CEASELESS ACTIVITY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 96, 23 April 1940, Page 9

CEASELESS ACTIVITY

R.A.F. OVER GERMANY

DIFFICULTIES OF THE WORK

(British OOclal Wireless.J

(Received April 23, 10. a.m.)

RUGBY, April 22.

While particular attention has been paid in the last few days to the exploits of the. R.A.F. in:- reconnoitring German bases in Norway, it is.important to remember that there has been no cessation of R.A.F. activity over Germany itself.

Since the outbreak of the war aircraft of the Bomber Command have flown 800,000 miles over what is known as Greater Germany. The opposition to the raiders has generally been marked, particularly by day, but the British losses have been small and the value of the. work has been demonstrated by the photographs and verbal intelligence brought back. The crews have also become thoroughly familiar with flying conditions over Germany and now know the tactical approach to objectives in all conditions, both by day and by night. At night, except when raiders come down to inspect a town or some1 area defended by anti-aircraft guns, the principal enemy is not the Germans but the weather, which often has been so coid that ice has formed within the aircraft. Thick banks of cloud may obscure what light there is and make the night impenetrably black all the way to and from Germany". It may also be necessary to fly blind in heavy cloud layers for hours at a stretch, imposing no small nervous strain. During daylight reconnaissance fligMs, when the enemy opposition is fierce, photographs have to be taken and information added to copious notes made on the spot. The countryside must be watched for troop movements or other unusual activity on roads, railways, or rivers, and the sky scanned for the approach of enemy aircraft. ■ *

A further result of these flights is the fact that over 800 flights by day or night without serious mishap have taught the crews to trust their aircraft. They have also given the crews complete self-confidence and taught them to regard their work as a piece of familiar routine for which they have no doubt of their capacity.

Sucb of the cable news on this page as Is so headed has appeared In "The Times" and \e ■ cabled to Australia and New Zealand by special permission It should be understood that tbe opinions are not those of "The Times" unless expressly dated to be so.