GREAT AIR FLEETS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 1 May 1945, Page 5

GREAT AIR FLEETS

TASK NEARLY FINISHED OVER 95,000 FLYERS LOST IN FIVE YEARS R.A.F. AND U.S.A.AF. IN BRITAIN Rugby, April 29. The British and American heavy bombers based in Britain, whose task is now nearly finished, have jointly lost more than 95.000 flyers and 14,700 planes, says the “Daily Express” aviation correspondent. The R.A.F. Bomber Command since the attacks against Germany began in May, 1940, has lost 8000 planes, mostly Lancasters, HaJifaxes and Stirlings, and about 48,000 flyers, but. many of these were taken prisoner and are now returning home. The United States Eighth Air Force, which did not really get going till the middle of 1943. lost 4500 heavy bombers, eaeh carrying 10 men, plus 2200 single-seater fighters, making a total of 47,200 men. The Bomber Command dropped 1,000,000 tons of bombs in the flve years, and the Eighth Air Force 050,000 tons in two and a half years. The damage thus jointly caused in German cities and factories will, it is estimated, take more than 20 years to repair. They contained 1.500,000 Germans manning guns, searchlights and A.R.P. centres, and more than half of the Luftwaffe in the past two years has been engaged in defensive tasks. Britain and America employed more than 5.000,000 servicemen and aircraft and other workers to keep these two great fleets fully operational. FLEET TRAIITcONVOY SUPPLIES FOR BRITISH * PACIFIC FLEET At Sea. We are a small convoy of fleet train ships and escort vessels going out into the broad Pacific to supply fuel and Rawlings’s command. It is the first time the fleet train has been called upon to send ships to sea and so increase the range and endurance of the British Pacific Fleet, which otherwise would have to return the full distance to its nearest base. The senior ship of the convoy is an American-built escort carrier. Keeping station with us are several tankers, and at some distance are snips of the escort. When the ships left the base a storm was threatening to cross the track they had to take to arrive at the appointed time. Since then the storm has weighed more with us than has possible interference by enemy aircraft or submarines. SAILORS NOT DISTURBED The captain said in a broadcast’ to Ihe ship after leaving port: “We need not expect fo be attacked all the time we are at sea, but we should be ready against attack at any time.” But the storm, mainly because the characteristics and trends of the weather are not yet completely known in this part of the Pacific, has been on our minds all the time, because it might delay the fleet train. However, it seems to have avoided all but the tail of the storm. There is a suggestion that another storm is forming, but the ocean seems to have quietened considerably since yesterday, and the sky is no longer so threatening. For the officers and men of this ship, among them 11 New Zealand seamen and one stoker, the storm and the fact that we are about to perform what for the Royal Navy will be a historic refuelling operation are the only things which are strange in their experience. Any risks they might run, the sight of a convoy at sea. the unceasing vigil against the weather and the enemy, and the constant work of keeping the ship in as perfect condition as possible—all these make a pattern which has been the most familiar thing in their lives for anything up to the past five years. AT PLAY AND DUTY At the base from which we sailed there was such an array of shipping as New Zealand has never seen, the British and American Navies and the Merchant Marine’ forming a comradeship in war which was so tangible that it could almost be felt. From this companionship. like a little cluster of ducklings, we put out into the almost unknown mysteries of the Pacific. Even then we could not regard ourselves as immune from attack, and it was more than likely that Japanese eyes in parties still skulking in the back-country watched us go. On the flight deck men strolled idly ii the freshening wind. They did gymnastics over a vaulting-horse, and two teams played deck hockey with completely preoccupied vigour. Later they would practise action station, damage control stations, and various other exercises designed to maintain the ship’s efficiency, but for the time being they were off watch and determined to enjoy themselves. Later the weather enveloped us. The ship plunged and rolled to the gathering uneasiness of the ocean. Visibility was so poor that our consorts could only occasionally be seen. But our sailors did not notice the weather. It meant harder work, and that was about all They regretted the rain that prevented more hockey and more gymnastics, and did not wait for much of an improvement before they were at it again. And meantime the bridge and the hidden eyes of the ship kept watch and ward against the weather and the enemy, and the convoy slowly moved on to its appointment. The fleet train should se the warships soon and will then discover how well it can carry out : ts du l y in refuelling and replenishing them. STRATEGIC BOMBING FINISHED (Rec. 10 a.m.) London, April 30. Lieut-General Carl Spaatz, commanding the U.S. Strategic Air Force in Europe, announced at SHAEF that strategic bombing is finished in Europe. American personnel and Dianes are being sent to the Pacific to whatever extent they can be used there.