R.A.F. ACTIVITY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21113, 5 June 1943, Page 3

R.A.F. ACTIVITY

OPERATIONS REVIEWED MANY SUCCESSES IN MAY LONDON, June 3. In a review of operations during May, the Air Ministry states that “intruder" operations or offensive patrols were carried out on 23 nights. Enemy communications were seriously dislocated in the Bomber Command’s heavy raids. The breaching of the Mohne and Eder dams contributed substantially to the damage. Photographs reveal the necessity for much heavy reconstruction. The largest single item is the Herdecke viaduct. The Ruhr railways are now so over-burdened that evacuees are taken by water wherever possible. The home commands were all concerned in attacks on enemy shipping and anti-U-boat warfare. Many hundreds of mines were laid by bombers and incomplete reports show that two jnine-sweepers, a motorvessel, and six steamers were sunk, while the battleship Gneisenau, which struck a mine at the end of April, was beached and is now lying on her side. Bombers flew on anti-submarine patrols on 26 days. Attacks on enemy shipping were made on eight days and 10 nights. Fleet Air Arm Albacores in May attacked over 70 vessels of all types. Royal Air Force escorts were flown for convoys daily. The total number of German raiders over Britain in May did not reach half the number of bombers sent out in more than one of the Bomber Command’s attacks. In the Mediterranean theatre, in the six weeks ended on May 2, nearly 27,000 sorties were flown by squadrons other than the desert air force.

In offensive operations over Europe from home bases, 82 enemy aircraft were destroyed. Over Britain, 50 enemy planes ■were destroyed, making a total of 132 accounted for by homebased aircraft. On all these operations the Royal Air Force lost 316 aircraft over Europe and none over Britain. • The losses announced by the Middle East Command were six against 40 Axis, of which Malta-based planes destroyed 13. Allied Headquarters in North Africa announced the destruction of 337 planes in May for the loss of 108 Allied aircraft. In India, 16 enemy planes were destroyed for the loss of 14 of ours.