AERIAL HANDICAP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20568, 30 May 1941, Page 5

AERIAL HANDICAP

BASES AT LONG RANGE i BRITISH DIFFICULTY BIG PROBLEM FACED (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, May 29. Discussing the air warfare in Greece and the Withdrawal of British fighters from Crete, informed aeronautical circles point out that in Greece after Germany intervened a limiting factor was the number of aeroplanes which could be made available. Operating from five aerodromes in the north of Greece and two or three in the south, but with the main bases for heavier types of necessity situated in the Middle East, as many Royal Air Force aircraft as could be spared were sent into the struggle. At all times they were heavily outnumbered. The opinion is expressed that the Nazis had at their disposal some 700 operational aircraft, as well as 500 or 600 troop-carrying aeroplanes. Left in Enemy Hands The German advance, when it came, was very rapid, and although some machines were able to fly to the Middle East and some landed in Crete, many aircraft and a good deal of material had to be left in enemy hands.

In the enemy’s attack on Crete all the advantages of aerodromes and available aircraft remained with him. The- Germans were able to use the Dodecanese and the Peloponnese areas as well as Greek aerodromes, all of which were well within dive-bomber and fighter range. The Royal Air Force, on the other hand, had to rely on Crete only, where there was not much opportunity to prepare aerodromes, and to continue to rely on the Middle East as a base. These factors, together with the lack of adequate ground defence and material, made retaining fighters on the aerodrome impossible, and they were withdrawn.

Despite the difficulties of far-away bases,, some long-range fighters—amongst them Blenheims —have been operating over Cr^te.