GERMAN OBJECT

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1940, Page 7

GERMAN OBJECT

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

INTENSIFIED AIR WAR PRELUDE TO INVASION DECISIVE FIGHT BEGUN

London. Sept. 10. Military circles at Berlin are emphatic in declaring that the air offensive is a prelude to an invasion before the- end of September, says the correspondent of the Basler Nachrichten, Switzerland. They added that disorganisation of the south of England was the first essential. Almost three-quarters of the space of the German newspapers is taken up by reports of descriptions of the air battle over England, says the correspondent of the Times on the German frontier. Some proclaim that' this constitutes the beginning of a decisive fight against England, others declare that the mightiest war machine* of all ages is now running at top speed, but an official German spokesman as usual asserts that only a small part of Geumany's war potential is in action while an immense reserve scattered throughout the Reich and along the Channel coasts is ready for use at a moment's notice. Justification Sought. German newspapers say that the London raids afe justified by months of reckless and planless British bombing, which has killed 78 German children and wounded 51. The Voelkischer Beobatcher says: "It is a mistake to call the present action the Battle of Britain. The Germans regard it modestly as the Battle of London. from which will develop the Battle of Britain." A German communique stated: "Fighter squadfrons continued devastating reprisals against military targets in London. Bombs were scattered on docks and harbours, gas, water and electricity works, warehouses and oil depots. Fires were visible from a great distance and gave direction to our formations. Harbour works on the west coast of England and the east coast of Scotland were also attacked. The enemy lost 44 planes. Twenty-one of ours are missing. "Some enemy vessels approached the French coast in hazy weather last night and fired a few salvoes at random. No damage was done. Br;t:sh planes again dropped bombs in northern Germany far from military objectives. Isolated houses in the neighbourhood of Berlin and other towns were more or less heavily damaged."