“SOFTENING PROCESS.”

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 307, 9 October 1942, Page 3

“SOFTENING PROCESS.”

AIR ATTACKS ON GERMANY.

RECENT HEAVY RAIDS. LONDON, October 7. The bombing of Germany is regarded as a softening process designed to break down the brunt of enemy resistance until other forces come into play, It is stated on good authority that 12 raids were made on Germany in the first 20 nights of September. These were formidable and gave considerable support to Russia by damage to industries 'and the retention of a large air force in Germany.

Four impressive raids have been made, in the first six nights of October, after a liold-up caused by adverse weather. Though it will not be possible to go out, every night during the winter, a steady improvement is being made, and there is a- determination to continue building up the strength of the attack until it approaches two.or three times that of to-day. This aim depends largely on American production and transportation. The recent raids arc known, to have done, enormous damage, and it is expected that this will have a serious effect on winter production in Germany. Daylight raiding is also having a, valuable damaging effect. Thirty towns have been raided in daylight in the last throe months, some of them several times. The Official German News Agency says that R.A.F. planes dropped fire and high-explosive bombs on northwestern Germany on Tuesday night, damaging residential districts.—British Official Wireless.