IF IT HAD BEEN REAL

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10919, 21 August 1928, Page 3

IF IT HAD BEEN REAL

LONDON WOULD EE IN RUINS. United Press Aesn—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, August 18. Britain appears to be faced with the fact that had the mimic air warfare been real at least half of London would be in ruins and the area across the Thames gaslogged with poisonous fumes whence it would have been dispersed by the south-westerly wind into crowded areas bringing death and desolation. The Earl of Halsbury, who at tho time of the Armistice was in charge of plans for a bombardment of Germany, deliberately warns the nation that it is in deadly peril. While Europe is building colossal air armadas England is content with a few squadrons of mostjy antiquated-machines. Wo are practically disarmed in the air, he says, and at the mercy &: any hostile force. The evidence qf the manoeuvres suggests' that a mass' of dugouts should bo devised in West End., Squares use,able as motor garages rn peace time. It is generally estimated that 50 per cent, or the bomber® penetrated the defence, and that the 200 bombs dropped is equivalent to only a little, less than the whole number dropped b.v German air forces during tiie entire war. Experts emphasise that destruction would have been more' terrific had not- the dice been loaded against the raiders who were forced, to use large slow night bombers heavily weighted : whereas an attacking enemy would prefer fast-flying, light machines. The Earl of Halsbury describes air manoeuvres as a farce carried out at, night at a height of 20,000 feet. What enemy would drop bombs from such a height when they could attr-ck by day, swoop down to 100 ft and drop bombs with safety ? Everyone in the world is aware bonjheis are safest near the ground, when anti-air-craft guns could not be trained. He adds: “When I was in France recently aeroplanes were swimming the rcofs of houses. No scout would dare dive on a bomiber only lOGlt from the ground. “The first gas attack on Yprcs cost us 5000 soldiers. What will be the effect of an attack on the civilians of London with gas a thousand times more powerful ?’ ’ The Earl of Halsbury recently pointed out that 50 tons of the latest arsenical poison gas would suffice to wipe out central London. Brigadier-General Groves, formerly Director of Flying Operations, states that each country will instantly despatch a fleet of bombers to the enemy’s vital centres. It will ire tho aim of each side to terrorise civilians. London’s vital points would soon be ruins, and gas would render other parts uninhabitable. Local defence in r_ir warfare can only be a palliative. The only effective method of defence is to counterattack. The Daily Herald satirically asks whether civilians should not be drilled in the sudden donning of respirators at five minutes’ notice, and tearing them off. Would not it be better if they were instructed rendering of first aid to the gassed and the giving of rapid hygienic interment to thousands of dead ? Major Turner in the Daily Telegraph says a force beyond practicable numbers would be, necessary. not merely to account for every raider, but merely to keep out a very tew. A city such as London would need hundreds of squadrons. He suggests that civilians should be drilled. The part played in air warfare is different from any ether. All mu,st participate. Peace is more likely to be preserved in this manner than by neglect. An official communique states that the air manoeuvres comprised 57 daylight raids, nine of which completely evaded the defence, clouds and strong winds favouring the attackers. Day bom hors were attacked 39 times incoming, and 37 times outgoing. A large percentage of night flying bombers were intercepted, the weather favouring the defender®. The fighters brought down 151 bombers, anti-aircraft guns accounting for 20. A total of 139 fighters were lost. Vice-Air-Marshal Scarlett, is satisfied with the efficiency of all units. The aircraft flew 250,000 miles. The only mishap involving injury was that a pilot’s nose was slightly hurt when a fighter overturned. The bombers could have carried a total of 202 tons of •'bom hs not deducting bombers adjudged shot down before reaching objectives. The interception of bombers by fighters is much improved since last year; likewise the standard, of pilotthe use of clouds, and also searchlight work. These invaluable exercises were not intended to test, the efficiency or’ London defences, but the operational efficiency of individual units.