R.A.F. ON REICH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 60, 13 March 1943, Page 5

R.A.F. ON REICH

DEVASTATING RAIDS DETAILS OF DAMAGE Recd. 6 p.m. Rugby, March 11. The Government decision to establish an R.A.F. Transport Command was announced by the Air Minister, Sir Archibald Sinclair, when introducing the air estimates in the House of Commons. The new command will control the operations of R.A.F. transport squadrons at home and will be responsible for the organisation and control of strategic air routes for all overseas ferrying and for reinforcement moves of squadrons to and between overseas theatres. The Minister said that British Overseas Airways would continue as a civil organisation and would work in close collaboration with the Transport Command. After detailing the scope of the widespread RA.F. operations in the past year, from north Russia to the east coast of the United States, and from the South-west Pacific to Iraq, as well as the main theatres, Sir Archibald went on to speak of German air dispositions and strategy in Europe. Throughout the past year there has been a formidable German bomber force in western Europe, but the soundness of Britain’s air defence had been a deterrent. In the last three months, of 392 aircraft which crossed our coast by day, 46 were destroyed, in addition to a large number probably destroyed or damaged, while in the same period of 240 enemy aircraft crossing the coast by night, 26 had been destroyed, in addition to probables and damaged planes. The recent increase in German promiscuous daytime tip and run raids was designed to stir up agitation in Britain and compel the Government to divert forces from offensive action, but they had under-estimated civilian fortitude. The Minister said the smallness ot the so-called reprisal aids against London was largely due to German pre-occupation with the Russian and African campaigns, but also to the pulverising ol«ensive of the Bomber Command, which was compelling the Germans to switch a proportion of their capacity from the production of bombers to defensive fighters.

In the past two years the R.A.F. in all theatres had sunk or seriously damaged over 1,250,000 tons of shipping. There was no doubt also that new mines, of which nine times as many were laid in 1942 as in 1941, were doing a great deal more damage than we knew. The main objective of the offensive air operations from Britain in the past year, said Sir Archibald, had been to take the weight off the Russians. Fighter sweeps and daylight raids had been an important part of this policy. We had lost 500 fighters, but in the same period the enemy had lost 655. Of 2500 escorted bombers, fewer than 50 had been lost. The attacks had compelled the enemy to keep their finest fighters and pilots in western Europe, although the German Army was clamouring for fighter support. The Minister told of the great advance in the R.A.F. bombing method and of the improvement of bombs. With the delivery of 10,000 tons of bombs in February, including three 1000-ton raids, Bomber Command had dropped over half as muci'i again as in any previous month. In the first 100 days of this month over 4000 tons had been dropped. One hundred and sixty acres of buildings had been destroyed in Essen and it was estimated there was a total of 450 acres where at least 75 per cent of the buildings had been demolished.

At Wilhelmshaven 118 acres of buildings had been devastated, including the utter destruction of an arsenal; at Rostock, 130 acres; at Mainz, 35; at Lubeck, 200; at Karlsruhe, 260; at Dusseldorf 380; and at Cologne 600. He added that the results of the great raid on Berlin had not yet been assessed, but it was reported that the Air Ministry building had been hit. In all, it was estimated that Bomber Command had destroyed or seriously damaged about 200 factories and industrial works, and that over 1,000,000 people had lost their homes, not counting the large numbers evacuated. Direct damage to steel works in the Ruhr and the Saar had caused the loss of 1,250,000 tons of steel, and the output of coal had fallen 20 per cent. “Let no one under-estimate the strength of the enemy,” Sir Archibald concluded, “or the power and variety of his resources. This is no time for relaxing in any direction the concentration of our effort for victory. The fighting strength and exertions of the R.A.F. have increased and in the coming year will mount.”

STUTTGART RAIDED

BIG FORCE INDICATED Recd. 11.30 p.m. Rugby, March 12. The R.A.F. last night raided Stuttgart. Eleven of our planes are missing. An early agency message from the south-east coast said a big force was indicated by the continuous roar of planes going out. Four enemy aircraft were destroyed in raids on Britain last night. Bombs were dropped on several places in the north-eastern coastal areas and there was some damage and casualties. London had a brief daylight alert this morning. Five enemy aircraft were destroyed over lhe Thames Estuary.—B.O.W.

RAIDS ON BRITTANY

RAILWAY PLAN! TARGETS Rugby, March 11. It is stated officially this afternoon that aircraft of the Fighter Command attacked railway locomotives and other objectives in Brittany. Other lighters on patrol destroyed two enemy lighters. One of our planes is missing. Switching and transformer plant was among the targets in Brittany, while fighters operating singly shot, up and damaged nine goods locomotives.—B.O.W.