AIR DEFENCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23340, 8 May 1939, Page 11

AIR DEFENCES

PROGRESS IN BRITAIN RECORD DEVELOPMENT MORE MACHINES ORDERED A WARNING TO RAIDERS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received May 7, 7.50 p.m.) British "Wireless LONDON, May 6 The Secretary of State for Air, Sir Kingsley Wood, speaking at Guernsey, snid the expansion of Britain's air defences was proceeding apace and there had been a record and rapid development in the last two months.

As a result of being ahead of schedule, there had been recently placed further considerable additional orders for aircraft, which would be delivered in the course of the present year. Steps weje also being taken to expand Britain's war potentials. Air development involved ar; entire change in Britain's defence problems, and it was for that and other reasons that Britain was making great efforts and spending vast nmounis on air defences. Britain's output to-day was, in fact, greater than she had at one time deemed practicable. Plans had been, and were being, laid on a broad base so that Britain could materially and immediately expand her productive capacity if the need should ever arise. The response to recent appeals for officers and men had been truly magnificent. Last week over 1000 men joined the Royal Air Force alone, three times the number in the corresponding period of the previous year. In view of the considerable expansion of all the air defence forces, about 75,000 nien would be needed this year, and he did not doubt that they would be forthcoming. In the course of a speech Air ViceMarshal Leigh-Slallory said: "In view of the preparations we have made 1 can say it would be an unpleasant job to raid this country. Although an enemy might send over very large numbers of aircraft, I believe that with the organisation .we have the enemy's effort would not last' very long. It would be hound to crack up under the efficiency of our defensive system, especially considering the conditions under which the enemy would carry out their raids. "We are definitely on the way to feel that to raid this country is not going to be worth while. 1 certainly should not care to fly as an enemy bomber over this country in the face of our present defensive organisation."