DEFINIT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 July 1940, Page 5

DEFINIT

British Superiority in AHack and Defence GREATER STRENGTH IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE THAN EARLY IN MAY EVIDENCE OF INROADS INTO ENEMY RESERVES (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, July 1. The conclusion from the recent German air oyer England, which it is recognised in no sense constitute a lightning war, ’ ’ is that the German air force does not seem co know its way about the British Isles as well as the Royal Air Force knows its way about Germany. “The Times’’ draws attention to the fact that German casualties in machines in their raids, all of which are conducted by night, are much heavier than those of the R.A.F. over Germany. The"“Daily Telegraph’’ states the conclusion that the active defences of this country are more efficient and that the fighters and aircraft defences are more actively employed at night than in Germany. “As for our passive defences, they seem to have worked smoothly and last, but not least, the civilian population has shown excellent discipline,’’ the “Telegraph’’ adds. The fact that at'least 12 German wireless stations went off the air after 10 o’clock last night indicates the very widespread nature of the British air attacks. The fading out of the wireless is the usual indication of R.A.F. activity over Germany. During the preceding 36 hours R.A.F. raids on military objectives in enemy and enemy-occupied countries by night and day had been exceptionally severe.

INITIATIVE SEIZED In the view of the air experts, the success of these raids reveals the value of British air reconnaissance since the R.A.F. seized the initiative in the early months of the war. They have been able to press home their advantage to the full extent because of the remarkable strides recently made in the rate of aircraft production,- which is now overtaking that of Germany. This is supplemented by the opening up of important new sources of production in the United States and Canada. This is already considerable and will be greatly augmented in the near future. The morale of the R.A.F. is also an important factor. The tactical superiority of the machines in use by the R.A.F. over those of Germany has been convincingly demonstrated, even when the British have been heavily outnumbered. There is also good reason to believe that heavy German losses in men and machines have made considerable in>p'oads into their reserves. On the other hand, it is confidently stated that the British reserves have been strengthened and have been fully maintained. The number of aircraft and pilots immediately available for offensive and defensive operations is, in fact, higher now than on May 10. COLONIAL FLEET ASSURANCE OF EXPANSION. FUNDS CONTINUE TO GROW. Everything connected with the colonial fleet o'f 40 bombers and 160 Spitfires now ready to take the air will as far as possible be colonial. It will have colonial commanders and the machines will be manned by colonial pilots and gunners. Colonial newspapers from Singapore to Trinidad raised over £500,000. As

the funds continue to grow, more and more planes will be forthcoming, to help establish Britain's numerical ascendancy in the skies.