AIR ATTACKS COUNTERED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21188, 10 August 1940, Page 6

AIR ATTACKS COUNTERED

Germany has made good her threat to intensify air raids upon Britain and upon shipping in the English Channel, and in the process has suffered the most serious loss of aircraft and personnel yet inflicted in a single engagement. Sixty German aeroplanes are reported to have been shot down while Britain lost 16. Thus the ratio of over three to one has been maintained. The full extent of the damage to shipping caused by the bombers has not yet been ascertained. But though it would be unreasonable to expect to come through the ordeal unscathed, it is very doubtful whether Germany can consider the losses suffered justify the results achieved. Britain had received warning that more determined attacks were to be made and prepared to receive them to some purpose. Only a few days ago the German Air Force broadcast from Bremen : “Our Air Force is ready to strike against Britain. Our aeroplanes have been overhauled, the pilots are rested and preparations have been completed. Attacks will be directed against the docks and industrial centres.” On the same day Ribbentrop told journalists in Berlin that Britain would be forced to accept peace terms this year. This, then, is apparently a continuation of the “blitzkrieg” against Britain of which Hitler spoke when he said Germany was not waging a halfhearted war against England. These attacks on convoys have tested the Germans’ ability to concentrate large numbers of machines on specific targets and the ability of the British Air Force to counter such tactics. The result has apparently been very satisfactory from the point of view of Britain’s defence, for the massed bombing attacks were quickly broken up into individual “dogfights” in which machine for machine the Britons had a decided advantage. Germany is apparently feeling the way with forces of varying strengths, but whatever force she has yet put in the air Britain has found a counter. The defence has remained as effective as it could be expected to be in view of the known advantage of the initiative in air attacks. So far Britain has always been able to turn defence into attack in every individual battle.