BRITISH BLITZES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 81, 7 April 1942, Page 5

BRITISH BLITZES

UNPRECEDENTED SCALE NEW BOMBING POLICY (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) London, April 3. Britain’s new bombing policy of concentrated blitzes against enemy industrial areas marks the beginning of a fresh phase of the AHied world-wide air offensive. Night attacks on Germany this summer by the R.A.F. will be, on a scale not hitherto seen in this war. Pre/: ■ targets will be bombed when condii; permit of perfect bomb aimii.. .ien that is impossible, the R.A.l'. conduct pattern bombing of incu. —1 cities, in an attempt to paralyse communications and factories. Pattern bombing is a system whereby many bombs are dropped simultaneously from a number of aircraft in a fixed pattern, to ensure that at least some bombs find their mark. Fast, heavy bombers will be thrown into this attack on the Western Front. With improving weather until the mid-summer twilight limits activities, it should reach terrific intensity at the same time as Hitler begins his spring offensive on the Eastern Front. Russia, on the Eastern Front, is striking heavy blows against German key transport links, but the Luftwaffe, which has been largely immobilised by the winter freeze-up, is replying with heavier counter-attacks. Russian air successes, particularly in the Crimea, are forcing Germany to throw in reserves which have been carefully husbanded since the cessation of the big raids against Britain. Germany at present has more fighter squadrons on the Western Front than on the Eastern Front. They are there to prevent Britain sending out. huge fleets of bombers against one main target each night. The Russian fighters m the east continue to hold their air superiority, hitler must smash the Soviet control of the skies before the full weight ol his spring offensive can be felt. American planes are pouring into the Middle East, where the Allied air supremacy has been growing since the beginning of the second Libyan campaign. Britain's tactics are to force home every advantage now, not only to aid Russia, but also to smash part of Germany's war structure. Britain and America simultaneously will reinforce more distant fronts.