A BID FOR MASTERY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 16, 18 July 1940, Page 11

A BID FOR MASTERY

POWER IN THE AIR

BRITAIN'S BIG EFFORT

MINISTER'S REVIEW

PREPARING FOR COMING ATTACK

(British Official Wireless.) (Received July 18, 11 a.m.)

RUGBY. July 17,

Broadcasting to the Empire, the Secretary of State for Air (Sir Archibald Sinclair) said that while Britain's strategical position today was less favourable, her people were aroused and her army and her fleets in the air and at sea were constantly being reinforced. During the opening phase of the war, he said, both sides were sparring in the air, hesitating to use their full strength in advance of the critical moment, but the R.A.F. had in that time sized up the German air force.

When the active phase started, bomber, fighter, and co-operation squadrons were already stationed in France, together with reinforcement of fighters, and home-based bombers were launched into an untiring onslaught upon the Germans. In the early stages of this battle, Sir Archibald Sinclair said, the R.A.F. fighter pilots, many of whom came from the ! Dominions, showed a tactical and moral supremacy over the enemy. ' After the collapse of France, and after the necessary interlude for recuperation, the enemy had once more opened an air offensive and had launched attacks on Britain by day and night with little intermission. "In these attacks," Sir Archibald Sinclair said, "the R.A.F. have maini tained an increased ascendancy, unit for unit, over the German air fleet Since the beginning of this month a total of 105 enemy aircraft have been brought down, while we have lost 24 in defence against them. So far the enemy, whether attacking or bombing by night or day, has only been able to inflict negligible damage." BY DAY AND NIGHT. Neither had Britain been content with staving off the enemy's, attacks, ,for immediately upon the opening of the land battle in the west the R.A.F. proceeded to put into operation with! the utmost thoroughness the destruction of military objectives vital to the enemy's war effort. "We have reason to believe," he said, "that the material damage caused to oil stores, refineries, and war industry, including aircraft! factories, depots, and railway communications, was very heavy indeed. In addition, during recent days we have carried out attacks on squadrons of German aircraft in France and against German naval forces. All these operations continue day and night without intermission* There has scarcely been one hour in a single day in which we have not been carrying the war into enemy territory." Sir Archibald Sinclair pointed out that the vast stretch of enemy coastline, which now stretched from Narvik to the Pyrenees, and from which an invasion or a submarine campaign might be launched, had to be constantly watched by the Coastal Command. The work of this Command, he said, had become the most arduous in the R.A.F. The Minister paid a tribute to the great part the Dominions and India were playing in the aerial war both in Britain and in the sphere in which the Italians were being engaged. A SERIOUS THREAT. Speaking of the future, Sir Archibald Sinclair said that the German air force still had a numerical preponderance and this represented a serious threat. "It is certain," he added, "we will have,to withstand an attack from the air on a scale many times greater than any the enemy has yet launched. Maybe within a month a great onslaught against this country, will be launched by land, sea, and air simultaneously. If it comes it will fail, but the war cannot be won until Britain passes from the defensive to the offensive. This means a preponderance in the air." Remarkable progress in the production of aircraft had been made, and, in addition, important new sources of production in the United States had been opened up and supplies were also coming from Canada and later from Australia. This production must be balanced by the production .of trained pilots and air crews. He spoke of the magnificent value of the Empire air training scheme, which he described! as being on a scale fitting to the responsibilities and resources of the I Commonwealth. i

Britain, he pointed out, had too little space, and the operational requirements of a growing air force were a constant source of interference with training.

Sir Archibald Sinclair referred in terms of gratitude to the gifts for the purchase of aircraft which had been received from the colonies, and, in conclusion, addressed those coming from overseas to join in the war in the air, saying: "Let me say to those of you who are coming, you will be equipped with the finest types of aircraft in the world today. You will meet a brave and skilful foe, but one over whom our men have already gained an undivided ascendancy. You will be welcomed into the comradeship of the R.A.F. and you will fight to rid the world of the vile and pitiless tyranny of Nazi Germany and restore to our own people, and to the suffering peoples of Europe, the blessings of freedom and peace."