained the original
Merlin engine throughout its operational flying on the Fifth Army front.
When reported missing, the aicraft had flown--between 220 and 230 hours. The aircraft was often flown by the squadron’s top-scoring pilot, twenty-two-years-old Flight lieutenant R.J.H. D.F.C. of whose score sheet now reads eleven Hussey, , D.F.M., Bristol, and a half enemy aircraft destroyed.
Out of this number Hussey shot down five while flying "Grandpa"! The machine hit the headlines when it chased two enemy fighters into the ground without firing a shot.
C ) out to spectacular incident of its career with the squadron is sufficient illustrate the amazing luck of this Spitfire. Taking off from a short runway in the Salerno area during the vital days of the invasion, the aircraft failed to clear tree tops and one foot six inches was ripped off the end of each propellor. It also suffered other damage.
The men on the ground expected the aircraft to pitch into the ground. Instead, it continued to fly, tottered round the airfield to complete a full circuit, and then, with the air pressure gone, brakes and undercarriage unserviceable, did a good crash landing. After a short while with the repair and salvage unit it returned to the squadron and resumed operations.
NOTE; PICTURE ALREADY ISSUED THROUGH B. I.P.P.A. 14/2/44 - N0.30
Nazis WAVE OF TEŔOR IN THE POLISH CAPITOL
The death sentence carried out by the Polish Underground
Movement on the Warsaw Gestapo chief Franz Kutschera has aroused
the fury of the German authorities in Poland and they have started
an unceasing wave of terror in the polish capital.
Immediately after Kutschera’s assassination the Gormans
executed 100 hostages seized at random* On February 11 a
further 27 Poles -were executed publicly in Leszno St., Warsaw*
The next day five under graduates of the philosophical Faculty
of the Warsaw University, who were continuing their studies at an
underground university were discovered "by the Gestapo and shot
the with on spot their tutor, prof. Opinski*
POLISH MINISTRY OP INFORMATION 14.2.44 - No. 31
POLISH MERCHANT SHIPS IN BATTUE WITH THE JAPANESE
Not until now has it been revealed that since almost the first day of the war
in the Pacific the Polish Merchant Navy has been playing its part in the fight
against the Japanese,
Naturally the details of the Polish ships’ activities must remain secret for
the time being, but it may be said that these ships, carrying Allied troops, arms
ammunition and provisions to the various fronts in India, the Malayan Peninsula,
Singapore, the Dutch East Indies, etc., and later evacuating those troops and the
xicilian population, voyaged all over the Indian Ocean and South-West Pacific - in
waters unknown to the Polish On that previously quite Merchant Navy. occasion many
ports in that part of the world saw the Polish merchant flag for the first tine.
Polish ships began to sail those distant oceans in the opening phase of the
war there, when they were engaged in transporting troops from the Empire to various
fronts, The voyage which received most publicity was that of M/S Batory from Gt.
Britain to New Zealand and Australia, shortly after the fall of France in 1940. On
that occasion "Batory" carried 500 British children who were being evacuated from Gt.
Britain, This priceless cargo was entrusted to the Polish Navy though at that time
it was still little known.
It was also revealed not long ago that besides ships of the Polish Navy, Polish merchant ships took part in the invasion of Sicily and Italy. Two of them distinguish-
ed themselves, particularly in the famous action at Salerno, discharging troops and war material for several days in direct range of the enemy guns.
It is nowwonder that officers and men of the Polish Merchant Navy, fighting
gallantly on all the sea fronts, should have, been awarded many decorations, both
British and Polish. Up to the end of 1943 they had received 72 Polish medals, and 23
Crosses for British. The p olish medals were: 1 Virtuti Militari (posthumously), 64
Gallantry, (4 of which were awarded to non-Polish sailors serving in Polish ships,)
1 Gold Cross of Merit 'with* Swords, 1 Gold Cross of Merit without Swords (posthumously)
2 Silver Crosses of Merit with Swords and 3 Bronze Crosses of Merit with Swords, Of
the British medals awarded, the D.S.C. ’s won by Masters of the Polish Merchant Navy deserve special mention. It should be remembered that until recently even British merchant captains could not be awarded that decoration, which was for the Armed '
Forces only. A special order of Parliament was necessary before the change could be made.
The D.S.C. was awarded to two Polish Merchant Naval captains, and another received the D.S.C. with bar. Furthermore, the British have awarded to men of our merchant vessels: 11 OBEs, 3 MBEs, 3 Certificates of Commendation and 3 Mentions in
Dispatches.
Another point should- be mentioned while the part played by .polish merchant and naval ships on practically all the sea fronts, and thus also in the struggle against
the Japanese in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, is under discussion. It is: /Poland -2-
Poland entered the war he cause she was attacked by the Germans*
consequently the Germans are her chief enemy. However, when
the need arose Poland, true to. her alliance, fought and will continue
to fight against the enemies of her allies. Thus she fought, as long as it was necessary, against the Italians., and -when Japan
made her treacherous attack on the U,S,A, and Gt, Britain she
sent ships of her Merchant Navy to he at her allies disposal in
the Indian Ocean and the pacific, Poland has always "believed
that an alliance must he adhered to faithfully and conscientiously.
POLISH MINISTRY OP INFORMATION 14/2/44 - No, 32
OFFICIAL ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE
The Board of Admiralty regret to announce that the submarine
H.M.S. SIMOOM (Lieutenant Geoffrey D.N. Milner, D.S.C*, R.N.) is overdue and must be presumed lost.
The next-of-kin of casualties have keen informed.
ADMIRALTY, S.W.I. 14/2/44 - N0.35
Air Ministry No. 1294-7
AIR MINISTRY AND MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY Odd UNIQUE
During daylight today there was nothing to report.
One more enemy aircraft -was destroyed in raids on this country last night, making a total of five destroyed. 14.2.44- No. 36
“A PINE SHOW" BY OUR BOMBERS IN ITALY
by VAUGHAN THOMAS, Representing the Combined British Press and Radio
With the Fifth Army in Italy February 12, 1944
Here on the Bridgehead the weather rules our lives to an extent undreamt of in the far off times of peace. The driving rain and high wind.s of the last few days have meant endless discomfort for the fighting men. All the miner miseries of life in the front line are doubled. Our soldiers have net only to eat, sleep and fight in a
in muddy slit trench with no hope of a hot meal or dry clothes but, addition, they loose their air cover and in modem war the side that looses air cover looses the
power of the offensive.
It is always after a spell of rain that the enemy has launched, his attacks on us in the bridgehead, wet weather gives him the chance to. move his troops unspotted by our Recce aircraft. If you see the ALban Hills in cloud then you can be sure that
the Germans will be on the attack the day after.
This morning we get up to find clear Skies and that meant that at long last our
had. air-force could, get to work in a big way. I was with a gun crew that been in action without a break for ten days. We were looking cut ever the bare rolling plough lands and. the ruined wall s of the much fought over factary when, away behind us, we heard a steady drumming in the winter sky. The sentry locked up, he give a
to shout ''Bombers and. they're curs". New every soldier in the whole area seemed be
as in four looking up wing tip to wing tip the bombers moved overhead great flights, we started, counting ten, fifteen, twenty. we gave up as group after group come un
from the sea and the whole sky seems full of the thunderroll of their engines*
now in a stem The leading group went in to bomb. The German flak was bursting of black puffs around the aircraft. Through my glasses I could see every one with its bomb-doors open,then out of them the bombs spilled down in a shower of black specks.
Prom were we stood we could feel the impact they made and see a huge brown bonfire of
to smoke go drifting across the straight road running from the factory the Alban Hills.
this I have been bombed more times than I can remember in this Ainzio bridgehead but was the closest i have been to our own bombing. There is just no comparison between
the are on us. As weight we are dropping on the Germans and the amount they cropping
the bombers turned in perfect formation and come out through a sky patterned with the black cotton wool of the enemy Ack-Ack, we on the ground had only one feeling in cur
1 best as he turned to me and said: "That s a fine minds, A gunner expressed it show? we could dc with it every day for the next week”.
MINISTRY OP INFORMATION 14/2/44 No. 38
Air Ministry News Service Air. Ministry BullctinNo.l29
R.A.F. OVER FRANCE,
Attacks on targets in Northern. France were continued today by R.A.F.
bombers and fighter bombers.
Mitchell medium bombers, which included a squadron of the Royal Netherlands
Naval Air Service, scored "good concentrations of bursts," to quote a*flight
leader, Typhoon fighter-bombers and Mosquito light bombers went in first
with good results. Bostons, including the Lorraine Free French Squadron,
bombed at about the same time.
A Canadian flight sergeant, pilot of one of the Mitchells, said afterwards
centre. "I think our squadron really did its Job. Tfe hit our target dead
There was no enemy interference until we were ready to homb, and then heavy
and accurate started received one flak to come up at us. Our machine Just
hole."
\ The medium bombers were accompanied and given an umbrella by R.A.F.,
R.C.A.F., and Allied Spitfires* One of the R.C.A.F. Spitfires dived on an
ME.210 which was sighted close to the ground and shot it down. "I saw two
Germans bale out, but their, parachutes didn't open," said the pilot.
On other offensive patrols during the day, Typhoon fighters shot- up
hangars at airfields in Northern France.
From all these operations four fighters are missing.