CHANGED TACTICS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21203, 28 August 1940, Page 5

CHANGED TACTICS

GERMAN AIR ATTACK SEVERITY OF LOSSES BRITISH SUPERIORITY (Official Wireless) (Received August 28, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, August 27 The Times says the changed tactics in the German air attack is a sufficient admission of failure to encourage the defenders, though it certainly promises them no early relaxation of the strain. Having been taught discretion by the severity of the losses sustained in the attacks the enemy has fallen back upon night bombing as a main offensive recourse. It is a method giving a better chance of avoiding casualties, and, in fact, the destruction dealt out by our fighters, though they still maintain remarkable superiority to their opponents, is not on the same scale that they achieve and still achieve by daylight. But this relative immunity of the bombers is preserved only at cost of much greater uncertainly of navigation and aim. And in proportion as civilians and their property suffer the military targets go unscathed.

Meanwhile an equally determined and much better offensive is directed without intermission upon military vitals of Germany herself. It has been going on since last September, and the -experience which pilots gained in leaflet raids is now being turned to brilliant account.

While the Germans are wasting a large proportion of their ammunition in destruction that can have no effect o»n the issue of the fight their own aerodromes, factories, oil depots and communications are every night going up in flames behind them. Demand For Reprisals The Daily Telegraph says: “Not unnaturally the German bombing of non-military objectives has raised a demand for reprisals in kind, but it would be contrary to sound strategy to adopt such a course at the expense of the main objective of weakening the enemy’s power of mischief by attacking his bases and factories. In fulfilment of that aim we have inflicted far more damage on the enemy than he has been able to inflict on us.

“Sunday’s attack on Berlin was a blow at important producing plants. If and when it becomes expedient our airmen can always get to Berlin again, but it will be at our own chosen time and not an immediate counter to the provocation received.” British Advantage The Manchester Guardian says: “It is not a wholly popular myth that German airmen are not good at night flying. What is important is whether, with practice, they might turn out to be as good as we are, and that is unlikely. Our pilots have studied Germany by night for many months, but the Germans have only just begun to find their way about Britain. If the German pilot’s training is less rigorous than ours he can never hope to be as good. While it is always possible to damage a town severely at night it is the kind of damage done that matters.” INVASION OF BRITAIN NAZIS’ CHANGED PLANS 250,000 TROOPS IN NORWAY SMALL CRAFT ASSEMBLED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received August 28, 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, August 27 The Stockholm correspondent of the Times says German activities on the Norwegian coast have changed in recent weeks. Many small craft remain assembled in various southern fjords, but the embarkation and disembarkation practice apparently has ceased. The Norwegians believe that the Germans have abandoned the idea of an invasion of Britain from these waters as impracticable without a smooth sea. The larger Baltic steamers recently returned to Danzig, Stettin and other German ports. Many troops are still living in 30 to 40 ton motor fishing smacks to accustom themselves to sea conditions. The Germans are believed to have 250,000 troops in Norway, also a large number of horses, which it is believed were intended originally for the invasion of England.