THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 20, 1941.
GERMAN AIR LULL DUE TO BAD WEATHER
(By Wing Commander L. V. Fraser)
THE GREAT IMPORTANCE of the recent series of offensive sweeps by the R.A.F. over north-western France is emphasised in British air circles. At pre- sent the French side of the English Channel is “no man's air." Britain sends aircraft over the area in wide sweeps to make sudden attacks and then re- turn home.
It is thought possible that the Germans will try the same tactics on the British side of the Channel. Britain claims no more than that the R.A.F. is sys- tematically making bombing raids and that vital successes have been scored.
One of the new methods of at- has just tacking might raiders
disclosed. Antish night- been fighters hover above the enemy's air bases in France shortly before the time when German planes are į
from their expected to return
STATE PAPERS
FOUND IN STREET
IMPORTANT PAPERS BE- LONGING TO A FOREIGN POWER WERE FOUND IN THE STREET AND HANDED TO THE POLICE BY A MAN ACCUSED OF SHOPBREAKING AT MARL- BOROUGH STREET POLICE COURT, LONDON.
This was revealed when Nathan Bryer, motor ariver, of Union "Street, Dunstable, was about to be committed for trial on charges of being concerned with another man, who escaped, in breaking into a costumier's shop in Berwick Street, Oxford Street, and stealing clothing.
So much for the winter months. In making their spring
Detective-Sergeant Massey said and summer plans, it must be known that the German com. that recently Bryer took to Mar-
above all manders have
to borough Street Police Station
had found in the consider the fatture of the day suitcase he
street. bomber.
14
importance representative
night offensives on Britain. They
In August and September, 1939, It contained correspondence of enemy planes when attuck the they are about to land, making the German Luftwaffe had great į considerable national a good target in landing flares, success against countries without belonging to the
the organised air defences and ad- of a foreign country. protects This method also
fighter forces. An im- attacking planes, since the raiders equate are between them and the ground mense air superiority was speedi- ! T defences. The bombing of run-ly established in Poland. Fighter ways is another method of mak-j opposition was quickly overcome.
had the difficult for German The Germans ing life
themselves and day bombers met pilots returning from a raid.
with little opposition.
Three Messerschmidts
Downed
tu
The same thing happened France, although the achievement way more difficult.
in
larger forces than
and
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France had Poland
By day fighter forces have Britain had a lighter force there
de similar raids.
sweep
In
recent
superiority and
which fought itself to a standstill. Messerschmidt 105 Yet numerical three were shot down aard another weight of material finally achiev- damaged. On another occasioned supremacy in the air.
fighters escorter a squadron
bombers in a raid on Calais ducks,
Ahich were hit and damaged. Few enemy fighters appeared and the only
was opposition anti-aircraft batteries.
from
German Lesson
At Dunkirk
At Dunkirk the Germans jearn-
On a larger scale was a raided what the position would be
escorted by British fighters. The targets were docks at Bou- logne. Barges moored alongside Quays were attacked and three eneiny fighters were destroyed by Spitfires and
hy many bombers well over 100
Hurricanes,
however,
This that
when they opposed a lighter force
sufficient
with size
good of equipment. They suffered heavy losses at Dunkirk, and in the fol
able lowing period Britain was to repair and replace wastage, so that when the Battle over Bri- tein starte the fighter forre was in good shape. The Germans force of ex- came up against a
does not mean, Britain is inmediately passing to the offensive arross the channel cellent quality on familiar terri- That would be exaggerated view of the relatively small de-try with all the facilities essen.
velopment of the attacks.
in
ΟΙ
tial to its operation.
From this it seems clear that ha3 the day of day bombers gone, at any rate when it
used as
***
pon
an independent wea- may stit!
It of attack.
have its uses in land-fighting at
short range when protected by fighters,
The modest opinion prevails in London, too, that the big winter Juli in the Nazi air activity has been due to the bad weather, and not the lack of hitting power of the Luftwaffe. No strategic tactical considerations are involv cd.
the Not only were
aetu- dromes of northern France serviceable due to snow, and fog, but the
flying which the Germans originally al- weather made systematic action located it, that is, for coopera- impracticable.
tion with a land army. Severe Gales And Snow Creasing efficiency of the offensive
actual
un- flood
It must return to the part to
its
and defensive measures
The in-
against The importance of the weather night bombers, and the extinction. of day bombers as an important in all must be considered
threat to British cities mark two bearings. The mere fact that it
noteworthy developments in air
does
is a fine day or clear night in strategy and demonstrate that the one particular place
not Luftwaffe loses much of its po- wer and prestige once, it meets "with real opposition.
а
guarantee good operational wea- ther elsewhere. Britain and Europe generally experienced
during the great deal of snow winter, together with severc gales. In addition to these local conditions over either the aero- dromes or targets concerned created an enforced lull.
The weather, and not policy, determined the respite. It was not a recurrence of the lull, which
ONE-SIXTH OF ONE PER CENT
As an indication of the result presaged the German drives on of air raids over England it is in- Paris. It did not hide the details teresting to quote some statistics of the preparations of a new and recently revealed at a Board meet- terrific offensive although it un-ing of one of the largest building doubtedly hid the wastage in societies. craft and crews. The Germun Their activities cover a large
air force suffered heavy casual-part of the British Isles. Of the ties as a result of the weather, 300,000 properties on their books and greater caution was ex-acareful check-up revealed that ercised.
*480 buildings were destroyed.
During the bad weather, alsq. 2,000 were badly damaged but a number of German units were repairable
sent back to the Reich for over 7,000 were slightly damaged haul and, perhaps, rearmouring, windows broken, "Goors blown in Including the fitting of armour or tiles broken,
plates for the protection of pilots. Thus the total damage has been The lull was a time to "make less than 8 per cent, while des- and mend," rather than a strate-truction has been only one-sixth gic preparation:
of one per cent, ^. </
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