HEAVY HANDICAP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20242, 9 May 1940, Page 5

HEAVY HANDICAP

ROYAL AIR FORCE GAINS AGAINST ODDS BIG LOSSES INFLICTED LACK OF AERODROMES SURVEY BY MINISTER (Elec. Tel. Copyright —Uuitod Press Assn.) Reed. noon. RUGBY. May 8. Speaking in the House of Commons, to-day in the debate on Norway, the Air Minister, Sir Samuel Hoare, said that from the outset the Royal Air Force had suffered under a very heavy handicap. “We inflicted three times the losses on the German air force that they inflicted on us,” he added. “In the course of 15 hours 30 German machines were put out of operation.” Sir Samuel Hoare said the Germans were in control of all the strategic aerodromes in central and southern Norway where it was very aiffieult to improvise new landing places. From the very outset the Royal Air Force had been suffering under a very heavy handicap. It was remote from the bases, while the enemy had his on the spot and was operating on interior lines of communication and had many refuelling points between Germany and Scandinavia. While faced with the task of winning a foothold for fighters in Norway, everything possible was being done to reduce the scale of air attack upon our sea bases. In face of these difficulties there was no delay. Reconnaissances were made and. taking' the first night when the weather was possible for flying, intensive bomber attacks started upon the aerodromes in Norway, on one of the key aerodromes in Denmark and on one of the key aerodromes in Germany. Since then always, day after day and night after night, in the face of terrible weather conditions and all the difficulties involved in the long flight backwards and forwards across the North Sea, these intensive attacks upon chief points in the German position were made with definite and marked results. Proportion of Losses They were able very materially to reduce the scale of air attacks upon our bases and inflicted upon the German air force three times the losses they inflidted upon us. After giving a stirring account of the experiences of pilots and airmen in these difficult and dangerous operations, Sir Samuel Hoare discussed the lessons of the operations. The central question, he said, was not to underrate the power of air bombing but did we realise the devastating effect when there was no counter action against bombers? From the very first the air danger was realised and the necessity for air bases in Norway from which fighters could operate. Sir Samuel Hoare said if the pincer movement between Namsos and Andalsnes succeeded the Royal Air Force should have got a base. But it did not succeed and in view of the scale of the German bombing attacks, the maintenance of sea bases without a fighter force became impossible. No impartial judge would say that it would have helped to- have sent more aeroplanes or more troops. As long as we could not maintain sea bases the effect of sending more aircraft would have made the situation worse. Answer to Appeal On the other hand he did not accept the other conclusion that, having no air bases, we should have done nothing. No responsible Government would have stood still in face of the Norwegian appeal and the issues at stake. Inevitably we should have taken the risk. As to the question, is the German air power invincible, he said: “Where we had fighters, we have shown how well they can cope with German bombers. Eight months of war shows the superiority of the British fighter over the German bomber.

“The operations show that strong air power must be met by still stronger air power. The fact that over the hundreds of miles of North Sea, night after night, we could maintain heavy-scale attacks or inflict great damage upon key points of the German air attack, and although it was a case of bombers very often being pitted against fighters and that we could take a much heavier toll of their machines showed the strength of the British air power—in quality unsurpassed, in quantity not nearly big enough.” Production, however, was gathering momentum. The figures for the last month were far the best we had ever had. The momentum was now gathering speed. Lloyd George Critical Mr. D. Lloyd George (Ind. Lib. Carnarvon), referring to Sir Samuel Hoare's statement that there were no air bases available unless captured, declared that picked men ought to have been used and measures taken in combination between the army and the navy to guarantee success. The conduct of operations, he claimed, cona most serious condemnation of the Government. "After a good deal of refleetipn, 1 «av deliberately that there is, in my judgment, no cause for panic, but there is grave cause for pulling ourselves together.” said Mr. Lloyd George. “You cannot do it until you tell the country the facts. They must realise the magnitude of our jeopardy.” Concluding. Mr. Lloyd George said: “The Prime Minister has appealed for sacrifice. The nation is prepared for sacrifices as long as you show clearly what you are aiming at and as long as you make it and the people have confidence in the leaders. And I say now solemnly to the Prime Minister that he should give an example of sacrifice because I tell him that nothing would contribute more to victory than that he sacrificed the seals of office,”