A BEATEN FORCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25306, 17 August 1943, Page 3

A BEATEN FORCE

GERMAN AIR ARM FIGHTING SPIRIT LOST RUGBY, Aug. 15. “The German Air Force has been knocked out,” declared Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur, Coningham in his advanced headquarters in Sicily. “They are a beaten force, as, although some of their machines are quite good, they have completely lost the fighting spirit. Their losses in the Mediterranean theatre have been astronomical, and even if they had the will they are no longer able to compete with us. A few pickets are left, such as that on the Messina Channel coast.” Air Chief Marshal Coningham added that for some time he had thought the German Air Force was dying, and today in Sicily hungry Spitfires ranged the length, and breadth of the island without even' a sight of an enemy plane. Reviewing the Sicilian campaign, he paid a tribute to the work of the Fortresses before the landings. The Germans had from 250 to 300 fighters based on the Gerbini airfields, but as the result of Fortress attacks only about 30 were left on the island when the Allies landed.

He said he had expected that the enemy would divert all his available air resources to Sicily, and the fact that he did not was because he had no other forces available. The enemy had now been forced right back. He was now unable to use the airfields in Italy. Regarding the evacuation, the air chief marshal said: “We are unable to prevent it completely owing to the narrowness of the straits, which are covered by a terrific barrage of 500 guns. In spite of this obstacle, the dir force is taking a steady toll of enemy craft.”