GRAVE WARNING TO GERMANS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 110, 3 February 1941, Page 8

GRAVE WARNING TO GERMANS

Heavier Offensive By The R.A.F. BERLIN BROADCASTS LONDON, January 31. Broadcasting from Berlin, General Milch, Secretary of State for Air, exhorted Germans not to expect miracles from the anti-aircraft defences, which were confronted by many difficulties. British planes entered Germany at a ■great height, so that it was impossible to see what course they were going to Hike. ••Germans are raising the question whether the raid alarms are given in good time, and whether the all-clear is unnecessarily delayed while millions are waiting in cellars, full of expectation of the moment when they can resume the relaxation that is needed so badly,” he said. “They declare that it is half an hour since the last plane was heard, and ask if it has been forgotten. But tlie enemy still have something unexpected in store. “Many are asking why the enemy is ■i ble to penetrate Germany so deeply. <>nr anti-aircraft guns and fighters have forced the enemy to practically cease daylight attacks. Since September 7 relatively more British planes have been shot down over Germany than the Germans have lost over Britain. Search for Solution. General Milch emphasized the difficulties of night defence, which is limited by technical considerations. The attackers, he said, always have certain advantages which no serious assessment of the situation could disregard. Experts were incessantly searching for a solution. “The English are a Germanic race of lighters like ourselves, and it would be a miracle if they suddenly caved jn. We knew that breaking the English would confront us with tasks differ-

ent from those we faced in Poland, Belgium and France.” Every radio station in Germany preceded General Milch’s broadcast with a “grave warning” that the R.A.F. raids are increasing in number and severity, and an allround tightening up of air-raid precautions has been ordered. A German pilot, in a letter to a Stuttgart newspaper, writes: “We who are daily in combat over England know the difficulty of our task. Our sacrifices are high, not only in losses, but also in nerve strain. We must often, in obeying orders, overcome our inner feelings. The enemy has excellent and well-trained men. We demand that the population, in reading the communiques, shall not underestimate the difficulties of our task as practically every victory means sacrifices in men and material. Our enemy also fights bravely.”