REPORTS OF AIR RAIDS

Southland Times, Issue 24211, 22 August 1940, Page 7

REPORTS OF AIR RAIDS

British Figures Are Accurate (British Official Wireless) (Received August 21, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, August 20. Referring to complaints which had been made about the speed with which reports of air raids over Britain had been published compared with those emanating from Germany, the Dominions Secretary, Lord Caldecotte, in the House of Lords, pointed out that while it was a comparatively simple matter for the Germans to give their entirely inaccurate figures, the “British figures are scrupulously and elaborately, and perhaps over-elaborately, checked.” Lord Caldecotte had stated that 699 Nazi aircraft had been destroyed since August 8 and later explained that there was a considerable number of enemy losses never published, but put in official records as unconfirmed or probably lost. British figures of Nazi losses could be relied on to the extent of being an under-statement Dealing with material damage Lord Caldecotte said that that inflicted by the Nazis on Britain was light compared with the destruction worked on Germany by the Royal Air Force. “The British raids are not mere terror bombings,” he said. “They > are directed against military objectives. They have been carefully identified and accurately attacked so that the pressure will be constant and increasing. These are not mass attacks that cannot be persevered with. The success up to the present time has been impressive. Our airmen in the Middle East have been no less gallant and successful against an enemy not always unworthy in the air and the yhave shown consistent and daring energy.”