AIR LOSSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 November 1939, Page 5

AIR LOSSES

FANTASTIC GERMAN CLAIMS FIGURES OBVIOUSLY BASED ON IMAGINATION. SOME SUGGESTED MOTIVES. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. November 14. A claim which is being circulated through German news channels putting the Allied losses in the air war at 80 planes is scouted in London. It is suggested that the measure of its accuracy is to be found in the accompanying statement that the German losses are only 17. In lact 17 German aircraft have been brought down on or near the British coasts alone—--15 by other aircraft and two by antiaircraft gunfire. The German statement. therefore, conveniently neglects all other German losses in the air since the war began. While official quarters are not to be drawn into denials aflording disclosure of the actual Allied losses, which no doubt is one of the purposes of this characteristic Nazi misrepresentation, there is some comment among well-informed observers of one feature of the German story which represents the proportion of British and French losses within thd imaginary total mentioned as 16 and 64 respectively. It is believed that the object is to create the impression that Britain is leaving air battles to France, in accordance with the persistent and rather obvious Nazi efforts to drive a wedge between the Allies. This particular attempt takes on a somewhat forlorn aspect when it is regarded against the background of actual achievements i>f the Royal Air Force in France and its almost daily reconnaissance flights over large areas of Germany. Incidentally the British losses on these reconnaissance flights have been remarkably few in proportion to the distance covered and the tasks accomplished—a fact that speaks highly both for the skill of the pilots and the quality of the aircraft. In contradiction of implications of inaccurate figures put about by the Nazis, it can be stated that the British and French Air Forces are doing their full share in mutually agreed spheres.