OVER BERLIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 206, 30 August 1940, Page 6

OVER BERLIN.

"There was keen competition for the raid over Berlin. You could not have bought a seat in the 'planes for love or money," said one commentator in describing Wednesday night's raid on Berlin. The remark aptly illustrates the spirit of the B.A.F. The more dangerous the job, the keener the flying man is to take it on. The German Air Force, in its raids on London, has a very short hop over land defences; British airmen fly over ground bristling with antiaircraft guns and strewn every few miles with 'dromes from which fighter craft are ready to rise to oppose them. Their course is known for hundreds of miles ahead by an enemy who has been preparing every possible trap for six years. The German flying over London does 'tis stunt very largely for its nuisance value in an attempt to intensify the war of nerves. The Britisher goes to Berlin with a military objective in view, and we may be sure from definite knowledge of the damage done in western Germany that his bombs drop on the target —despite Cook's tours of neutral journalists conducted along routes clear of the area in which the raiders chose their targets. Not in vain were the much criticised leaflet raids over Germany; they taught hundreds of air erews their way around the fieieh.