Anglo-American Naval and Air Exercises Planned

Grey River Argus, 23 April 1948, Page 8

Anglo-American Naval and Air Exercises Planned

LO?\ T DON, April 21

The Air Ministry announced that Lincolns and Lancasters of the R.A.F. Bomber Command would make a training flight over parts of north-west Germany and northern France to-morrow.

Three groups of United States Superfortresses, now in Germany, will make a practice mock bombing attack on Port Said to-morrow.

United States Air Force headquarters in Europe announced that the bombers would take off from the temporary base in southern Germany and fly the 3600-miles round trip non-stop. Powerful fleet groups cf the British and United States navies will steam into the North Sea next month, but will not meet. The American aircraft-carrier, the Valley Forge, of 47,100 tons, attended by four destroyers and an anti-air-craft cruiser, the Fresno, will leave the Mediterranean to visit Bergen at the beginning of the month.

BIGGEST SINCE WAR Shortly after this visit the British Home Fleet, led by the battleships Anson and Home, will put to sea for the biggest naval exercise since the end of the war. The American naval authorities are not expecting any contact, as the Valley Forge will probably be on its •way back to base before the British exercises start.

The British exercises will give a practical demonstration of the assurance given by the Minister of Defence, Mr A. V. Alexander, last month, that a balanced task force could put to sea within a week or 10 days. A.n Admiralty spokesman said the exercises had no political significance.

Six Royal Air Force 'Lincoln bombers and supporting transport aircraft will leave Britain on April 2'4 for Singapore on an exercise designed to show the R.A.F. can provide at shortnotice a striking force on either side of the globe. The squadron will spend eight days in Ceylon in exercises and will reach, Singapore on May 3. The Squadron will return to Britain about a month later.