TOLL TAKEN BY R.A.F.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 26 June 1943, Page 5

TOLL TAKEN BY R.A.F.

LARGE PHOTOGRAPHS PUBLISHED DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF PLANES SHOWN London, June 24. The bombing of the Ruhr is featured by British national newspapers which publish large photographs of a big area of Dusseldorf showing the toll taken by R.A.F. bombs. One caption states: “This is the most terrible picture ever published of the destructive power of the bombing aeroplane.” • The photographs were taken a week after the raid. Some fires were still smouldering but still more grim is the fact that close examination shows a dead city. It was killed in a night. The 75th (New Zealand) Squadron took part in the latest raid against Mulheim, in addition to New Zealanders in other squadrons. “The Times” diplomatic correspondent states that even outside the devastated areas the power of the R.A.F. is weighing on many German minds nearly as much as the strength of the Russian armies obsessed them six months ago.

After hesitating whether or not to belittle the raids the authorities are now releasing news about the spreading of devastation in order to brace the people to the sense of danger. All emphasis is put on damage to houses and flats. By equal distortion of facts the Ruhr and Lower Rhine are said to have little industrial value owing to the dispersal of industry. Newspapers such as “Berliner Borzen Zeitung” declare that the R.A.F. campaign is a stab in the back—using the phrase which for 20 years covered the blockade of the last war and the disintegration at home, and supposed to exonerate the German armies from the responsibility of defeat. EXPERIENCE OF NEW ZEAUANDER Squadron Leader W. V. C. Compton, of Auckland, who last week returned from operations as a Squadron Leader supernumary, has led a wing for the first time. He accompanied the Flying Fortresses to Huls. Squadron Leader Compton said: “We saw 30 to 40 Fwl9o’s which were preparing to attack the Fortresses from the port side. Our Wing turned into them and they dived away. Every time we tried to attack the Fw’s weren’t having any, and we were able to bring back the Fortresses unmolested.” P.A. Special Correspondent.