HITLER’S BID

Grey River Argus, 10 September 1940, Page 5

HITLER’S BID

For Air Supremacy A LONDON AUTHORITY’S ESTIMATE (Received September 10, 12.50 a.m.) LONDON, September 8. A high-placed authority here told the Associated Press of Great Britain: “The present reprisal attacks on London appear to be a diversion from the German main purpose, namely, an endeavour to cause Britain to use up her fighters, thereby paving the way for unlimited bombing attacks, as the prelude to an invasion. The German bombing appears to be limited by the German fighter plane strength available for the escort. Therefore if the necessity to send heavy German fighter escorts is reduced, Germany will be able greatly to increase the number of bombers. If this hypothesis is correct, it explains why, during Saturday’s attacks against London, when nearly seven hundred German planes were estimated to be visiting Britain in all parts of the country, the activity outside of the capital was comparatively slight. In this endeavour to subjugate the British fighter strength, the Germans have counted on suffering considerable losses, but they did not expect to face such a stubborn resistance, which, well-informed- persons believe, will be more stubborn as the month proceeds., “It is pointed out that September is likely to be a very critical month, when Herr Hitler may be engaging in a race against the English winter, and he may hope to gain air superiority in a week or so. The German air operations are making a crescendo, but their top note has not yet been reached.” Answering queries as to why the German formations of bombers on Saturday evening were able to reach central London, the high-placed authority stressed that it was not possible for 1 the fighter planes to prevent a proportion of the enemy penetrating the defences. He said that the German night bombing had thus far been largely indiscriminate, though apparently the Germans were endeavouring to copy the British in making attacks against railway communications.

“Times” Estimate ENEMY NOT ATTAINING HIS OBJECT (Received September 10, 12.3 a.m.) LONDON, September 9. “The Times,” in a leading article, says: Many of Saturday’s casualties in London were caused by attacks falling on the men of the services. The enemy attempted a crushing blow to reassure the Germans and to strengthen the world’s rapidly waning estimate of his power to fatally injure England. Saturday’s raid, however, has not impaired th» R.A.F.’s strength. It has not seriously damaged the national war effort. It emphatically did not shake the civilian morale, which is a large part of the enemy’s purpose. The verdict of the victims was that the experience was a mere incident in the ( process of winning mastery over a ruthless enemy.