REVIEW OF WAR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 28 September 1940, Page 5

REVIEW OF WAR

FAILURE OF NAZI AIR ATTACK MEDITERRANEAN NEXT IMPORTANT AREA GENERAL KIRKE’S COMMENT [U.P.A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright] LONDON, 26th September. In a review of the war, General Sir Walter Kirke. discussed German air attacks and asked whether the German bombing was a prelude to invasion. It had first been made against naval ports, probably in an attempt to get essential local naval superiority. That had failed. Aerodromes were next attacked with the object of obtaining air superiority. That had been no more successful.

These attacks now appeared to have been abandoned,” he said. Why and for what? Hitler could hardly hope to knock out the British by bombing cities, women and children. He might hope to weaken our re-equip-ment effort, but if so he was making a very poor showing. Indiscriminate bombing, like the indiscriminate submarine warfare which brought America intp the last war on Britain’s side, was a very doubtful proposition. It savoured not so much of strength as of desperation, and desoperation seemed to be the real answer. In any case it brought invasion no nearer.

BARGE CONCENTRATIONS The barges concentrated in various ports might have to serve other purposes, such as carrying supplies which normally went through Hamm. From the German point of view it would be much better for the British to bomb Dutch barges rather than German factories. It was just possible that goosestepping on and off the barges might maintain the German army’s morale with the idea that invasion was still possible. Above all, Hitler might hope that it might keep us thinking defensively. The most encouraging happening recently was the reinforcement of the Mediterranean Fleet and the British forces in North Africa at the expense of the ships and soldiers hitherto tied up in Britain. Dealing with a possible invasion, he said that the armed forces, including the Home Guard—Sir Alan Brooke’s reception committee —would welcome it. Napoleon’s fifth element, mud, would soon be Laking command of Western Europe, but the sun would still be shining on the shores of the Mediterranean, and the countries around it, and that, he believed, was going to be the important area in the coming months. So far nothing much had happened there, except that the British had evacuated villages which they had never intended to defend, and Mussolini owned a bit more desert and had a longer line of communication which had to be organised before any further advance could be made. Much would depend on what happened on the Egyptian frontier.

HITLER’S ADDLED EGGS

The Axis Powers would strain every effort, for failure to them would be disastrous. Dr. Goebbels’s main achievement had been to play up the infallibility of Hitler and the invincibility of the German army for all he was worth. The much heralded invasion had not taken place, and should it ever come it would result in a cru ’ ing defeat for German arms. The British people refused to be bullied. It was always dangerous to count chickens before they were hatched, a:.d the eggs produced by such a monstrous bird as Hitler would certainly te addled. Danger was always looming on Germany’s eastern frontiers.

The New World was arming, and not with any idea of helping the Axis partners; far from it. Many people had thought some time ago that the British Empire could not stand up to such an onslaught. The Britii'l had done it before, and h: d done it successfully. Those people were now changing their minds, and were beginning to believe what the British had alw: "s known —that they would win through to victory.