Small News Clips Set Some Tone in Early 1942
From The Halifax Herald, January 8, 1942
January, 1942: The first drafts of Canadian members of Combined Operations would be in Europe within the month and what they knew about the progress of World War 2 they would have learned from radio and newspaper reports of the day. And on any day in Halifax during January 1942, a variety of news pieces would help set the tone for their upcoming long journey across the Atlantic.
From The Halifax Herald, January 8, 1942:
Russians Want Hitler To Live!
Caption with above photo reads: Although most anti-Axis peoples would be glad to hear of Hitler's death, the Russians would like to have him live for eight or ten weeks, said a news report last night. Hitler's "directing genius" in Russia is what the Soviets like, was the sarcastic comment as the report recounted Nazi losses.
From The Halifax Herald, January 4, 1942:
Admiral Keyes' Son Is Killed In Action
Cairo. Jan. 1 --(AP)-- Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger J. B. Keyes, former commander of Britain's Commandos, was notified officially today his son, Col. Geoffrey Keyes, was killed in action during a raid on German Gen. Erwin Rommell's headquarters in Libya.
97 Raids In Last 12 Days Of 1941
Valletta, Malta. Jan. 1 --(CP)-- This tiny mid-Mediterranean island had 97 air raids in the last 12 days of 1941.
Twelve German planes were destroyed and 24 others accounted probably destroyed.
Hit Hard At Isolated Axis Units
Cairo, Jan. 1 --(AP)-- Rear-guard units of the British 8th Army, concerned lest a second Tobruk - this time of Axis origin - develop on the flank of the desert advance, hit hard tonight at the well-fortified Italian-Nazi forces isolated in the Bardia-Halfaya region of eastern Libya. South African troops, supported by tanks and mobile artillery, battered their way into the southern sector of the Bardia perimeter, taking several fortified positions and seizing 600 prisoners.
The attack, hundreds of miles behind the front lines, fore-shadowed a determined effort to keep the Axis Bardia garrison from holding out and possibly being supplied and reinforced by sea, as happened to the British garrison at Tobruk, farther west....
British ground forces also continued their harassment of the remnants of Rommel's main force south of Agedabia. Rommel still has left considerable infantry and tank strength.
Subways Shelter 16 Million Persons
London, Jan. 1 --(CP)-- A London Passenger Transport Board report issued today showed how the war had caused the company to convert its subway stations into virtual emergency hotels and restaurants. The report said that during the last year the company had given shelter to 16,000,000 persons (including repeaters) in 79 subway stations. It installed 8 1/2 miles of three-tier bunks - beds for 7,600 persons - and served 11 tons of food and 221,000 gallons of tea, cocoa, and other beverages nightly during the peak of the German bombing.
Rely On Selves, Australians Told
Melbourne, Jan. 1 --(AAP)-- Australians must rely on themselves in fighting the Commonwealth's battles against the Japanese, Lt. Gen. Sir Ivan Mackay, general officer commanding Australian home forces, warned today. He criticized an attitude of reliance on outside help, including American aid, in Australia's struggle in the Pacific.
Sir ivan said he had already seen several signs of this attitude in Australia which instead should be sturdily self-reliant and as far as possible independent in outlook.
Editorial cartoon - From The Halifax Herald, January 6, 1942
From The Halifax Herald, January 8, 1942:
Nazi Plan For Invasion Of Malta Smashed By British
Concentration of Enemy Air Forces Battered in Eight-Hour Assault
Cairo, Jan. 7 --(AP)-- A terrific eight-hour Royal Air Force assault on Castel Vetrano airdrome in Sicily in which 44 Axis planes were destroyed, gasoline supplies fired and soldiers machine-gunned was believed by informed sources tonight to have disrupted plans for an attempted German parachute invasion of the island of Malta. Malta, only 50 miles from the tip of Sicily, is the rugged British stronghold which has withstood constant Axis air attacks and from which British sea and air patrols have played havoc with Axis convoys trying to cross the Straits of Libya to reinforce Lt.-Gen. Erwin Rommel's depleted army.
British sources said the Germans and Italians began concentrating air forces in Sicily weeks ago. The RAF waited patiently, then smashed at the Castel Vetrano airdrome Sunday afternoon in an attack which continued on into the night.
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