2613 SHOT DOWN

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21242, 12 October 1940, Page 7

2613 SHOT DOWN

NAZI PLANE LOSSES

ATTACKS ON BRITAIN NEW STRATEGY FAILS (Official Wireless) (Received Oct. 12, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 11 Up to yesterday 2613 enemy machines have been destroyed over and around the British Isles since the war began. The Royal Air Force has lost 700 aircraft, from which 340 pilots have been saved. So far this month the comparative figures of losses have been:— October 1: Five German, three British. October 2: Ten German, one British. October 3: Two German, no British. October 4: Three German, one British. October 5: Twenty-four German, nine British (seven pilots safe). October 6: One German, no British. October 7: 27 German, 16 British (ten pilots safe). October 8: Eight German, two British. October 9: Four German, one British. October 10: Five German, five British (two pilots safe). Enemy Still Fails The end of five weeks of concentrated air attacks on Britain finds the enemy still failing to get past the Royal Air Force defence in important military numbers and spending a great deal of effort in dropping bombs on non-military objects in London. The Times says: “ There is no reason to suppose that the rate of German destruction of British machines and factories will increase. In these circumstances a solemn announcement last Thursday by a high officer of the German air forces of new war strategy becomes almost comical. This strategy is defined as control of the Channel and the English coastal area, the progressive annihilation of London, the steady paralysis of every aspect of our national life, the demoralisation of the* civilian population, and the progressive weakening of the British fighter force. “ All this was to have been done weeks ago, and the change from short-term to long-term strategy can only increase our confidence that the efforts which have cost the Germans some 2600 machines and 60,000 airmen has achieved next to nothing. “ The clearest proof that Nazi hopes have been baffled is this pretence that the hopes were never entertained or were only entertained as long-distance goals.

“ None of the favourable factors alters the prospect so vividly defined by Mr Winston Churchill that we have still hard and terrible ordeals before us, but they do show that the enemy for the first time has been sharply checked, that the air battle in this part of the battlefield has gone in our favour, and that we can have confidence in our power first to hold out and then to counter-attack.”

MR NOEL COWARD

VISIT TO AUSTRALIA WAR RELIEF ACTIVITIES (United Press Asn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received October 12, 11 a.m.) NEW YORK, Oct. 11 Mr Noel Coward is going to Australia on October 16, at the invitation of the Government, to speak on Britain’s war effort and assist in Red Cross and war relief activities.

DUTCH INDIES

FUNDS FOR DEFENCE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Oct. 10 The Netherlands Minister of Finance, Mr Welter, has instituted voluntary income-tax calls on Netherlanders in Allied and neutral countries who are not already paying income tax, to give 10 per cent of their income over the first £IOO. Those already paying are to give 5 per cent. The proceeds will be devoted to the defence of the Indies.