R.A.F. PRAISES SOVIET

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 13 September 1941, Page 5

R.A.F. PRAISES SOVIET

HIGHLY EFFECTIVE RAIDS Rugby, Sept. 11. I j In a broadcast war commentary, J ; Group Captain Helmore described the J campaign in Russia as the opening of | the third act. The first was the big ! battle of Britain and the second the ‘ j bombing of Britain. He said help to * I Russia could now quickly be given by 1 air action, and night after night and 1 day after day for the last eleven and f a half weeks “we have literally poured j ' out our air forces on the job of harass- • v ing and distracting the enemy.” In that period the weight of bombs - dropped by the Royal Air Force on j ' enemy territory—and this was the best 1 • method of measuring the intensity of tiie attack —was more than double the: weight dropped in the immediately jipreceding eleven and a half weeks. I The real truth about Russia's own air force had been a deeply guarded jt! secret and inference was the only guide ' r to what was the truth. "If the Russian Air Force had not' f been highly effective,” Group Captain!; Helmore added, “then every Russian j n town would have been a blazing ruin ] t before Ilerr Hitler’s troops ever got : 5 within miles of it. Neither would :j, Hiller’s air forces have been so urgent- j v , ly preoccupied with the air war on the j j: Eastern Front.” i e The speaker paid a high tribute to i , the Soviet anti-aircraft defences, which! he said had amazed experts.—B.O.W. '