NAZI LOSSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 October 1940, Page 5

NAZI LOSSES

GREATER NUMBER ADMITTED THAN CLAIMED IN BRITISH REPORT. SIGNIFICANT FIGURES. (British Offiicial Wireless.) RUGBY, October 5. During yesterday's daylight and night operations the enemy admitted the loss of five aircraft, says an Air Ministry bulletin. In this period the British claimed that only three enemy aircraft were destroyed, and two others were reported as ‘probables,” though they were not claimed and will, not be claimed as definitely destroyed. The enemy’s admission shows that at least two more aircraft were in fact brought down. This goes to prove that a large number of enemy aircraft are so badly damaged by the British fighters and anti-aircraft guns that they do not return to their bases. Following almost every engagement over this coun.try a number of enemy aircraft are reported as “probables” which are riot definitely claimed or announced as enemy losses. When these numbers are small the enemy is apt to make a fairly genuine admission. If he did the same on the occasions when a large number of his aircraft were destroyed the results might be very startling; for example on one occasion when 185 enemy aircraft were destroyed the reports showed 42 “probables” and 75 aircraft damaged in addition. On another date, when 85 aircraft were destroyed, there were 34 “probables” and 53 damaged.