WesWorld

This is the BBC Home Service…

January 1
Large crowds gather in Trafalgar Sqaure and across the country to see in the New Year. There is much merriment and celebration and thoughts of what the year will bring.

January 13
The Nobel Prize winning physicist Patrick M.S. Blackett, member of Tizard committee, recently an advisor to Coastal Command, has today taken up a new post as the Admiralty Director of Operational Research.

January 18
The War Office today outlined equipment purchases approved by Parliament for delivery this year to Egypt and Iraq.
The Royal Egyptian Air Force during will 1941 receive eight Hawker Hurricane III fighters armed with 20mm cannon for No.1 Squadron and the Avro Ansons of No.2 Squadron will be replaced by surplus ex-RAF Bristol Blenheims. A total of twenty-four spare Hurricanes (Mk II & III) will be provided as attrition replacements as will nine Blenheims. The Royal Iraqi Air Force will receive 12 Hawker Henley B.Mk.II bombers (plus 5 attrition replacements) to re-equip No.1 squadron and No.7 Squadron will be formed at Mosul with 12 Hurricane III fighters. Twelve more Supermarine Spitfire F.Mk.IIIs are being supplied to re-equip No.5 Squadron and one Percival P.30 Proctor II radio-trainer is also being delivered this year. A total of twenty-five spare Hurricanes (Mk II & III) will be provided as attrition replacements. New airfields for the RAF are being constructed at Al Amarah, Al Jarrah, Balad (near Baghdad) and Rutba near the Jordanian border.
The Royal Egyptian Army during 1941 will form another motorised MG company as well as another Artillery Regiment equipped with 25pdr guns. The Royal Iraqi Army will re-equip its three artillery regiments with 25pdr field guns and 36 ex-British 3in AA guns and 80 20mm AA cannon will also be delivered.

January 19
Mr Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Prime Minister of Baluchistan has arrived in London today for a week of talks with the government. Mr Jinnah arrived via BOAC flying boat late yesterday and he was whisked to London via express train overnight. He is joined by a delegation of ten officials from Baluchistan.

January 20
The Welsh press magnate William Ewart Berry today has been created Viscount Camrose. The second of three brothers born in Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, Berry started his working life as a journalist and established his own paper, Advertising World, in 1901. Berry made his fortune with the publication of the Great War magazine The War Illustrated, which at its peak had a circulation of 750,000. In partnership with his younger brother, Gomer he purchased The Sunday Times in 1915 and served as its editor-in-chief until 1937. In 1919 the pair also purchased the Financial Times. In 1924 the Berry brothers and Sir Edward Iliffe set up Allied Newspapers and purchased the Daily Dispatch, the Manchester Evening Chronicle, the Sunday Chronicle, the Sunday News, and the Sunday Graphic, as well as a string of other newspapers across the country. In Cardiff they merged four newspapers into the Western Mail. In 1927 they purchased The Daily Telegraph from the 2nd Baron Burnham, with William Berry also becoming its editor-in-chief. In 1937 they also purchased its rival, The Morning Post. He bought out his partners in 1937 and amalgamated The Morning Post with The Daily Telegraph, with himself as chairman and editor-in-chief.

January 21
A Foreign Office spokesman today made a press announcement that talks with Mr Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Prime Minister of Baluchistan had been going very well. This afternoon he arrived at No.10 Downing Street for a meeting with the new Prime Minister Sir Howard Kingsley Wood. It is thought that they will discuss the current situation in the region and the South China Sea and that defence talks will also be held.

January 22
A Board of Trade representative confirmed rumours that several economic deals have been agreed by the Balochi delegation. The Baluchistan Air Force by the end of this year will receive two new de Havilland DH.95 Flamingo airliners in VIP fit and four DH.95A Hertfordshire transports to meet an order signed yesterday. Another similar order covers four DH.95 Flamingo airliners for the national airliner Baluchistan Airlines. The Baluchistan Air Force will also receive twelve ex-RAF Avro Anson aircraft for patrol work later on this year. The Treasury confirmed that a series of loans are in place to aid industrial growth and that a number of British firms have won engineering contracts in the country. The Treasury declined to publically reveal the total amount of loans made or what terms have been agreed for repayment.

January 23
Today the Royal Iraqi Navy Air Force (RINAF) was formed with a large ceremony at Basra attended by the new King and his Regent. The RINAF will be equipped with surplus RAF equipment comprising twenty-four Fairey Swordfish with wheeled and float undercarriages, four Supermarine Sea Otter seaplanes and one Short Sunderland I with four de Havilland Tiger Moths and two Miles Magister for training. The sole base is at Basra co-located with No.5 RIAF Squadron.

In London high-level meetings with Mr Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Prime Minister of Baluchistan and his delegation have ended and Mr Jinnah has gone to a country residence for a short holiday. The Prime Minister Sir Kingsley Wood said today, “both of our nations have long associations and histories working together and today we can begin to move forward together with Baluchistan as an independent nation but not alone in the world.”

British Culture in 1941
The main new book publications during the year were Joyce Carey's memoir ‘A House of Children’; a thriller novel which sold well called ‘Herself Surprised’; Agatha Christie's latest novels ‘Evil Under the Sun’ featuring Hercule Poirot and ‘N or M?’ and Patrick Hamilton’s black comedy ‘Hangover Square.’ Alongside these fiction bestsellers were three unusual non-fiction books, Rebecca West's lengthy book on Balkan history ‘Black Lamb and Grey Falcon,’ ‘The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations’ and the pamphlet ‘The Case for African Freedom’ which caused a minor stir but very little real political impact.

Of far wider appeal and reaching a mass audience were the new films of the year that were showing the in cinemas throughout most of the year. These included the following films; the ‘49th Parallel’, a spy drama set in Canada directed by Michael Powell and starring several big names of British cinema including Eric Portman as the foreign spy trying to reach the safety of America, Laurence Olivier as a French fur trapper and Leslie Howard as a reclusive writer who makes a brave stand. It was the third film made by the British writer-director team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger and was watched by 9.3 million people.

There were several box office dramas including; ‘Atlantic Ferry’ a nautical adventure set in the 1830s, two brothers set out to prove the worth of steamships by being the first to cross the Atlantic from Britain to the United States. It was directed by Walter Forde and starred Michael Redgrave and Valerie Hobson. ‘Love on the Dole’ was adapted from the novel of the same name by Walter Greenwood. It was set in Hanky Park, a fictional settlement based on Salford and was directed by John Baxter and starred Deborah Kerr and Clifford Evans. Other dramas were ‘The Common Touch’ directed by John Baxter and starring Geoffrey Hibbert and Greta Gynt; ‘Danny Boy’ directed by Oswald Mitchell and starring David Farrar and Wilfrid Lawson and ‘Major Barbara,’ an adaptation of the George Bernard Shaw play starring Wendy Hiller and Rex Harrison.

One successful thriller film in 1941 was ‘This Man Is Dangerous’ a private detective mystery trying to solve the killing of policeman starring James Mason, Gordon McLeod and Margaret Vyner . ‘East of Piccadilly’ was a typical murder mystery set in the East End directed by Harold Huth and starring Judy Campbell, Sebastian Shaw, Niall MacGinnis, Henry Edwards, Martita Hunt, Charles Victor and Frederick Piper. Another murder thriller was ‘Once a Crook’ directed by Herbert Mason and starring Gordon Harker and Sydney Howard. Another thriller was the spy drama set in 1930s London ‘The Seventh Survivor’ directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring Felix Aylmer and Jane Carr.

Will Hay returned with a rather more comical murder mystery during 1941 with ‘The Ghost of St. Michael's’ directed by Marcel Varnel. Will Hay plays an ineffectual science teacher William Lamb hired by a school at the remote Dunbain Castle on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Posing as (amongst many other things) an Old Etonian, Lamb settles down into his new surroundings and becomes acquainted with the various local Scottish traditions and legends and strikes up a friendship with one of the other masters, Hilary Teasdale acted by Claude Hulbert. However, shortly after his arrival an ancient curse returns to Dunbain Castle. The sound of bagpipes signals the death of a member of staff. Two die and Lamb is initially regarded as a suspect. With his friend appointed as the new headmaster (and the next potential victim), Lamb must solve the mystery of the mysterious murders with the assistance of mischievous know-all schoolboy Percy Thorne played by Charles Hawtrey.

There were several comedies that kept audiences laughing. The film that stood the test of time was Carol Reed’s ‘Kips’, an adaptation of H. G. Wells' novel of the same name. Michael Redgrave starred as the draper's assistant who inherits a large fortune. ‘The Ghost Train’ directed by Walter Forde was based on the 1923 play of the same name written by Arnold Ridley and starred Arthur Askey and Kathleen Harrison. ‘Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It’ is a detective film directed by Walter Forde and starring Gordon Harker, Alastair Sim, Phyllis Calvert and Edward Chapman. It was the third and final film adaptation of the Inspector Hornleigh stories and was also released under the title Mail Train. ‘Old Bill and Son’ was a comedy war film based during the Great War directed by Ian Dalrymple and starring Morland Graham, John Mills, Mary Clare and Ronald Shiner. It was produced by Legeran Films. The ‘Quiet Wedding’ directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Margaret Lockwood and Derek Farr was a wedding comedy with all the usual travails before the big day. ‘Spring Meeting’ is the tale of a man who instead of marrying the woman his parents have chosen for him, falls in love with her sister. It was based on the play by M. J. Farrell and John Perry. It was directed by Walter C. Mycroft and starred Enid Stamp-Taylor, Michael Wilding, Basil Sydney and Sarah Churchill.

The unlikely but growing comic actor with a burgeoning audience and his faithful ukulele, George Formby was a latecomer to the film world but in 1941 starred in two films. The first was ‘South American George’ with the story of a press agent who hurries to bring in a substitute after a South American opera star flops directed by Marcel Varnel and starring George Formby, Linden Travers, Enid Stamp-Taylor, Felix Aylmer, Ronald Shiner, Mavis Villiers and Herbert Lomas. It was produced by Columbia (British) Productions. ‘Turned Out Nice Again’ was filmed at Ealing Studios, London. It began as a slapstick comedy but the film quickly develops into a cleverly constructed and well written character comedy. The plot sees George Pearson, an employee at an underwear factory, caught between his modern wife and his meddling mother. After buying a special yarn and getting his wife to promote it, he has an argument with his boss, Mr Dawson who insults Pearson's wife and refuses to apologise. Pearson then resigns. After finding out that the yarn is actually worth a fair amount, Mr Dawson tries to buy it from Pearson but he has some competition.

Two historical dramas were ‘Penn of Pennsylvania’ directed by Lance Comfort and starring Deborah Kerr, Clifford Evans, Dennis Arundell, Henry Oscar, Herbet Lomas and Edward Rigby. The film depicts the life of the Quaker founder of Pennsylvania, William Penn. It portrays his struggle to be granted a colonial charter in London and attracting settlers to his new colony as well as his adoption a radical new approach with regard to the treatment of the Native Americans. Of more lasting fame in filmography was Alexanda Korda’s ‘That Hamilton Woman’ starring the famous newly-weds Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier. The film tells the story of the rise and fall of Emma Hamilton, dance-hall girl and courtesan, who became mistress to Admiral Horatio Nelson, played respectively by Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier. Another historical film was the biopic ‘The Prime Minister’ directed by Thorold Dickinson about the life and times of Benjamin Disraeli. It starred John Gielgud, Diana Wynyard, Fay Compton and Stephen Murray.

A particularly good documentary-style film on the RAF, in particular focusing on overseas stations, was ‘An Airman's Letter to His Mother’ also directed by Michael Powell and starring John Gielgud. The RAF was a popular theme in the film industry during 1941 and ‘Target for Tonight’ was a documentary film based on RAF Film Unit footage and some acted scenes with real RAF personnel. It depicts a raid by a Vickers Wellington bomber during the Baluchistan campaign and was the first such film made about the RAF for public consumption. It was directed by Harry Watt and the film went on to win an honorary Academy Award in 1942, and 'Best Documentary' by the National Board of Review in 1941.

Quoted

It depicts a raid by a Vickers Wellington bomber during the Baluchistan campaign and was the first such film made about the RAF for public consumption.

Completely out-of-character here - is this reference to the Baluchistan campaign a past, present or future event? Or is it fictional? Inquiring minds want to know.

Events from Operation Chariot. Nothing amazing but it shows the RAF as a slick organised force. Nothing like a good propaganda opportunity!

Quoted

Originally posted by Hood
British Culture in 1941
Of far wider appeal and reaching a mass audience were the new films of the year that were showing the in cinemas throughout most of the year. These included the following films; the ‘49th Parallel’, a spy drama set in Canada directed by Michael Powell and starring several big names of British cinema including Eric Portman as the foreign spy trying to reach the safety of America, Laurence Olivier as a French fur trapper and Leslie Howard as a reclusive writer who makes a brave stand. It was the third film made by the British writer-director team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger and was watched by 9.3 million people.

I'm curious how this came about, since (as also mentioned in Latvian news regarding Aleksandr Nevsky), this was historically a propaganda film aimed at stirring people up against the dastardly Jerries. Or if it's been modified from the original, how so?

Yes the orginal was about the daring deeds of the few survivors of a German U-Boot tramping acorss the country trying to reach either Vancouver to get a ship to Japan or across to the USA. Along the way there are a few scrapes, and some dodgy acting too!

The WW version would be more of a spy thriller. Brits love spy thrillers, a dodgy European accent (actually Eric Portman played more than a few Jerries in his time including in the Bedford Incident alongside Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier, but also more down-to earth Yorkshire lad roles in One of our Aircraft is Missing, Above Us the Waves, Millions Like Us and as the decidedly odd "Glueman" in A Canterbury Tale -you can tell I've seen more than my fair share of these WW2-era movies!) will make the character sutbly a "foreigner", after all in this period foreign spies are the usual feature of such films. Hitchcock never let a detailed script or plot derail his thrillers. Many of his early movies have vague international baddies or gangs (39 Steps, Man Who Knew Too Much etc).

January 27
Today marks the formation of the Central Statistical Office. The Prime Minister, Sir Kingsley Wood last year on taking office directed the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Edward Bridges to advise him on how a central statistical office could be created in the Prime Minister's office in order to consolidate and issue authoritative working statistics. Following consideration, a formal announcement was made to establish the CSO today with the purpose of handling the descriptive statistics required for developing national income accounts. It is expected that Harry Campion, a member of the Central Economic Information Service in the Cabinet Office, will be appointed director. The main aim is the eventual managing of the economy through controlling government income and expenditure using an integrated system of national accounts.

January 29
In the sleety morning a small group of men made their way towards a waiting BEA Lockheed airliner acorss the windswept apron at Croyden airport, a few flash bulbs briefly lit the dim bleak mid-winter scene.
Mr Jinnah and his delegation had made a brief statement to the press in the terminal lobby. A few words of thanks for the kindness and hospitality and the ususal words of co-operation and willingness to remain firm allies of Britain and then a quick dash for the icy walk to the plane. The plane swung for take-off and made its way above the rooftops of London heading for a destination unknown. Mr Jinnah had kept his secret from the press with a wry smile.

February 1
Today the Air Cadet Corps was officially founded thanks to the efforts of Air Commodore Sir John Chamier to provide the nation with a youth movement equal to that of the Sea Scouts and Officer Training Corps units all across the country. The new ATC will replace the Air Defence Cadet Corps formed in 1938. It will provide young boys the skills and interests to enable them to join the RAF and teach them about basic aeronautics and general air-mindedness as well as discipline.

February 10
Hawker Siddeley shares rose today as it was announced that the flying boat and ground handling equipment builder Saunders-Roe (Saro) has joined Hawker Siddeley. Saro is now a wholly-owned subsidiary although Mr Alliot Verdon-Roe still retains a share of Saro.

February 12
Reserve Constable Albert Alexander, a patient at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford, becomes the first person treated with penicillin intravenously in the world, by Howard Florey’s team. He reacted positively but unfortunately there was insufficient supply of the drug to reverse his terminal infection.

February 20
James Weir of G. & J. Weir today gave to the Air Ministry his appreciation of the Ivry-sur-Seine Conference and the likely response to it. He has proposed a series of helicopters which will be among the most advanced and will be designed to expand the technical knowledge of rotary flight. Three designs are outlined in his report. The first helicopter will tackle the problems of torque compensation and control of the rotor. It is hoped to fly this helicopter by 1944. The second type will be a development of the W.6 designed for heavy lifting for a variety of commercial roles. This should hopefully fly sometime during 1945. The third will be a production two-seat helicopter to replace the likely German-built helicopters, that will be in use within the next few years, from 1947 onwards.

March 3
The Spitfire F.Mk.IV with a revised Rolls-Royce Merlin VII V-12 engine with a new two-stage two-speed supercharger has flown for the first time at Vickers-Supermarine’s Southampton Works today at the hands of Alex Henshaw. It flew as well as any other of this elegant breed of fighter but its new engine should improve performance further and at higher altitudes. It should enter RAF service by December.

March 9
The Secretary for War Leslie Hore-Belisha today in the Commons delivered the Army’s budget this year and he briefly outlined the orders the Army wishes to make.
150 new Light Tank Mk VII (A21) tanks have been ordered. The Mk VII is a modified Mk VI with sloped frontal armour, a new turret armed with a 2pdr gun and co-axial MG and hydraulically assisted steering. Designed in 1940 by Vickers the Mk VII is powered by a 148hp Meadows petrol engine for a top speed of 30mph and 125 mile road radius. Armour is 38-6mm thick and three crewmen are carried. Production will be handled by Metropolitan-Cammell. Orders were also place for the Alecto I and II. The Alecto (A22) is a mobile anti-tank gun with a 6pdr gun mounted low in a Mk VII hull with an open top. Four crewmen are carried and the engine and armour is unchanged. The Alecto II is armed with the new Ordnance 3.7in Mortar QF Mk II (95mm Howitzer) and the Alecto III will be armed with the 25pdr field gun. The Alecto II will not enter production until 1942.
Production of 250 Cruiser Tank Mk VII Centaur (A19) tanks has begun by Leyland. The A19 is an improved Crusader with bigger turret ring and new turret and thicker armour with a Thornycroft RY14 500hp engine. Fitted with 6pdr Mk IV with a muzzle brake and 95mm howitzer (mod 3.7in) in the CS variant. Armour is 76-20mm; maximum speed 30mph and road radius 165 miles. The Secretary of War also revealed a new project, the Cruiser Tank Mk VIII (A20). This a joint Anglo-Canadian venture undertaken by CC&F and Leyland. The new tank will have a new gun, thicker frontal armour with sloped glacis and will be powered by the new 600hp Orenda Ursa (based on the Rolls-Royce Merlin). Detailed design work should begin very soon.
Vickers is also working on a new tank to Army specifications, the new Infantry Tank Mk III (A24). It has been designed as an improved Valentine with cast sections, new turret with 95mm howitzer or 6pdr gun, armour is 114-10mm thick; battle weight 60,480lbs; maximum speed 18mph and 8mph cross-country and a road radius 85 miles. It should enter production by 1943.
Other tanks include the Crusader I AA Mk II armed with twin 20mm Orkileon in enclosed turret with 25-15mm armour and stabilised sights and the Crusader I ARV, a modified Crusader tank with the turret removed and a demountable A-frame jib and winch in the turret space.
The new Ordnance QF 3.7in Mk IV with totally new ancillary equipment, automatic fuse setter and automatic loader will enter service this year alongside the improved Ordnance QF 6pdr Mk VII semi-automatic AA gun in single mounts for the Army and semi-automatic twin mounts for the Navy.
The Army’s new anti-tank gun is the Ordnance 17pdr QF Mk II under development since May 1940 and service entry with RA anti-tank units is due in late 1941.
The new Army cartridge trials have borne fruit. After trials during 1938-39 the Army has chosen the Enfield Lock .280 7mm cartridge and the Vickers Rifle No.5 Mk I. The rifle has been further refined and will enter production during 1941 as the Rifle No.5 Mk III.

Most interesting information.

I see that the British Army is still committed to separate infantry and cruiser tanks. There are advantages to such I will admit, but corresponding disadvantages.

March 10
The War Office has compiled a secret list of new radio-location sets to be introduced into service this year by the Armed Forces;
Gunnery Director Radar Type 283: May 1941, 600MHz (anti-aircraft barrage fire control for battleships, carriers and cruisers)
Destroyer Set (search and gunnery) Type 286P: April 1941, 214MHz, (developed from ASV Mk II and the new Type 286P is a rotating version)
Air Search Type 271M: July 1941, 90MHz, 136 miles (the 271M upgrade of this two year old system has a new double antenna system)
Destroyer Set Type 275: March 1941, 2,997MHz, 30nm aerial target, 6-6.5nm destroyer sized target and within 2,000 yards surfaced submarine (the first British radio-location with a PPI)
HF/DF Type 292: 1941 (lighter equipment on shorter mast)
Passive Radio Intercept Type 293: 1939-41 (to intercept voice radios used on MTBs and radio transmissions from ships with longer range receivers, known as ‘Headache’, 293M 130-120MHz and 293O 300-650MHz)
Passive Radar Intercept Type 294M: 500-1000MHz
Chain Home Extra Low (AMES Type 7): 1941, 35 miles
Gun Laying Radar Mk I: 1941 (for 57mm guns)
Meanwhile in the lengthy forty page report there is no mention of the newly formed secret Radio Research Establishment at Malvern.

March 20
The Naval Air Fighting Development Unit has been formed at FAA Yeovilton by the Fleet Air Arm to develop new tactics and enhanced training for its aircrews in all roles to increase its efficiency. The FAA has long called for the sort of development schools employed by the RAF to improve its standards further.

Quoted

Originally posted by Hood
The new Army cartridge trials have borne fruit. After trials during 1938-39 the Army has chosen the Enfield Lock .280 7mm cartridge../

I missed commenting on this.

YES!

General Aircraft Ltd have recently flown their new design the GAL.45 Owlet training aircraft. This moden monoplane as open cockpits, twin fins and a tricycle undercarriage. It is aimed at the military user. The similar GAL.42 Cygnet II cabin monoplane was first flown in 1937 and is still availabe. It differs from the Owlet in having an enclosed cabin with side-by-side seating for a pilot and passenger.

General Aircraft GAL.42 Cygnet II

Dimensions; 34.6/ 23.3/7/ 179 sq ft; 1x 145hp Blackburn Cirrus Major II; loaded weight 2,200lbs; max speed 130mph; range 445 miles; service ceiling 14,000ft and rate of climb 800ft per min.

General Aircraft GAL.45 Owlet
Dimensions; 32.5/ 24.7/7/ 170 sq ft; 1x 145hp Blackburn Cirrus Major II; max take-off weight 2,300lbs; max speed 125mph; range 445 miles; service ceiling 14,000ft and rate of climb 800ft per min.

This is the BBC Home Service…

April 5
Today Sir Herbert Nigel Gresley, the Chief Mechanical Engineer of LNER passed away today. He will be replaced as CME by Edward Thompson. Gresley had held the CME post since 1925 and has been instrumental in the success of the firm.

April 10
Frederick Hawksworth is appointed the Chief Mechanical Engineer at Great Western Railways. He joined GWR in 1898 and his ideas for the future of the firm include some modernised designs and he has long-term plans for a 4-6-2 (Pacific) express locomotive.

April 16
Avro today opened its new factory at Yeadon, Yorkshire, built to construct the new Lancaster bomber and its York airliner cousin. This huge factory covers 1,494,711 sq feet. This gives Avro two of the biggest aircraft factories in Europe and pushes Hawker Siddeley firmly into the number one manufacturer slot in the country.

I fear that the Hawker Siddeley press release is somewhat in error, as might be seen here.



1,494,711 sq feet converts to slightly more than 138,800 square meters. As the cited table indicates five German airframe plants have floor space greater than the new Yeadon works -

Arado, Brandenburg-Havel, 247,307 square meters
Henschel Flugzeugwerke AG, Berlin - Schonefeld, 177,299 square meters
Dornier-werke GmbH, Friedsrichshafen, 165,048 square meters
Arado, Warnemünde, 141,120 square meters
Ernst Heinkel AG, Rostock-Marienehe, 139,685 square meters

I have discounted the multi-facility of the Junkers works at Dessau, which in effect covers several plants.

Quoted

Originally posted by BruceDuncan
I fear that the Hawker Siddeley press release is somewhat in error, as might be seen here .

Blank link, sir.

Thank you for calling that to my attention. It has now been rectified.