THE LUFTWAFFE

Evening Star, Issue 25224, 11 July 1944, Page 5

THE LUFTWAFFE

NOW COMPARATIVELY WEAK BEST PERSONNEL USED UP (Rec. 1.35 p.m.) LONDON, July 10. "The Allies in the air have something w r e can call supremacy. We can do just what we like," Air Chief-Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory told correspondents after leaving a conference with General Montgomery. He added that

the Luftwaffe was now comparatively weak. He was far more occupied with dislocating and disrupting the communications than with fighting his air force. " In doing the one wc take the other in our striae." The Air Chief-Marshal emphasised the colossal drain on the. Luftwaffe with the vast fighting fronts iti various theatres, coupled with the fighting on our own front since the Battie of Britain. He believed that the Germans had used up their hest air force personnel and were being forced to tap every source for pilots. The Allied air forces' standard of flying was as high as ever, and we had fine chaps from the dominions as a reservoir. He expressed the opinion that the Germans concluded that repetition of their air losses during the Allies' operations at Dieppe would be too expensive. Anyway they had not attempted large-scale opposition when Normandy was invaded, consequently the Luftwaffe was gradually pulling itself together. There were signs that they were fighting more strenuously in importsut areas 'behind the bridgehead, but "I should say wo aro bringing

down an average of 30 enemy planes a day in the rear areas. Our losses are not more than six or eight." Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory dwelt on the Allied air forces' attack on communications. The Germans were forced to detrain in far distant areas, and the men had to march on thoir feet or ride on Ibicycles. Their upcoming divisions, together with equipment, were disorganised.