SHATTERING DEFEAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 November 1942, Page 4

SHATTERING DEFEAT

OF AXIS AIR FORCES COLLAPSE OF GERMAN ORGANISATION IN THE NORTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN. SURVEY BY AIR VICE-MARSHAL CONINGHAM. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.25 a.m.) RUGBY, November 26. “Never has there been such a complete defeat of an enemy air force in the field as that inflicted on the Luftwaffe and the Regina Aeronatica (Italian Air Force) in the recent campaign,” said Air Vice-Marshal Coningham, according to a Cairo message. “It was almost the wiping out of an entire air force,” the Air Vice-Marshal said. “It was infinitely greater than anything the Germans have been able to do in any theatre of war. All the damaged tanks, guns and ■ motor transport that lie in the trail of wreckage from El Alamein to the border, and on across Libya, is evidence of the work of our Air Force. There has been the usual unanimity between the Air Force and Army. On the

other hand, the enemy air force neglected his ground forces shamefully. Whether that was through lack of organisation or lack of ability I do not know, but if the R.A.F. had done that sort of thing it would have wanted to change the colour of its uniform. The speed of the Allied advance was another great factor which contributed to the smashing of the Axis Air Force. In seven days the R.A.F. was shooting up El Agheila, 750 miles from El Alamein. The speed of the Allied advance exceeded anything we had thought possible. It was made possible only by everybody doing 48 hours’ work in 24. Another great factor was the astounding efficiency of the ground crews. We managed to keep 95 per cent of our aircraft serviceable —an amazing record. It was the keenness and efficiency of the men on the ground that made such a record possible. Malta is becoming more and more offensive.”

Attacks from Malta and North African aerodromes could be so great, Air Vice-Marshal Coningham said, as to threaten Tripoli as a port. It was assumed that a flow of enemy planes was coming into North Africa all the time, but that would be limited by the number of landing grounds at the enemy’s disposal and supplies of fuel. There were indications that the enemy had been getting planes from the Russian fronrt, so the North African campaign must have relieved pressure on the Russians. Axis pilots in the recent campaign had fought very badly. Disorganisation between the Luftwaffe and the Army in the recent offensive had been evident. Nobody denied that the Germans had an ability to organise, but once solid pressure was brought to bear they somehow became disorganised. There was a possibility that the Germans would give priority to North Africa, but to do so they would have to decrease their effort elsewhere. It seemed probable that Rommel would make a stand at El Agheila, with its strong fortifications and concrete emplacements. One feature of recent air activity was the fact that there had not been one dive-bomber attack on an Allied group of troops during the whole campaign. The Stukas were limited to high-level bombing. Hundreds of enemy planes had fallen into the hands of the R.A.F. during the swift Allied advance across Cyrenaica. General Smuts revealed today that on his way home he saw General Eisenhower at Gibraltar. General Smuts declared that the present position was sound, but 1 there was still a tremendous task ahead. Victory would not be easy.