20 Dec 1940
Page 1
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This newspaper page contains 28 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Medicine Hat News
Location
Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
Date
Dec 20, 1940
Page
1
Report from Cairo on December 20 1940 says British forces have surrounded the Libyan port of Bardia and plan a final assault on the Italian hold there. RAF said five Italian planes were shot down with no loss, and Derna was heavily bombed by night.
Diplomatic dispatches from Bucharest say Marshal Edward Smigly Rydz of Poland has escaped from Romania where he lived in exile after leaving Poland during the 1939 German invasion. He was arrested by Romanian authorities on espionage suspicions, announced October 24, and is said to have been smuggled aboard a coastwise vessel bound for Turkey.
British high command reports a thwarted Fascist raid in a northern Kenya colony frontier village. Seventy camels were captured from the Italian raiders and two Italians were killed as East African troops repelled the assault.
The Admiralty released a document found on a captured Italian submarine showing commanders were ordered to attack Spanish flag ships linked to Ybarra and Pinillos leaving Casablanca or heading to Lisbon without warning. British sources say the move aimed to blame Britain and stir Spain against Allies.
City Treasurer Noble says implementing the Rowell Sirgis municipal finances recommendations could cut city expenses and raise revenue. A social services tax and relief costs would be lifted, while government property taxation could bring in about 9 thousand dollars annually, totaling substantial savings for citizens.
Cpl. James C. Forbes McCallum a 20 year old Verdun Quebec man in the Canadian Army Provost Corps appeared at Bow Street police court on a charge of murdering Morris Schulman a 41 year old Covent Garden barman. He was remanded for further hearing.
An earthquake centered in New England shook heavy buildings from Southern New Jersey to Montreal. It caused slight damage and panic among thousands as Harvard Observatory Professor L Don Leet called it the strongest south of Lake Ossippee. A minor tremor at 12 29 M S T also woke Montreal residents and toppled dishes but caused no serious harm.
Ottawa reports the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the refusal by Alberta courts to convict Harry Wilmot of Calgary for manslaughter in the death of Charles Wesley Stout in May 1939.
The Admiralty announced that a British submarine sunk a heavily laden Italian supply ship and a large Italian tanker south of Italy during the last week.
The Admiralty issued a detailed communique describing a joint campaign in the Mediterranean with the fleet, air arm, Royal Air Force and land forces driving the Axis from Egypt to Libya. Churchill indicated the plan dates back to July and troops, tanks and guns were moved eastward in secrecy while air control was maintained.
A low flying German raider dropped bombs on a London district today with little damage and no casualties. One air raid shelter was hit but empty as alerts had not sounded. Night activity was described as inconsequential with raids over Liverpool and western England causing minimal harm.
British bombers attacked the Bergen Oslo railway line in Norway in an overnight raid. The route was heavily utilized by German military traffic, and the Air Ministry reported the strike today.
The Air Force launched a large raid through bad weather on targets in the Ruhr and western Germany including oil plants storage facilities power stations a railway junction Essen Krupp armament works and Düsseldorf large fires were reported at several sites Bonn saw a very large fire Duisburg near Cologne oil targets were set ablaze and anti aircraft positions shelled.
The Greek freighter Potaro sent an S O S about 750 miles east of Porto Alegre Brazil. The US freighter Flying Fish reported picking up Potaro's distress signal and alert bulletin from Rio de Janeiro dated December 20.
The Wheat Control Board informed local mills that the wheat delivery quota in Medicine Hat has risen from 15 to 20 bushels per seeded acre, affecting farmers and milling operations.
France under Vichy announces the creation of the office of French information to centralize news distribution including Havas. The government will own a controlling share of Havas stock and appoint a secretary of state for information with two advisory councils. Financing comes from foreign agency receipts and news sales.
U S Agriculture Department economists predict hog prices will rise by 16 to 32 percent by March with pork retail prices likely to follow. Hogs averaging about 6.25 dollars per 100 pounds in Chicago could fetch 1 to 2 dollars more before winter. Demand gains from defense-driven employment and smaller slaughter hog supplies support the outlook. The 1940 fall pig crop is estimated 12 percent smaller than 1939, with spring and fall crops combined down 10 percent from 1939.
Edgar Granville of the National Liberal proposed in the House of Commons a joint American-Canadian Industrial Board to speed war material to Britain. He argued sending raw materials to Canada for assembly and finishing the goods for Britain is inefficient and urged US supplies to Canada as part of a North American war production effort.
Report from Dublin states unidentified planes flew over the city last Sunday and over points in Northern Ireland last week. No bombings were reported. The wartime context notes Irish ports and military targets as legitimate objectives.
London report says Hon. C. D. Howe and Lord Beaverbrook discussed increasing Canada's air plant capacity to meet Britain's needs as Axis raids intensify. Details withheld, but Beaverbrook seeks expansion to the limit to boost Allied aircraft output.
President Roosevelt announced a new office on production management to head the U S re armament program and coordinate weapons production for Britain. German troops have withdrawn from Versailles as Petain expected to arrive as Chief of State.
Former King Carol II of Roumania was reported to have been invited by the Germans to reside in Holland or Belgium until his status is clarified. He left Spain after his abdication on September 6, traveling with Mme Magda Lupescu.
The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed Alberta’s appeal and GC Winstonary against Atlas Lumber Co. Ltd. The ruling held that provisions of the Alberta Debt Adjustment Act cannot prevent collection on a promissory note if they conflict with the Bills of Exchange Act enacted by Parliament. Ottawa, Nec. 20 (C.P.).
Investigation into a 3:20 pm fire at 541B Allowance Ave. reveals a child likely started it by holding paper in a water heater flame. Mary Stokes opened a cellar door, saving Verna Keller from smoke. Pat Murphy found the child. The hospital says she will be there until Sunday. The city owned house, not insured for occupants furniture, housed Mrs Nellie Sharp.
London December 20 Labor Minister Ernest Bevin praised President Roosevelt's plan to pay for goods with goods. He said the idea would aid the war effort and help end wartime speculator influence after the conflict.
Eighteen Moros including women and children drown in the August river when two native boats lashed together sink midstream. seven survivors are reported.
Prime Minister Churchill told Parliament Britain is being geared for an offensive in 1941, not just defense, with confidence in repelling any German attack by land sea or air. He cited U S aid as key to becoming well armed and widening offensive possibilities in the coming year.
Fragment describes Gobblers as the primary sale at the city market with weather hints and mentions of frost approaching. It notes a puzzled item about how Dopey took Santa’s place on a decoration at 244 Aberdeen Street and lists names Lew Monkley and Oglivie Fleur Mitt with a business trip mention to the Pacific Coast.
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