FLEET AIR ARM

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 188, 6 May 1940, Page 10

FLEET AIR ARM

Successes In Norway Recognized

(By Telegraph.—Press Assu.—Copyright.) LONDON, May 3.

The successes of the Fleet Air Arm in Norway since April 24, when naval planes began to support the land forces, are recounted by the Admiralty, which signalled to the officers and men: “We are proud of the Fleet Air Arm.”

In tlie' course of operations against a vastly superior air force working from shore bases tlie Fleet Air Arm destroyed at least 10 German planes and damaged many others. Naval planes on April 25 attacked in force bases of shipping in the Trondheim area and destroyed at Yarnes three large hangars and other buildings and two grounded bombers, and successfully bombed" and machine-gunned nine seaplanes at their moorings, while two tankers were set on fire. Naval planes on April 28 returned to the attack against Yarnes, where all the remaining hangars and several grounded planes were destroyed, and flying-boats and seaplanes were attacked with excellent results. In the course of these operations live planes wore shot down. The Admiralty adds that operations of this magnitude inevitably involve loss. It is regretted that the crews of six British planes are missing. No losses of His Majesty's ships have occurred since tlie German invasion of Norway except those announced, while at least 20 planes have been shot down and others damaged by the Fleet’s anti-aircraft gunlire.

THE MAN THAT COUNTS

More Important Than The Machine (British Official Wireless.) (Received May 5, 7.50 p.m.) RUGBY, -May 4. Much favourable comment is given in tlie Press to recent considerable successes of the Fleet Air Arm operating off Norway. “Tlie Times” says: "There can be no two opinions upon the achievements of tlie Fleet Air Arm in tlie Norwegian campaign. Naval aircraft are no match—on paper—for shore-based pianos, for their design is based primarily upon tlie performance of purely naval duties and, moreover, they are subject, to severe limitations, caused by tlie necessity of working around and being slowed in n ship. Despite these handicaps, tlie Fleet Air Arm in tlie last few weeks lias not only discharged its particular function, giving air protection to men-of-war in tlie theatre of action, but it has gone some way Io supply for tlie army operating in Norway tlie air support, it. needed, but which tlie Air Force, lacking aerodromes from which to work, could not provide. And it reinforced tlie Air Force's powerful night attacks upon Norwegian and Danish air bases used by tlie enemy, by bomb attacks upon Trondheim and the aerodrome at Yarnes, in which all hangars and a large number of enemy planes were destroyed.

“These exploits are a convincing demonstration of tlie truth of tlie maxim that in war it is the man that counts far more than the machine. Tlie ascendancy established by tlie young men of tlie Fleet Air Arm in their comparatively clumsy shipborne planes over the Hower of the German air force is quite remarkable, and is rivalled only by their brethren of the R.A.F. iii tlie same sphere.”