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Operations in France.
Royal Air Force.
38. The operations of the Royal Air Force in France have also been hindered by bad weather. Fighter activity was possible only on the 10th February, when five patrols were despatched.
39. On the 11th February one Blenheim conducted a reconnaissance along the German-Belgian and German-Dutch frontiers to the North Sea with a view to studying activity on these frontiers. At the end of its flight it landed in England. There were three layers of clouds over the reconnaissance area, and observation proved impossible. A patrol of two Messerschmitt 110's was seen near Duisburg, and not long afterwards one attack was delivered by a single Messerschmitt 110, without success. Heavy anti-aircraft fire was also ineffective.
French Air Force.
40. The activity of the French Air Force since the 8th February has been very limited. Photographic reconnaissances were carried out over the Rohrbach area on the 9th, over the right bank of the Rhine opposite Rhinau on the 10th and over the left bank of the Rhine north of Strasbourg on the 12th. Eleven fighter sorties on the 10th, twenty-eight on the 12th and two on the 14th all took place without combat.
German Air Activity.
Attacks on North Sea Shipping.
41. Offensive operations have again been confined to attacks on shipping, the most important of which occurred on the 9th February, and is referred to in paragraph 3. On the 10th February a number of enemy aircraft were again at work, three distinct operations being apparent. It would appear that two reconnaissance formations of four and ten aircraft respectively were searching for targets in areas off the South-East Coast of England and the Scottish Coast, while a third formation of six aircraft, probably a bomber force acting on reconnaissance reports, was operating from the Firth of Forth northwards. The operations were abortive, only one attack being reported on the Trawler Theresa Boyle (115 miles east of Aberdeen) and it would appear that this attack was made by an aircraft returning from the intended area of operations.
Methods adopted by the enemy in attacks on shipping.
42. Reconnaissance or "Fuhlungshalter" aircraft search the allotted area for suitable targets. When an objective is found the "Fuhlungshalter" sends to its home station a single 3-letter signal signifying "I am at objective, listen in. It then transmits to the control station its position in the form of a single four-figure group corresponding to the map reference. The bombers then take off, or if already in the air, they are given the grid reference by their home station. On reaching the position indicated, they send out a signal to that effect, and the "Fuhlungshalter," which has been shadowing the target, then starts transmitting to enable the bombers to take a bearing and fly to their objective.
The bombers usually attack in pairs, approaching individually from astern and diving to 800 feet before releasing their bombs in level flight. If the first aircraft is unsuccessful, the second carries out similar tactics, and in cases where no anti-aircraft fire is experienced the ship is finally attacked by machine guns (firing armour-piercing bullets) from a height of 100 feet or less. It appears that weather conditions are chosen when visibility is sufficiently good for attack but bad enough to make interception by our fighters unlikely.
Foreign Air Intelligence.
China.
43. Aircraft failed to give much assistance to the Chinese counter-offensive against Nanning owing to two or three squadrons losing their way and crashing before operations started. Complete reorganisation of the Chinese Air Force is necessary, and the Chinese are pleading for equipment and staff officers from Britain.
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