POWER IN AIR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23994, 18 June 1941, Page 7

POWER IN AIR

EE PEL INVASION j i BRITAIN'S ADVANTAGE AMERICAN EXPERT'S VIEW NRW Y.OEK, .Tnno 12 The noted aviation authority. Major de Seversky, contributes an interesting analysis of the Crete campaign, which, he believes, proves that the British Isles are invulnerable to invasion. "While the Royal Air Force remains unbeaten over those islands." he says, "invasion is out of the question and fears stirred by the German interpretations are unfounded." May Be Unnecessary lie adds: "If Hitler ever achieves sky domination of the British Isles, invasion will be unnecessary, and th A whole area of its land and sea defences would be helpless under the German air hammering. "Now. when nations can he totally wrecked from above, rather than inch by inch on the ground, a line must be drawn between military campaigns for physical possession and campaigns of annihilation. "For the former it is essential that ground troops take over by land, 6ea. or air. All three methods have functioned in this war. For the latter to eliminate tho enemy by pulverising his strength, troops are superfluous. The object can be attained by air power it aerial resistance is broken. Britain's Good Fortune "Britain is lucky that these facts, now evident, were not fully recognised by Hitler's military advisers before the war. They understood only when stymied by the Royal Air Force on the Channel. Then they learned that to cross even a gap of water 20 miles wide, air control is essential. Not having foreseen this, the Germans lacked aircraft for the job. They have hacked at the islands with makeshift air equipment. "Meanwhile, wo assume that they are building types of aeroplanes for a specific purpose. This time the British have an even start in the construction race. "Wo may assume that the British can, at least, hold their own, and therefore retain the defensive in air control. The question is: Will the strength of the British Isles .suffice against continuous hacking from above until England, reinforced by United States supplies, can deliver two air punches to Hitler's one?"

FIVE SHIPS SUNK CLAIM BY BERLIN RADIO (Herd. 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, June 17 According to the Berlin radio, 19 survivors have landed at Cadiz from five British ships sunk by bombers westward of Gibraltar on Sunday.

BRITISH FARMERS WARNED LONDON, June 17 The Ministry of Agriculture has warned farmers in Britain to be on their guard against enemy action against their vrops. Food on tho land, it is emphasised, i.s just as valuable as that on the sea, and must be protected.