AIR OFFENSIVE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20490, 26 February 1941, Page 8

AIR OFFENSIVE

BRITISH PLANES 'NAZI-OCCUPIED ZONES BLOWS IN GERMANY DUCE’S WANING EMPIRE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 1.45 p.m. RUGBY, Feb. 25. The Air Minister, Sir Archibald Sinclair, in a speech emphasised that in every theatre the Royal Air Force has in recent months been waging an offensive war. The Libyan campaign, Sir Archibald Sinclair described as a pattern of effective air offensive in support of a brilliant land offensive. Fighter squadrons were carrying the war across the Channel with offensive sweeps over northern France and Flanders. Ceaseless attacks were made on naval unit and supply ships and cn submarines attempting to molest convoys. In East Africa the Italians knew to their cost the power of squadrons of the South African Air Force and of Rhodesia.

In the Greek theatre of war, British squadrons with the assistance of the Greek Air Force, pounded the enemy's ports. They had broken up his concentrations and blasted him from Iris strongholds. Sir Archibald Sinclair stressed that the superior instrument of offensive warfare was the bomber force. “That is the force which gives us the principle means of hitting the Germans

in Germany," he said. "The mcsl careful planning of the Air Staff and the most cherished operations of the Commander-in-Cliie.f aim at the destruction in Germany of the sourAis of Nazi power. It is part of the blockade. “The navy has cut off the enemy from all that comes by sea. Bomber squadrons set out to destroy the stocks of munitions, oil and materials which the enemy is husbanding in his stores. And we destroy not only his stocks, but the means of replenishing them, hisarsenals, munitions, factories and oil plants. “We aim as w.ell at dislocating his movements. The docks, inland ports, canal junctions, marshalling yards and all the arteries which go to nourish his war sinews have received our studied attention.” The cruelty of air bombardments was hateful, said Sir Archibald Sinclair. He added: "But we never wanted war with all its horrors and destruction. The Nazis brought it on the world. They have spared no horror to Coventry, Birmingham or London—and we must ‘be a copy now to men of grosser blood and teach them how to war.’ ”