Evening star., 1940-02-24

BUDAPEST, Feb. "a tP.-The
offlcial Turkish Anatolian News
Agency today said the Turkish
government categorically denied
Moscow reports" that Turkey
had mobilized.
BY the Associated Press.
War activity took a squirt today
with reports of massed German war
plane flights to the outskirts of Paris
and British plane flights over Prague.
In the war at sea the British ad-
miralty reported the sinking of a
trawler with a loss of 10 men and
French military advices said two
German submarines had been sunk
in the North Sea.
The authoritative British Press
Association said Royal Air Force
planes also had flown over Kiel,
Hamburg and Bremen. strategic
ports along Germany's northwest
coast.
French military dispatches said
five squadrons of German scouting
warplanes had penetrated deep into
France. British and French planes
also carried out reconnaissance mis-
sions. the dispatches said.
Many Photographs Taken.
The French took many photo
graphs over Germany, the dis
patches added, while British planes
patrolled the North Sea. No en-
counters were reported.
This mornings French commun-
ique said only, Nothing to report. I"
In London the air ministry an
nounced the British flights over
Prague last night-the second sue
cessive night that Royal Air Force
flyers had penetrated deep into Ger
many.
The ministry's communioue said
the flights were successfully COM
pleted." 1t was the third such ex-
pedltion the British have disclosed
since the start of the war.
Starting from bases in France,
British flyers flew Thursday night
on reconnaissance over Austria and
Bohemia. On the night of January
IL they scattered propaganda leaf
lets on Vienna and Prague.
One of the British planes failed
to return. the communique said, and
1t was later learned the craft had
landed in Belgium when the pilot
lost his bearings.
A dispatch from Brussels reported
q damaged British plane had cenne
down in q beet field near Gembloux
early today and its crew of six were
arrested.
3oth Naval Loss.
The British admiralty announced
the sinking of the trawler Benvolio.
The 352-ton vessel was Britain's
30th naval loss since the start of the
war and the 18th trawler sunk.
The communique said:
The admiralty regrets to an
nounce that His Majesty's trawler
Benvolio. chief skipper. s. M. AID
red, r. N. r., has been sunk by 4
mine.
The commanding officer and nine
ratings are missing and are feared to
have been lost"
The number of German SUBJ
marines sunk was not definite. Al
though reports in Paris said two had
been destroyed. British newspapers
headlined reports that four had been
sent to the bottom. three by the
Royal Air Force and one by ram
ming Of British steamer. Time Of
these actions was not given.
German submarine losses report
ed by the British now total so.
French Flights Reported.
The German high command re-
ported French warplanes had made
reconnaissance flights over the bor-
der, but were driven back. The COM
munique said:
I'm the west the day passed
quietly.
French airplanes frequently flew
over the German west border, but
were forced to turn back by German
anti-aircraft fire and pursuit planes
"A number of planes entered
France for reconnaissance at nu-
merous places and encountered
strong enemy anti-aircraft fire and
defending pursuit planes. Never
theless, our planes were able to
carry out missions and return to
home airports without losses"
French Cabinet Weighs DEGREES.
The French cabinet in its second
session in three days today consid-
cred series of DEGREES providing
for urgent economic measures.
Today's session was attended by
Daniel Serruys. high commissioner
Of national economy.