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AIR CONSIDERATIONS.
17.
We have already emphasised that the expedition would be very vulnerable to air attack during the period that it would be at anchor and discharging. Moreover, the estimates for time taken to discharge do not take into consideration possible delays and confusion caused by air attacks. The experiences of our expeditions to Norway indicate that unless an adequate 'fighter cover can be maintained, the whole operation may be broken up at the base.
Fighter Cover.
18. The Germans could employ a force of up to 500 long range fighters. The maximum radius of action of these fighters is 400 miles and the distance from North Western France to Cork is 300 miles. They could therefore provide adequate escort to the expedition on passage but they would find it difficult if not impossible to maintain effective fighter cover over Cork by day throughout the period of disembarkation. On the other hand it is impossible for the small number of long range fighters, which we could despatch from bases in the United Kingdom (160 miles), to afford effective cover to our own forces.
Our Own Bomber Effort.
19. Provided that our bomber forces were not engaged in repelling an attempted invasion of the United Kingdom we could deliver a heavy scale of attack by night on the enemy'
The ports of disembarkation with our heavy bomber force. effectiveness of this attack would however largely depend on the visibility and weather conditions. By day, we
could bring to bear a limited scale of attack by medium bombers operating from South West England. It is unlikely that our bomber attacks would prevent a large proportion of the enemy expedition from disembarking but if it arrives as anticipated in one flight it is to be expected that our attacks would cause a large measure of delay and Risorganis tion. If the expedition does not arrive in
ne flight it is the more vulnerable to naval interception.
Enemy Bomber Effort.
20.
The whole of Ireland is within range of
German long range bombers, 1,500 of which are based in France and the Low Countries. This force includes some 600 dive- bombers and, in addition, short range dive-bombers with special tanks might be used over Southern Eire, though this is somewhat improbable, It is, of course, impossible to say what scale of attack the Germans might employ in the various circumstances but, as air operations against Great Britain would probably be maintained, the maximum scale of attack against Ireland may be assessed very approximately at say 600 sorties on the first day, 200-300 per day for about a week and subsequently not more than 150 sorties per day.
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