The Birmingham Post from Birmingham, West Midlands, England • 2

Troop movements may hold up Coal Supplies New blows at the enemy may be struck at any time. When they come, vital military traffic will have first call on the railways. Coal deliveries may be seriously delayed. 5b be wise and act on this official warning. Order your winter fuel now while the good, while the labour and the transport arp available.

TAKE PART OF YOUR ORDER IN COKE OR ANTHRACITE, DRY STEAM COAL OR MANUFACTURED FUELS Coke or anthracite mixed with coal make excellent fires. Ask your coal merchant for leaflets which tell you the best way to use these fuels in open grates and boilers. If you have any difficulty in obtaining these allSmative fuels get in touch with your Local Fuel Overseer at once. Wood, which is, available in many areas, will make a good fire when mixed with coke. stock up NOW -Mtd save Issued by the -Ministry of Fuel and Power.

HBMTMANY mnusSuS Mr. J. A. of Long Ashton, writes: From nens I 2 or 3 eggs a day. After using Karswood Poultry Spice I found the same hena could produce many more eggs.

In a short while. I began picking up 5 or 8 eggs a I got them regularly Dealers sell Karswood Fpmtry Spice (containing ground insects) la pkts. 7Jd. and BIRMINGHAM CITY ORCHESTRA MR. GEORGH engagement SABOTAGE SUSPECTED IN EAST ANGLIA BOMBS THAT CAUSED DAMAGE A bomb placed by saboteurs is believed to have the cause of an explosion in industrial premises at an East Anglian town.

A second bomb, which failed to explode, was found outside the premises; and, although the electricity supply was not alfccted, considerable damage was done to the installation. An independent group of investigators is co-operating w'ith the police in an effort to solve the mystery. BROADCASTING George AVeldon will conduct the City of Birmingham Orchestra during the forthcoming season of Sunday concerts, which will begin on October 3 and continue until April 30 next. The appointment has been made by the Orchestra Committee. In considering the choice of a successor to Mr.

Leslie Howard, the committee decided not to make a permanent appointment for the time being, but there seems no reason to doubt that if the present arrangement should prove satisfactory, it will be extended. Mr. reputation as a con, ductor has grown steadily in the last few years. A former student at the Royal College of Music and at Munich, he gained experience in conducting the Hastings Municipal Orchestra and other South Coast orchestras, and later made many tours with the London Symphony Orchestra. He has conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall on a number of occasions.

On April 4 last he appealed with the City Orchestra as guest conductor. In an interview, Mr. Weldon ex- pleasure at his appointment. He said he was looking forward eagerly to the coming season. On his visit in April he was impressed by the capabilities of the players, and considered that, with more settled conditions, the season should be successful.

E. B. writes: The City Orchestra Committee appears to have taken a doubly wise decision: Mr. appointment almost suggested itself, though it was clearly but one possibility out of two or three, and a year of probation, since be has had the good sense not to object to it, can only be satisfactory all round. He will obviously be asked to stay on if both the City ftrehestra and the public take to him, and even a single experience of his gifts seems to indicate that they will.

WARNING DISCUSSED Representatives of the General Council of the T.U.C., the Union of Post Office Workers, the Post Office Engineering Union and the Inland Revenue Staff Federation yesterday discussed the warning to Civil Servants of the consequences of infringement of the Trades Disputes Act. No statement was issued. The meeting no doubt attempted to clarify the position before meeting of the General Council, the Executive Committee of the Labour Party and representatives of the Parliamentary -Labour Party. Quebec Decisions Very soon now we may expect, in deeds perhaps rather than in words, evidence of all-important decisions taken in Quebec. The presence of Mr.

Eden, our Foreign Secretary, and the possible presence of Mr. Cordell Hull, U.S.A. Secretary of Staite, more than hint that some decisions will be political and not merely military. Such we imagine, will be taken later and certainly disclosed later. Immediately, it js the military decisions that matter.

The general data on which sufth decisions must be based are open for all the world to see. Eussia is still occupying the bulk of Axis land forces successfully but at high cost to herself and, as messages fyora the Kharkov sector suggest, at some 1 risk to herself. Britain and the United States have now added to the production power that has aided Eussia a military power capable of helping Eussia more directly. That military power, on a scale Eussia would judge small, has proved North Africa and now in Sicily efficient. How is it next and best to be used? Our successful Sicilian expedition points one obvious way; proximity to Western Europe suggests another; Allied strength in the Eastern Mediterranean hints a tlyrd.

All that is in terms of strategy. Politically, we imagine the Quebec decisions will take account of the obvious weakening of Italian a point wher? perhaps two-thirds of Italy would welcome unconditional surrender. They will take account, no doubt, of the growing evidence that the friends of the Axis, all over the Balkan peninsula and right up to Budapest, are losing faith in the Axis. They will observe the indications of German anxiety about Scandinavia, evident in an acceptance of new-found courage and evident in yet stricter control of Norway. Most of alt, one hopes, the decisions will be influenced by the courage and the sufferings of Holland and Belgium and, above all, of France.

The remarkable broadcast yesterday from a Eadio France spokesman in Algiers deserves all the attention it can possibly get. Ninety-five per cent, of France, M. Mesnerel says, is ready to fight when the Allies give the word; but every day the word is delayed this Free France, free although in chains, grows physically weaker. Clearly, it is not for the layman to offer suggestions on the when and the where of United Nations action; still less to press tor that raw haste in action which Tennyson once dubbed halfsister to He is entitled, however, to hope that the Quebec decisions will seize the best opportunity the Allies have yet had to make the war relatively short; and that no indecisions will be allowed to give Germany the opportunity for which she is with the Eeich safely inside its European fortress with half Europe dying outside; and with the United Nations, still further outside, losing the unity Of purpose which so far has served them so well. Whatever is to be done, surely, must be done quickly.

Alike in the West and in the Far East enemy morale has suffered heavy blows; but, both East and West, the passage of time mav bring recovery of morale. Alike in the West and in the Far East the strategic position is favourable; but again time may tend to alter it to our disadvantage. None' of us, of course, forgets that our lack of preparation before the war has caused our task to-day to be both difficult tyid dangerous. None of us is ignorant of the plain fact that a false move or a rash move might set back our cause and our prospect of victory by months, perhaps years. For all that, it is a plain lesson of history that no great gains in war have ever come without some risks; and that, very often, potential gains have been forfeited, a strong position lost, by mere inaction due to fear of taking risks.

It is for our rulers and their advisers to decide how much- we can do and how soon; to decide, too, where of the many places over which the Axis is blows should be struck. The. ordinary duty ends where it begins; in making clear that he is ready to accept uncomplainingly both certain sacrifices and possible setbacks and ready also to work on a scale and at a rate commensurate with what he expects of soldiers, sailors and air crews. HOME SERVICE (303.5, 391.1, 449.1 and 48.54 metres) 8.0 a.m. Tiinc and 8.15: Kitchen 8.20: Gramophone.

9.0: Norman Brooks Orchestra, with Kileen Vanffhan (soprano). 9.40: 9.55; At Home 10.15: Tinte and religions service. 10.30: Accordion Band. 11.0: Time; 8.8. C.

Scottish Orchestra. 11.43: Frederic-Cnrzon (theatre organ). 12.0 noon: Gramophone. 12.30 p.m. Kntcrtainment in a factory.

1.0: Time and rows. 1.15: A musical Irihntc to Sir Ernest Macmillan, on his fiftieth Birthday. 1.30: Gramophone. 2.0: Van Ham Orchestra. 2.30: Gramophone.

3.0: A talk, the Welsh 3.15: Messages from British children in South Africa. 3.30: Geraldn Orchestra. 4.1*: 8.8. C. Northern Orchestra.

5.0: Time; news and a talk in Welsh. 5.20: Hour. 6.0: Time, news and announcements. 6.30; Alan Paul (at the piano). 6.40: The Wrecker of final instalment.

7.0: Promenade concert C. Symphony Orchestra and several soloists. 8.0: story of The 8.30: Ransome and Maries Worka Band. 9.0: Time and news. 9.25: Close-fp 9.40; For the Armchair 9.50: Frank Smythc on Edward Whymper.

10.30: Gaelic concert. 11.0; A reading. 11.5: Lon Preager Ballroom Band. 12.0 midnight: Time and news FOR THE FORCES (296.1 and 342.1 metres) 9.55 a.m. Henry Cm nelson (theatre organ).

10.15—10.30; Novelty Swing Quartet. 12.30—1.0 p.m.: Gramophone. 1.15; Greetings from home. Services. ,1.45 Gramophone.

3.0 8.30: Falkman Apache Band. 5.0: Band of The Buffs (tlie Royal Kent Regiment). 5.30 Southern Serenade Orchestra. 6.30: (from a eluh in London). 7.0: "The World Goes 7.30: 8.8.

C. Dancing Club. 8.30—9.0: Variety. 9.25; A talk by the Rev. Lewis Sutherland, Chaplain to the R.A.F 9.40: Songs of Stephen Theatre Orchestra-and Chorus and soloists.

10.13: Story reading. 10.30: Harold Collins Orchestra. THK BIRMI Birmingham ost AND JOURNAL Founded by John Frederick Feeney, 1857 WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 18, 1943 Advertisements and all Business Communications should be addressed to The Manager and letters dealing with Editorial Matters should be addressed Editor. Head Office: 38, New Street, Birmingham 2.

Telephone Number (All Departments): Midland 4461 (7 lines). London: 88, Fleet Street, E.C. 4. Editorial, Central 8731. Commercial, Central 6180.

Wolverhampton: 28, Darlington St, 20817. Walsall 78, Bradford St. 3453. Coventry Hertford St. 4708.

"The Birmingham will be sent by post at the rate of Is. 3d. weekly. New Air Bases As though to mark in the most emphatic way the change made in the air situation by the conquest of Sicily, airfields near Marseilles were bombed yesterday from Mediterranean bases. While one strong formation of Fortresses was thus creating a new problem for the Luftwaffe, another force delivered a daylight attack on Friedrichshafen, on Lake Constance.

Friedrichshafen, a particularly important target because of the radiolocation works there, GHAM POST, was last bombed on the outward flight of British-based Lancasters that went on to North Africa, reloaded and bombed Spezia three days afterwards on their way back to this country. This shuttle bombing service was a device to overcome the disadvantage of the great distance of such targets from both homo and North African bases. The conquest'of Sicily has much shortened the distance that Mediterraneanbased, bombers must fly to reach a wide variety of tempting targets on the underside of Europe. It is an underside which the Luftwaffe has been able to leave soft because it was little exposed to rough treatment. That condition has been transformed.

Either the Luftwaffe will have to muster, from its depleted' resources, strength enough to protect the underside, or the softness will soon be much more softened. The choice of enemy airfields in Southern France for first attack from our new Mediterranean bases is significant. It means that the Luftwaffe itself is to be the first subject of the new softening. Service Traffic Claims The report on War Office Claims now issued by the Select Committee on National Expenditure does not suggest either that Service authorities are indifferent to the damage which men under training are bound to inflict from time to time upon civilian property, or that the actual amount of such damage, up to date, has been, in all the circumstances, unreasonably largp. When armoured units take part in large-scale exercises Avhich involve the driving of all sorts of vehicles, from tanks downwards, over enclosed country after dark, walls and fences and gateposts are bound to suffer so are growing crops; and not all realistic exercises of this type can possibly be restricted to moorlands which present no such obstacles.

Again, when tanks run into walls far from the scene of any action it may Avell be that the essential unhandiness of the vehicle rather than the carelessness of the driver is primarily to blame. All the same, one does not like to hear of more than 324,000 traffic accident claims requiring to be investigated, or of the continued receipt of such claims at the rate of 6,300 to 6,400 per We take it that these figures irtclude claims of all that is to say, out of incidents occurring both on and off duty but even so the -figures seem excessive. They furnish strong support, indeed, for the familiar complaint that the standard of driving in the Services is low, the amount of care exhibited by Service drivers than it ought to be. That, evidently, is also the opinion of the Committee, which declares roundly in these cases there is nearly always negligence or lack of discipline on the part of The more, then, is it to be regretted that when legal action follows the injured and aggrieved civilian should continue to find himself at a legal disadvantage and without that prospect of redress which, in other circumstances, the common law would afford. FILMS IN BIRMINGHAM DRAMAS OF THE WORLD WAR Pictures of the four corners of the world in arms fire to be seen this week at the city cinemas.

The extent and intensity of the world war ate vividly indicated in set in Africa in set in Asia; and in Also set in Europe. This triple alliance of dramatic incident is a graphic demonstration of the immensity of the struggle 'swaying over four continents, although, in each case, tho general nature of the conflict is epitomised in particular personal experiences. (at the Forum) surveys that queer, seething terrain, unoccupied French territory. At the North African port is congregated the flotsam thrown up by the tide of war. Before the Allied occupation the town swarmed with German agents, patriots on the yin, and riff-raff from the Continental capitals turning dishonest fortunes from the adversity of honest men.

Although nominally under the charge of a French commandant, Casablanca was a focusingpoint for underground movements and a halting-place for men seeking visas that would give them access to Lisbon, where planes for America would wing them to freedom. The picture singles out the uneasy odyssey of one such European fugitive. The point of assembly for all parties is a night club run by an American (Humphry Bogart). German party is led by Conrad Veidt. The French shifting policy and mercurial temperament are admirably represented by Claude Rains.

The plot is complicated in detail but clear in its issue; and it is in the presentation of the tortuous means by which the desperatelydesired end is gained that the picture succeeds admirably. Is the incident 'T. dramatised? Contemporary political truth is so piuch stranger than fiction that, until peace brings the freedom that allows half-told stones to be completed, no one can say that even the fiction-film runs to excess. his is certainly the case with stories of tribulation in Czechoslovakia. Hangmen Also Die (at flie Gaumont) fills in the details of the shooting of Heydrich in Prague.

Whether the incidents fell out in this order or npt is of little account beside the two main (motifs that run through the film: the ruthless, efficient pounding of the Gestapo machine in action, and the thin (but persistent) note, almost of lyricism, sounded by the patriot Czechs from a hundred underground hidingplaces. The picture is brilliantly produced and acted. Theatricalism is absent. It is sufficient in a film of this sort to allow the facts to here, action is eloquent beyond words. In (at the Odeon), personalities tend to swamp the larger issue.

In the matter of saving a lorry load of Chinese girls from the oncoming Japanese hordes, Loretta roung, ag an American teacher, subjects a rather stolid driver (Alan Ladd) to a heavy dose of which he sees his duty as an Atnerican more clearly. Ihe picture has some dramatic when a Japanese division is engulfed by the efforts of a dozen Chinese as a whole, it ftills undecidedly between romance and realism. T- C. K. EDNESDAY, AUG LONDON LETTER 88, Fleet Street, E.C.

4 Tuesday Night End in Sicily It will take some time to add up the cost to the Axis of the Sicilian campaign! 'As was expected, the Germans have got away the bulk of their surviving troops, together with light equipment. As the evacuation was made with small craft, it is nonsense to claim, as the Germans are doing, that tanks, heavy guns and transport also were extricated. is studiously vague over German figures and absurdly precise about the alleged strength of the Allied forces in Sicily. Yet it'is fairly clear that, during the last phase of fighting in the north-eastern tip of the island, only a fraction of Allied strength could have been deployed in the difficult and restricted countryside. This suggests a possibility of a swift follow-up by units withdrawn from the line some time before the- end.

The German remnants ferried over to the mainland, exhausted physically and without heavy equipment, will bo in no condition to renew the fight for a long period. Indeed, it is doubtful whether the reserves pf tanks, guns and transport exist in Italy to re-equip them. The fortress of Sicily has fallen sooner, and at less cost, than the Allies dared to hone. Norwegian War Zone A somewhat ironical consequence of ban on German transit traffic is the abandonment by Germany of the fiction that Norway is outside the theatre of war. As a result, Norwegians are being subjected to the worst rigours of Nazi methods on the grounds that a full state of hostilities exists in Norway.

They will accept it with the cold courage of the race as a necessary price of the Swedish gesture. The Nazi authorities pretend that their renewed outbreak of brutality is due. to some new and unspecified action by Britain or Russia, and they hint at an invasion of Norway. This is merely a cover for the bad state of nerves induced among the Germans in 1 Norway by the attitude of the population, and the incessant activities of British and Norwegian forces since the occupation more than three year ago. Norway has never ceased to be a theatre of Avar, though little has been said about activities over there.

Fictitious Battles For the second time in less than a Aveek the Germans have put out a completely fabricated claim to have sunk a lot of ships in an Allied Mediterranean convoy. When the German propaganda machine is reduced to inventing imaginary Successes the motive is inAariably political. In these cases the object in AieAV is not far to seek. The German home public would derive little comfort from successes against shipping in the Mediterranean. Italy, on the other hand, is acutely interested in the progress of seaborne men and materials in that region.

The purpose of these fantastic stories of LnftAvaffe prowess is to impress the Badoglio Government. If the distracted rulers of Italy can be persuaded, even for a moment, that tho Luftwaffe, is capable of dealing heaA bloAA's at Allied sea-poAAer and communications, tho object will have been achieA-ed. Probably the Italians are not deceived. They know as much as the Germans about the limitations of air power against stronglyescorted convoys. Eating in Public Much of the uneasiness felt by private caterers at the rapid expansion of British Restaurants was based on an assumption that the war-time habit of taking meals away from home had come to stay.

The majority of the GIS.OOO people who now take a midday meal at these centres do so because it provides them with a valuable addition their domestic ration and relieves the strain on housewives engaged in full, or parttime, war work. With a return to peace conditions, tne industrial population will cease to eat in public, except in works canteens, and enterprising catering can be relied on to satisfy the requirements of ''those others who had acquired the habit of taking meals in restaurants the war. Birmingham easily leads the way among provincial cities in the number of British Restaurants serving an average of 300 dinners daily. There are forty-two in your city; the next highest number being in Portsmouth, with thirty-'threc. followed by two other badly-blitzed iports, Hull and Newcastle, with thirty each.

Birmingham normally has not a large proportion of dinersout among its population and even the Food Ministry, which believes that British Restaurants have come to stay, expect that many will survive the proclamation of peace. Houses An exhibition of designs for a postwar housing estate, which.was opened by Lady to-day at begins with telling photogranhs of the slums we must abolish, of tna factory that draws around it a haphazard assembly of mean streets, and of a bombed district aptly called Then follows a single example each of Norwegian, Dutch and Danish building, leaving on the mind of the eager amateur an impression of individuality which is lacking in the exhibition 'itself. Designers have to reckon with certain shortages after the war, and the Incorporated Association of Architects and Surveyors, who organised the exhibition, says; considerable measure of standardisation may be called for. In planning, nearly every practical demand has been met, but the elevations show litifle vigour or imagination. In opening the exhibit tion.

Lady Sinclair stressed the need of educating our tafete and our knowledge of good and bad architecture. We must have our wn, she said, while deferring on technical matters to the professional. Exhibitions such as this may be useful, if they can awaken even a first glimmer of interest in architecture. The majority know nothing and care nothing even now. LETTER TO EDITOR NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER Sir, a result of the invitation published in your columns at this time last year in connection with the National Day of Prayer on September 3, it was possible to arrange more than 130 short services for workers in factories and businesss establishments in the Birmingham area on that day.

The Home Office announcement which appeared in your issue of August 12 last makes specific acknowledgment of the value of such arrangements. In connection with this observance, we are preparing a rota of clergy and able to conduct such services and also a shortened form of service of fifteen minutes duration, copies of will be available for those who desire them. At the same time, we recognise that many firms may prefer to make their own arrangements with local clergy or ministers. The Churches which we represent would welcome opportunities of co-operating with industrial managements for the due observance of this Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving. Applications will he dealt with at Astorf Vicarage (East 1843).

Harry Archdeacon of Aston Noel Hutchchoft, President. Free Church Council. Aston, August 17. 1 ST 18, 1943 THE KING AGAIN AT SEA LEADS HOME FLEET TO BATTLE PRACTICE IN BIG-SCALE EXERCISE The King, in the flagship H.M.S. Duke of York, led the Home Fleet to sea for battle practice during a visit to the Fleet.

The flagship was flying the Royal Standard. For five hours the Battle Fleet, stretched over a wide area of the North Sea, was by aircraft, submarines and E-boats. It engaged two Cruisers and fired with every type of armament multiple pompoms and Oerlikons to 14in. guns. It was a magnificent spectacle the King saw as he stood on the bridge with the capital ships steaming in line ahead.

For the first time a ship of the Royal Indian newly-coriunissioned sloop the Fleet from its sea anchorage out to I At the sea-gate the Indians lined the side, cheering the King, and the Godavari signalled the flagship live the King- Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser (Commander-in-Chief. Home Fleet) signalled back His Majesty thought you looked very Mighty Salvos Two hours out at sea, the Duke of York and. the other capital ships turned into line abreast to engage the cruisers Belfast and Phoebe ten miles away. Sheets of orange flame poured out as the Duke of 14in. guns Avent into action.

Nearly seven tons of metal screamed through the air from each sah'o. The King watched through binoculars. The Belfast and the Phoebe took avoiding action at high speed, but the big guns folloAved them, and shells pitched regularly at the proscribed distance. It Avas first-class shooting. After half an hour the King left the bridge, temporarily deafened by the firing, and went to lunch in the Avardroom.

Earlier, the King had Avatched the Fleet firing rapid broadsides from the secondary armament, first at a high-speed Avirelesscontrolled launch representing an E-boat and then at a battle practice target. In the afternoon came the sea-air battles. Taao Fleet Air Arm squadrons dived to attack with torpedoes. As Beaufighters fought them off other aircraft sAvept in low to dive-bomb at less than mast-head height. The Fleet adopted special formation and the aircraft were beaten off.

NeNt a submarine attack was repulsed. It Avas one of the largest-scaled fleet exercises ever held in waf time. On the way back to harbour the who had tea in the gunroom Avith the midshipmen and junior salutes from the big ships. Latest Warship It was in the destroyer Onslow, with an escort of three other destroyers, including the Canadian ship Huron, that the King joined the Fleet at the start of his fifth he has paid to the Home Fleet since beginning of the war. The Huron is newest and bestequipped third Tribal Class destroyer in the Canadian Navy.

The youngest officer is Sub- Lieutenant W. H. Howe, son of C. D. Howe, Canadian Minister of Supply.

The King visited many ships, went between decks into the quarters, and attended a Fleet concert ashore. His first act after being piped over the side of the flagship was to invest Admiral Fraser with the insignia of a Knight Commander of the Bath. When the King went aboard the Godavari, a Punjabi yeoman of signals hoisted the Royal Standard from her first time an Indian ship in British waters has worn the Standard. Next day, commander. Commander J.

W. Jefford, was promoted captain. When the King visited the depot ship Tyne he inspected detachments from five destroyers. Aboard one of our newest submarines he spent a long time examining the torpedo tubes and control gear. At the fleet concert he joined in community singing with ratings and Wrens.

The King attended church ashore. While he lived aboard the flagship. he. made a complete inspection of the vessel. The warrant mess has been known since the Prime Minister used it as his headquarter's when lie went to America as 10.

Downing His Majesty had special pleasure in visiting the battleship Malaya the last ship in which he served as a naval officer in the last war. He went below to see his old quarters which he occupied as a junior officer, Lieutenant Prince Albert. In his final signal to the Commander-in-Chief, the King said: have been greatly impressed hv all that I have seen, and I am confident that the manv duties falling to the lot of the Home Fleet will be worthily carriod out by oil officers and jnen under your able The Commander-in-Chief renifd: thank your Majesty with hiunblo duty for vour gracious message. We have deeply dated vour presence in our midst not ordv as our Sovereign but alsp as a LATEST WILLS Mr. Robert David Lewis, of Tettenhall, formerly proprietor of imam Lewis and Son, Bilston, left £210,756 (net personalty He bequeathed £2OO each to Wolverhampton and Midland Counties lsye Infirmary, the Royal Hospital, the Royal Orphanage, Wolverhampton, and Wolverhampton and District Hospital for Women.

He stated in his will: it had not been for the iniquitous high rate of death duties, I should have bequeathed more to Mr. Will iam Houghton Henton Wood, of Daventry, left £96,5.58 (net personalty He bequeathed each to Northampton General Hospital, the Cancer Hospital and St. and the ultimate residue among the same institutions. Mr. John Irwin Scott.

of Kettering, headmaster of Kettering Grammar School 191.4-42, left £6,550 (net personalty Mr. Gerard Joseph Wheble, of Leamington, left £42,961 (net personalty Mr. Henry Leeke Horsfall, of Rugeley, left £26,178 (net personalty Mr. Maurice Theodore Woolley, of Loughborough. land agent and surveyor, left £28,185 (net personalty fifty years ago The great heat remains tlio engrossing subject of conversation.

In Corporation Street yesterday a well-shaded instrument recorded eighty-seven degrees, but that fact did not materially reduce the number of frock coats and top hats in evidence during the Jay. Is there any reason why a man may not, in such a summer as this, walk about the streets in garments deemed perfectly suitable on the encket or tennis ground? If this of summer came several years would shouldVed taoo bUtl.o )e and the proprieties rfnr to earrv all neton them? August 18, 1893.) 1 1 DAMAGE BY'TROOPS SOME DUE TO SHEER CARELESSNESS 324J000 CLAIMS FROM TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS The Select Committee on National Expenditure issues a report on the work of the War Office Claims Commission. Its principal recommendations are (1) that the authorities of all three Services should impress on all ranks of all units the necessity of maintaining a high degree of discipline in the matter of keeping down to the unavoidable minimum injury to the persons and property of' his Majesty subjects, and (2) that troops should invariably be told of the Jcind of cTamage that may be caused on manoeuvres through ignorance of rural conditions. The Committee says that the majority of cases dealt with by the Claims Commission arise, out of traffic accidents. More than traffic accident claims have been received the rate of 6,300 to 6,400 a month.

There has been a gradual decrease in this type of case. The fact that only 7,656 of such cases were outstanding on July 1 last shows that the Claims Commission does its work expeditiously. From November 1, 1940, to June 30. 1943. 408,316 claims were dealt with and a total of £2,918,431 was paid.

Of this, £712,297 was in respect of damage done during training and manoeuvres. The remainder of the payments made, amounting to £2,206,134, were on claims arising out of traffic accidents and miscellaneous claims for damage to property or persons. In these cases there was nearly always negligence or lack of discipline on the part pf the troops. Tanks Smash Walls During the first fortnight in March a great number, of British and Canadian troops took part in large-scale exercises, involving driving at night without lights pver a wide area in the Midlands and the South of A number of armoured units took part in these exercises. As the hedge- walls and fences of the English countryside do not, unless ignored, give the same freedom of manoeuvre to tanks as do the open fields of the Continent, it was essential, if all arms were to be exercised in a realistic way, that the freest use of laud should be made where necessary.

A certain amount of damage was inevitable. The problem was to secure that the damage was not unreasonable, and that, in particular, as little harm as possible was done to crops, stock and growing timber. Less than 20 per cent, of the total damage was to food or potential food. Where a tank action had taken place, it was inevitable that fences, walls and gates should suffer. There were places, however, far from the scene of any action where armoured units had breached walls and carried away fences by sheer carelessness.

Yet another type of unnecessary damage was destruction of amenity by failure to follow the army sanitation procedure. In other places, damage had been caused by ignorance of rural life by soldiers brought up in towns. For example, twenty heifers were poisoned by eating yew. which had been cut to serve as cafnouflage. Elsewhere, soldiers had cut thatch off haystacks to use them as observation posts.

Units had been encouraged not to hide the damage they had done, but to report it, so that repairs could quickly be started. The Committee saw repair parties doing temporary repairs to prevent stock strayfng and was impressed by the efficiency of that work. In one case there was a shortage of farm gates to replace those damasred or destroyed. and the War Office quickly obtained a large quantity of chestnut paling for the farmers till gates and posts be provided. is generally the Committee savs, that the behaviour, and discipline of the Vast majority of British Service men -and women are exemplary.

The Committee is not convinced, thousrh, that all units are seized of the desirability of avoiding damage caused by negligent or wanton UNDISCLOSED ACTS OF HEROISM FOUR GEORGE MEDAL AWARDS Two officers of the Royal Engineers, already holders of the George Medal for undisclosed acts of heroism, have now won bars to the medal for further unrecorded gallantry, reports last London They are Captain (Temporary Major) Lewis Gerhold, London born and with relatives at Edinburgh, who gained his first medal in September, 1941; and Lieut. Michael Arthur Clinton, of Westcotf, near DorMng, Surrey, awarded the G.M. in February last year. For unrecorded bravery the George Medal is awarded to another officer and N.C.O. of the Thomas Blackshaw, of Chesterfield, and Sergt.

Thomas Hall, a native qf York, whose home is at March, Cambridgeshire. All four awards are recognition of conspicuous gallantry in carrying out hazardous work in a very brave Lady Cyntljia Colville has succeeded Lady Constance Milnes Gaskell as Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Mary. CROSSWORD PUZZLE, No. 4,273 IS Let out (7) 10 The criminal says 3 i king is 'always showing off'. (4) 4 It yon don't want to miss court the cat can jolly well keep them.

(7) 22 Hundreds flowers for per- sons in authority. (7) 24 Kan after the third. (41 25 the holidays? (5) 26- Did Kermis thus address Romulus? (4) 29 Formal kind of talk. (7) 30 Needle. (7) 31 Those you don't want to know are.

(4, 2, 3. 4) DOWN 2 This quite right 1 (7) SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Strait-waistcoat; 9, vnke; 11, Trot; 12. Jewel; Arraign 17, Yashmak; 18. A Plunder; 23, Apse; 24.

28, Earache; 20, Threads; 30. Hotel. DOWN 1. Semi-transparent; 2, Kanenn j-is, 4. Widgeon; 5, Impietv; 1 1., Opossum 8, The Weaker 15.

Issue- 10, Rostrum; 20, Plastic 22. Dogcart; 26, Acre; ACROSS 1 A hatulshake after en for a game. (4. 2. 3,4) 10 Might In' a gentle well as a Haltering description.

(7) 11 It finishes in an excellent spirit though no approved remedy. (7) 12 Living in the past. (4) 13 Epithet for a tnmace. (5) 14 T'll death ns do. to speak.

(4) 17 If yon get anything for this, lie lucky. CHARLES MONT A 1 DOUGHTY A STRANGER AMO FANATICS (From a Correspondent) Charles Montague Doughtycentenary is being celebrate morrow', so managed the the beautiful opening 1 Travels in Arabia Deserta make the word a the whole. The two years he in the desert (1877-1879) wcre bitter to him by the long 0,1 jjj of thirst, hunger and the fiery but more than from these he in spirit and body at the fanatics in religion. Direct persecution was not to be feared; there Avas natural reluctance even of th disposed sheikhs to take responsibility of harbouring a rany, lest some rash person nng him as an enemy of Allah, all tribe be called in question deed. This reluctance of authority to become in responsible for him made it for Doughty to set out on his at all.

The British Consult, regarded him. And althoug 1 Pasha of the Pilgrim Carava 11 Zeyd, a Chief of the Fukara, I 1 care of the stranger as of 1 eye, Doughty had little to but himself. He was, howe). person prepared to trust and to travel in a hostile truth-seeker in virtue of his He became an assjf of the Fukara and the Moah 1 camped with the tribe and with it, drinking coffee and with the other men in parliament questioning, li st and observing. He did say had but one good day in Mu that all were made to him by the intolerance libsts; but in the pastoral sect 10 the in which transported to the days of tv tl are many IC of pleasant companionship at of the day, when the children 1 horses, and the young ell maidens danced in rows.

Zeyd, the first sheikh with Doughty associated himself; tolerant in the matter of It was in the villages and townships that opposition fierce. At Teyma, the the walls of the. well-pit with 3 contrivances for irrigation ascribed to the evil eye v. stranger, who had not onlv Jo 0 all things, but written ith an detached tion. Doughty notes the rising) excitement in the- faces of the strange kitglling in olll this ring of Avatching wild there a writhing lip, and there, inhuman flushing even in faded He from Teyma with friendly but the experience at repeated with variations in settlements he town of Hayil; Kheybar; Aneyza and Khubhera.

Again and again it was upon him by friendly Arabs Bb had but to prohounce a few to be safe, Only say, Kbalh'J art a Moslem, it is hut a 'j a pease hem. Buf Dou gbtV say no such word. It would cost him little, he said, to ha fessed himself a follower of Co ll or Socrates, hut he could to desire the belly-cheer 11 fi of the Moslems. Yet, when himself of the memory of I' whom the religion of Islam a blood passion, he could be the Mohammedan way of h'M sweet-blooded he ll exacting too much 0 man, but conformable to the mild and It was the Wahabv puritan, fanatical spirit in which was as a rust in the many were free of it. such rust in the soul of cn-Nojumy of Kheybar, Doughty came to love best of all whom he met in Arabi 3 Aneyza, too, were the foU men; the Emir.

Abd Bassam, Abdullah el Vaha. Of Zamil. Doughty I Zamil was a perfect MoslejJbj lie would have been a good any Between him 8 el Bassam there was the eaS) jji munication. of two tolerant El Bassam was a man of st integrity, and a philosopher: minded in the pursuit of trtitj? to serve humanity; a joyt wise nature, full of gentle Some such words might be app! Doughty himself as he consciously revealed in rS Arabia Deserta and in his 1 SANDRINGHAM LA PRODUCE CROF FOOD GROWN ON PRIVATE GROUNP Six acres of lawn in froid home at SandringhatjU are under a crop of and parsnip are growing in mental flqwer-beds, and the private golf course is product and rye. A short time ago, the the Queen, with the rl 1 inspected the results of the farm effort and saw a great being gathered.

Altogethctj acres are being farmed, of are arable. Of these, 639 ha' 0 ploughed since the Avar, representing more thart the pre-war pasture land. a I I i otbintf 5 Does tb'-, ancient fear barian (7) 6'A trie It make 7 A 8 Famoi't 1 Not iL miglil day Ut 9 An remarks 510 15 Where learn lu 16 The aU (5) 21 SS way. 2-J StranK thin? so 23 Ttlire 27 Oarino rather ij. a KO lld i 28 KeP a 1 a tr rC (4' tlnish.

-SM AN EXAMPLE MANNEQUIN PARADE I ON SECOND FLOOR. THURSDAY FRIDAY. 3t04 m. SATURDAY. 11 to 12 a.m.

EDWARD GREY LIP BULL STREET BIRMINGHAM 7.