LARGE-SCALE RAIDS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20956, 8 November 1939, Page 7

LARGE-SCALE RAIDS

' GERMAN FLIERS' PLANS t . ; PRECAUTIONS BY BRITAIN r i - | STORIES BY PRISONERS ' i | I United Pres, Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copjrlrttt) i | LONDON, Nov. 6 ■ i On unimpeachable authority it has j been learned that large-scale Ger- , man air raids must be expected at ] any time on south-eastern Scotland i j and north-eastern England, i All steps to frustrate the raids | have been taken by the British authorities. Information obtained from German airmen taken prisoner after the recent raids on the Scottish and English coasts has proved that those raids were mainly for reconnoitring, and that no serious effort was made to carry out bombings. Approximately 14 German squadrons conducted the operations along the coastline, and they photographed and mapped tricky parts of the coast. Some of the photographs, with notes, have been found on the captured airmen, -.vho, after questioning, have admitted that all past activity has been only a prelude to a major raid, probably in daylight. The Intelligence Department has also gained information. Huge Mass of Planes A huge mass of aeroplanes, variously estimated at upwards of 1000, may be employed. According to the prisoners, the raiders will concentrate on naval centres, shipbuilding yards, and munitions plants, but for the present will carefully avoid the south-east and southern English coastal areas, where other bases are situated. Reports from Amsterdam that Germany has 40,000 machines are described as fantastic, but it is admitted she has enough to spare 1000 lor a series of day-long raids of the nature disclosed by the prisoners. Back to Homes In spite of the threat of a German air offensive, women and children who were evacuated from danger areas on the outbreak of the war are drifting back to their homes in such numbers that the authorities have been forced to take a census to discover how many are remaining in the safe areas. At least 195.000 of those who left have returned to their homes. This figure is not complete, and perhaps could be doubled. Figures for six areas show that 16.5 per cent had returned to the cities, while from one area—Chester —39 per cent had gone home.