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Monday, 5 May 2014

Propaganda for the war effort? Night RAF Out Again.

A way to gauge what was happening at any stage in the war is to refer to contemporary records. Being the resourceful young chap that he is web-man 'the boy genius' came up with an issue of the Daily Mail dated 28th December 1943 (a real paper and print edition), four pages in its entirety, which makes interesting reading. F/Sgt Jim Ives would have had the chance to read these same pages in the Sgt's Mess at RAF Waltham.

The main headline covered the sinking of the German Battleship 'Scharnhorst' two days previously:

'SCARNHORST FELL INTO TRAP – Victim of Need for Hitler's Victory.

Convoy Safe: Only 2 Ships Damaged'.

Other reports included:

'Russians Drive 20 Miles in a Day – Southward Thrust in the”Bulge” -

Two more great successes were reported from the Eastern Front by Moscow to-night. They are:-

A 20-mile advance on the south of the Kiev “Bulge” which has now widened the “break-through front” by more than 60 miles, and

the cutting of the Vitebsk-Polotsk railway, the fortress's last direct escape route to the west.'

'Tedder Chosen as Our Invasion Chief Number 2 -

General Eisenhower's deputy in the Supreme Command for the Second Front is to be Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, Chief of the Mediterranean Air Command, it is announced today.'

Tedder was attributed with having invented the tactic of 'carpet bombing' – nothing to do with Harris's city bombing campaign but explained in the piece as a feature of RAF co-operation with the Army in the Mediterranean and North Africa - 'a closely patterned carpet of bombs at points in the front line which needed softening'.

'Victory in 1944 – Eisenhower -

Allied HQ, North Africa, Monday.

General Eisenhower, newly appointed Supreme Commander for the “Second Front” told correspondents here today “The only thing needed for us to win the European War in 1944 is for every man and woman from the front line to the remotest hamlet of our two countries to do his and her full duty.”

'Night RAF Out Again, Holiday Lull Ends.' '

'Churchill to speak on New Chiefs -

The Prime Minister will give his views on the pattern of the newly-created Western Invasion Command under General Eisenhower in the near future, most probably in a broadcast to the nation or by a speech in Parliament.'

Just a few of the items covered. Interesting and slightly surprising that six months before the event the national press was broadcasting the seeds of the invasion. But this is the nature of propaganda - good for morale at home and bound to reach German eyes and ears too, taunting the enemy that the pride of the German Navy had been sunk, the Russians were now making progress in the East, the Second Front was coming and the Allies would win the War, and that the bombing campaign against the German capital was continuing and effective, given significant credence by publishing a photograph.

The bombing of Berlin warrants a mention on three of the four pages of the edition – in addition to the 'Night RAF' piece the most recent raid on 23rd/24th December was being cited as the most effective attack to date.

But - Night RAF Out Again?   An honest mistake I'm sure, but I can find no record of a major RAF bombing operation after Christmas until the Berlin raid on the night of 29th December 1943. Nothing at all until the night of 28th/29th (tonight) when according to 'The Bomber Command War Diaries' 10 Mosquitoes went to Duisburg, 9 to Dusseldorf, 1 to Cologne and with 11 other sorties from OTUs.

Inaccuracy? Fabrication?  Or just a subtle bit of propaganda?

Meanwhile away from the war – entertainments were being advertised - 'all this week in N and E London' “Crazy isn't the word for it – Hi Diddle Diddle” (United Artists) with Adolphe Menjou, Martha Scott and Pola Negri.

And, at the Regal Marble Arch and London Pavilion – now - Sam Goldwyn's 'North Star', starring Anne Baxter, Dana Andrews, Walter Huston, Walter Brennan and Erich Von Stroheim in its 3rd record breaking week of the greatest picture of these years! - “A sincere gesture to scorched Russia as 'Mrs Miniver' was to blitzed Britain “.

 

At the Apollo Theatre (telephone Ger 2663) Terrance Rattigan's play 'Flare Path' was in its second year and elsewhere the pantomime season was in full swing 'with Miss Glynis Johns as a graceful, impish Peter Pan (though slightly undertoned)' at the Cambridge Theatre. At His Majesty's Theatre Miss Evelyn Laye was a 'most charming Prince Charming', Miss Carol Lynne 'the prettiest of Cinderellas, the cast included four real Shetland ponies, 'that first rate ballet dancer Miss Natasha Sokolova' as the good fairy and 'Miss Tessie O'Shea, working with robust energy and a North Country accent'.

All good for morale.

Mention of Terrance Rattigan and 'Flare Path' of course, brings me neatly back to the RAF Film theme as his play apparently formed the basis for the excellent, and still my favourite, film of that era 'The Way to the Stars' (1945).