Why Nazis Do Not Mass Raid Britain

Northern Advocate, 13 August 1942, Page 3

Why Nazis Do Not Mass Raid Britain

(Rec. 11 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 12. Goebbels admits that Germany is not mass-raiding Britain because planes are needed in Russia. In an article in “Das Reich,” Goebbels says:- “It would be possible to withdraw several thousand planes from the east and hurl them against Britain., in massive reprisal attacks on a scale which would deprive the R.A.F. of any desire to terrorise the German towns by spiteful attacks. She does not do this because she is fighting the war to win, not to indulge a desire for revenge which would split up her forces which is the aim of the enemy war leaders. The German method is to concentrate on one great plan from which she never diverges, however unfavourable the attendant effect.” Over South England It is officially stated that before midnight a small number of enemy aircraft dropped bombs on places on the south coast of England. Some damage was done, casualties including eight killed. Later, aircraft raided points in eastern, and northern England and East Midlands, where casualties and damage were slight. One enemy bomber was destroyed. Mainz Latest Target The Air Ministry states that last night a strong force of bombers attacked Mainz, an important centre of industry, and rail and river communications in the Rhineland. Crews reported that Ihe attack was particularly successful. Reconnaissance this morning showed fires still burning. Objectives in the Coblenz Docks, Le Havre and airfields of the Low Countries were also attacked. Sixteen bombers were missing from night operations and one fighter is missing from an offensive patrol yesterday. German Ace Killed The German High Command has announced that Major Pflanz was shot down and killed in combat with R.A.F. fighters over France on July 31. He had the previous day spored his 51st success. The British Air Ministry News Service recalls that on July 31 Spitfires escorted Bostons to bomb the German fighter base at Abbeville. Hectic dogfights occurred between 100 R.A.F. and German fighters over the Somme area. Eleven Germans were destroyed for the loss of eight British. Pflanz was killed in .one of these fights. Fewer Planes, Heavier Raids Fewer than 200 bombers dropped over 450 tons of bombs on Osnabruck during the recent raid, more than the Germans ever dropped on Britain in one night. The bombs included 40 and 50 of the 4000 pound type, and between 70 and 80 were dropped at one time. From July 12 to August 11 the R.A.F. undertook harassing operations on 26 days and only three periods of 24 hours were without raids. Gf 13 night raids made on Germany, only one was fewer than 100 aircraft. One was over 600 and 10 had between 200 and 450 machines. 13,CG0 Tons Dropped During July 13,000 tons of bombs were dropped on Germany, compared with 3,500 tons in the same month in 1940, and 8,000 tons in July 1941. Minelaying has also many times increased. Air experts are of the opinion that given good weather conditions, there is no reason why bombing should not continue on an equivalent scale. The increase has been made while more and more bombers have been sent to other theatres of war.