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3.7″ gun
ANTI-AIRCRAFT FUZES BELIEVED FAULTY
Members of an anti-aircraft team in Malta have been injured by the premature firing of their gun. The incident took place during a recent intense barrage against enemy bombers. The 3.7” gun was being operated at low fuze settings when it fired prematurely.
Trials have since been carried out with the same and other fuze batches. They produced several more premature firings from five to 150 yards from the muzzle. No casualties occurred during the trials. Testers have concluded that the fuze type is unreliable and likely to cause premature firing at very low fuze settings. The Governor and Commander in Chief has reported the problem to the War Office in London.
MILITARY CALLS MUST BE SHORT TO KEEP LINES CLEAR FOR EMERGENCIES
Troops have been issued with new strict guidelines to reduce the demand on the main Fortress military telephone exchange. Telephone calls through the Fortress Telephone Exchange are being seriously delayed, which could prove highly dangerous at critical times, such as a possible invasion. The system can cope with only 96 subscribers on the line at one time – less than a third of the total number with access to the Exchange.
To free up capacity in the case of emergency, from now on only essential calls should be made, and these should be as short as possible; no private calls will be made between 0900 and 1300 hours. Callers must state clearly to the operator the number they require. If a call gets through and the required individual is not present, the call should not be held while that person is found. Instead an alternative number should be given or the caller should try later.
AIR RAIDS DAWN 17 FEBRUARY TO DAWN 18 FEBRUARY 1941
Weather Dry, with poor visibility; wind rising towards evening.
1125-1150 hrs Air raid alert for enemy aircraft approaching the Island; raid does not materialise.
OPERATIONS REPORTS MONDAY 17 FEBRUARY 1941
ROYAL NAVY Drifter Ploughboy with a skid sweep and by firing a Lewis gun into the water detonated one mine off the breakwater.
FORTRESS ROYAL ENGINEERS Bomb Disposal UXB dealt with 1 (500kg German).
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