AIR OFFENSIVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24832, 2 March 1944, Page 6

AIR OFFENSIVE

BOMBING OF ENEMY WAR CLIMAX COMING INVASION PREPARATIONS SMASHING NAZI INITUSTRY By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, Feb., 29 "We havo made our dispositions," said the Secretary of Air, Sir Archibald Sinclair, referring to the R.A.F.'s part in the invasion of Europe, when presenting the air estimates in the House of Commons. "The R.A.F.," he said, "is ready to play its part with the Royal Navy and the Army in the liberation of Europe, and it will help to blast the ,way to Berlin for the Allied armies." Recounting the story of the air offensive over Europe since the New Year, Sir Archibald said: "It may well be '.that historians of the future will look hack upon this period between the "February and March moons as one of the decisive stages of the war. . "We are in all probability approaching ihe climax of the war—the period which will demand from all people in Britain the greatest concentration and effort." Many Surprises Sprung Dealing with the war against [U-boats, Sir Archibald said: "Ihis is essentially a war of wits. We have " sprung many surprises on the enemy, .and we hope to spring more } T et. We are giving careful attention to Gercoastal traffic, particularly the route from the Norwegian iron mines to the Rhine ports. Our planes have sunk quite a proportion of this traffic. I do not believe all I read about the prospects of tie Germans leaving Nor- ! way, but the dangers of the sea passage have certainly diminished its usefulness to them."

Referring to invasion plans, the Minister said: "The Second British Tactical Air Force and the Ninth American Air Force will be available .for the support of operations on the Continent.

- • German activity over Britain was dealt with by the Minister. He said: '"""Our night-fighters in recent weeks have been tackling a recurrence of the "blitz. This kind of attack is very diffi- ' "cult to counter. German bombers fly , very fast across the coast at great "height, twisting and turning, scattering their bombs over London and then • diving steeply at maximum speed until they cross the coast at perhaps 2000 ft. or less. Britain's Defences Improved "1 give the assurance that there has been a steady improvement in our ' defences. We must not believe that the forces the enemy has sent over are the 4 greatest strength he can muster. His powers of striking back are far from negligible. Wo have foreseen the attack, and whatever shape it may assume, or in whatever weight it may come, we shall be ready to pit our forces against it. - "Our bomber offensive sometimes is regarded as if it is producing no visible results for the time being, but might suddenly lead to the enemy's collapse. To the contrary, we are steadily pushing the door open inch by inch until we shall be able to pass through. Our offensive is producing results which visible, measurable and progressive.' The huge centre of war industry in the Ttuhr—Hamburg, Berlin and many other German cities —had been obliterated, and in the year under review the United States Air Force had entered the battle in full strength. The repent weather had also enabled the British and American bomber commands to "combine day with night operations, and operations from Italy with those from Britain. Great Battle of Berlin It was in photographs of bomb damage that they could read some, at . least, of the reasons why Germany had no longer an abundance of manpower and materials to throw into the offensive. Far better than capturing and destroying 100 enemy tanks in the field after, perhaps, they had killed many of our men, was to destroy them when half completed in shops, and to destroy at the same time the tools with which the enemy could in a month produce - 200 more. , , . ~ ~ "Berlin is the greatest battle or all, added Sir Archibald. "The Germans now not only have before their eyes the physical destruction of the emblems of Nazi power —the Chancelleries, Brown House and Gestapo headquarters —but in their present confusion and .memories of broken promises they see • a crack appearing in the iNazi edifice StS "The Bomber Command and the U.S.A.A.F. have compelled the JSazis to tie down for the protection of their factories fully four-fifths of their fighter strength in the west. Wo can now claim that we have nfade great gams in spite of these forces. We have destroyed production, denied resources to the "enemy, interrupted his communications and carried the war on to German soil. Britain's Bomber Losses "From bombing operations from Britain in 191') more than 2500 planes are missing. This means that nearly . 18,000 men, drawn from the flower ol our manhood, have been killed or aie prisoners. Our losses, however, are • becoming progressively less heavy compared with the effects we are achieving. "The Germans are now using the greatest concentration of guns and searchlights that any Power has ever mustered, and a fighter force much "'greater than that with which we iought ~ and broke the enemy in the Batt/le of Britain. ■ . "There lies before us now, clearly attainable, the glittering prize of air supremacy—the talisman that can paralyse Germany's war industry and war transport; that will clpar the road .for the progress of the Allied armies to Berlin. "We look forward to the day when ■ victory in Europe will release more of our air forces to fight the Japanese. ■ Meanwhile, we have been building up ••our forces and the Japanese have lost •-the air superiority they enjoyed in 1943. As fast as we can send more Spitfires -iwo shall do so. "One thing is certain —we shall not ' 'forget that in Our hour of need Australia sent her forces across the world to help us. We shall not relax our efforts until our common enemies are utterly defeated." (Cheers.)