POWER IN THE AIR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 197, 22 July 1941, Page 5

POWER IN THE AIR.

REPEL INVASION. B RITA IN’S ADVANTAGE. NEW iOKJv, June 12. The noteu aviauon auuioi lty, Major de oeversky, contributes an aijleiesting analysis ol tlie Crete campaign, winch, he believes, proves tnat j ihe British IsJes are invulnerable to invasion. “Wlnle the Royal Air Force remains unbeaten over tiiose lslamis/' he says, "invasion is out ol the question anil fears stirred by the German interpretations are unrounded.'’ He adds: “If Hitler ever achieves sny domination ol the British Isles, invasion will be unnecessary, and thoj whole area of its land and sea defences | would be helpless under the German air hammering. “Now, when nations can be totally i wrecked from above, rather than inch I by inch on the ground, a line must be drawn between military campaigns for physical possession and campaigns of annihilation.

“For the former it is essential that ground troops take over by land, sea, or ; air. All three’ methods have functioned in this war. For the latter to eliminate the enemy by pulverising his strength, troops are superfluous. The object can be attained by air power if aerial resistance is broken.

“Britain is lucky that these facts, now evident, were not fully recognised by Hitler’s military advisers before the war. They understood only when stymied by the Royal Air Force on the Channel. Then they learned that to cross even a gap of water 20 miles wide, air control is essential. Not having foreseen this, the Gentians lacked aircraft for the job. They have hacked at the islands with makeshift air equipment.

“Meanwhile, we assume that they are building types of aeroplanes for a specific purpose. This time the British have an even start in the construction race.

“We may assume that the British can. at least, hold their own, and therefore retain the defensive in air control. The question is . Will the strength of the British Isles suffice against continuous hacking from above until England, reinforced b- United States supplies, can deliver two air punches to Hitler’s one?”

London.—A Rome message says that 30 persons were killed and 50 injured in a railway accident near C’onio when a workmen’s train crashed into a derailed truck.