REVIEW OF WAR IN AIR

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 69, 14 December 1939, Page 9

REVIEW OF WAR IN AIR

Minister’s Statement

STEADILY INCREASING ACTIVITY

British Efficiency Tested (British Official Wireless.) (Received December 13, 7.30 p.m.) RUGBY, December 12. The Air Minister, in his .first statement on the war in the air since October 10, noted the new phase in air warfare which began on October 16 with the raid on warships in the Firth of Forth by enemy aircraft. Since that date, he said, though there had been no great air battles, there had been steadily increasing activity.

“We have had to deal with a series of reconnaissances and raids, some by single aircraft and some in force, and we have thus been able to test out the strength of our defences and the efficiency of our organization,’ said Sir Kingslev Wood. “We have also been able to try out, both in Britain and France, our aircraft in combat with the enemy. The results and conclusions which we have been able to draw •from them, though of necessity provisional are certainly encouraging. “We have been able to satisfy our selves by actual operations that the various elements of our air defence — anti-aircraft guns and searchlights, fighter squadrons, balloon barrages for close defences, and the units of the observer corps—have been successfully welded, into an efficient and adaptable system under the operational control and command of one commander-iu-ehief.” New Phase Foreshadowed. Sir Kingsley Wood expressed great satisfaction with the results of this system of unified control, and added that this phase of the war in the air “may be drawing to a close and we must be prepared to face, perhaps soon, perhaps in the spring another ami more strenuous and difficult chapter.’ The Minister stated that the fighter squadrons had. taken such a heavy toll that their superiority over the German aircraft, both bombers and fighters, might justifiably be claimed. Speaking in praise of the. coastal patrols, Sir Kingsley Wood said that 57 attacks had been made on submarines, in 19 cases of which there was certainty of substantial damage being caused, "but the patrols’ duties were more far-reaching than either attacking submarines or defending against air attack. Many ships owed their safety to units of this command. Turning to the bomber command, the Minister spoke of the recent raid on Heligoland, which he described as a particularly difficult and dangerous operation. Not only did the aircraft successfully reach their objectives and score direct hits with heavy bombs, but all returned safely, having been attacked by 20 Messerschmitts, two which pressed the attack being brought down. Reconnaissance Flights. In reconnaissance flights the Royal Air Force had visited Hamburg, Bremen, Berlin, Munich, and Nurnberg, tn many cases more than once. - - The prestige of the Royal Air Force was very high, and it was no surprise that nearly a third of the men registering for service expressed preference for the Air Force. The Minister referred to the Empire personnel, which soon would be taking its place in the front line of air defence, and announced the re-establish-ment of Polish squadrons, which, under their own officers, would be attached to the Royal Air Force. Sir Kingsley Wood said that a full squadron of the latest four-engined fly-ing-boats would soon be operating as a unit of the Royal Australian Air Force, and a squadron of the latest bombers was being formed with New Zealand personnel. South Africa had largely expanded her air training organization of firstline strength and had carried out valuable coastal reconnaissance. Southern Rhodesia was bringing the existing unit to full strength and was manning two additional squadrons.

New Types of Planes.

Turning to production, he said that though the numerical output was more than twice that of a year ago, the increase in the efficiency of war weapons represented “not a twofold but a manifold accretion of strength/’ and new and more powerful types would shortly operate against the enemy. In reply to a question, the Minister said he had given careful consideration to the question of the German flights over the Shetlands and the Orkneys, and he hoped that “next time we had a visit very favourable results would ensue.” The Minister concluded: “We can be confident that our air defence system i_s sound, its strength in defensive and offensive is growing steadily, so. that every day we are in a better position to establish the ascendancy of the air.” The Minister’s reference to Heligoland referred to the raid on December 3. His statement that 20 Messerschmitts were encountered is accurate. The Air -Ministry’s earlier report that only one was engaged was issued before tlie pilots and gunners’ reports were fully examined and co-related. GERMAN RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHTS BERLIN, December 12. A German High Command communique shys that isolated reconnaissance flights were carried out over England on Monday. SEVEN M.P.’s IN R.A.F. (British Official Wireless.) (Received December 13, 7.5 p.m.) RUGBY, December 12. According to a Parliamentary answer seven members of Parliament are serving in the Royal Air Force. ' LUNCHEON TO ITALIAN ENVOY (British Official Wireless.) (Received December 13, 7.5 p.m.) RUGBY, December 12. Tlie secretary of Foreign Affairs Lord Halifax, and Lady Halifax, to day gave a luncheon in honour of the Italian Ambassador, Signor Bastianini, and Donna Vittoria Bastianini,