NAZI AIR LOSSES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20627, 1 December 1941, Page 7

NAZI AIR LOSSES

HIGHER THAN BRITISH EUROPE AND MIDDLE EAST FAKED GERMAN FIGURES (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 2 p.m. RUGBY, Nov. 29. The German statement that Britain has not only failed to do any important damage to Germany during the German-Russian war but has lost 2501 aircraft since the beginning of 1941, compared with the German loss of only 602, is regarded in London as a flagrant attempt to sow discord between the Allies. Hitherto unpublished figures of British and German air losses have now been made available authoritatively in London and show that from January 1 to October 31 this year, the Germans lost over Germany and the occupied countries 1426 aircraft, while the British lost 1311. In the Middle East the Germans lost 617 and the British 378. Thus the total German losses in both theatres during the 10 months were 2053 and the British 1689.

In addition a very large number of German aircraft were destroyed on the ground. Moreover, these figures disregard enemy aircraft which are unlikely to have returned to their base, but not definitely seen to crash and also enemy aircraft lost in crashes when returning from operations.

s lt will be seen that the German statement reduced their own losses by two-thirds and multiplied the British by 50 per cent. Furthermore, while no bombing of any importance has taken place ,over Britain since May, the Royal Air Force during the last six months has dropped more than 20,000 tons of bombs on Germany. The number of German aircrait destroyed from the beginning of the war to the beginning of November is 6266, excluding losses in the Middle East, Poland and at the hands of Dutch, Belgian and French forces during the western front compaign.