HOW NAZIS GOT THROUGH

Waikato Times, Volume 130, Issue 21655, 16 February 1942, Page 5

HOW NAZIS GOT THROUGH

BRITISH ASK QUESTIONS AIR POWER ESSENTIAL (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Cooyrlght) LONDON, Feb. 14 Chief among the questions in the public mind about the Channel battle, says the British official wireless is, How did the enemy ships get through ? It is pointed out that British merchant ship convoys are regularly and *uccessfully shepherded with a fighter cover up and down the English Channel, so there is nothing inherently impossible in such operations. The Germans in their dash' to Heligoland Bight had many advantages. They were able to choose their time. They possess excellent weather information, and doubtless for operations in this area the German Legation in Dublin is a very valuable asset. The night was extremely dark and the Germans forecast correctly that the weather would get progressively worse. Throughout the voyage, in which they hugged the French coast closely, they had the advantage of successive relays of fighters from the shore, and their support continued through the Strait of Dover along the Dutch coast and until the convoy was well beyond the range of British fighters. Planes Assigned to Task

British aircraft h-ad been definitely assigned to the task of watching the exit from Brest roads, in the course of their regular patrol. The weather, however, made it impossible to discern even so much as a ship’s wake. Visibility was poor, being only three to four miles, which corresponds to only 60 seconds’ flying. In addition there were frequent rain squalls. The question has also been asked whether liaison between the Navy and Air Force was adequate. The reply to this was that the Admiralty had liaison officers at every link of the Coastal Command, and air plans were, in fact, discussed, concerted and agreed upon with the Admiralty at every stage. A Press Association cablegram says that the Times in a leading article states: “Nothing more mortifying to the pride of our sea power has happened in Home waters since the 17th Century. That the blow should be sustained when our resources at sea are strained as never before is doubly lamentable. The safe passage of the ships leaves the R.A.F. mourning a distressingly long" list of gallant airmen, and a number of painful questions are formulating themselves in the public mind.” “ Britain Flouted.” The Daily Mail says: “ Britain has been flouted within sight of her own white cliffs. The English Channel is our Mare Nostrum. The Strait of Dover is our front gate. That a powerful enemy naval force has been able to steam in broad daylight through these narrow waters has come as a profund shock to the country. “ The question on everyone’s lips is why the Germans, who are not a seafaring nation, have succeeded in this kind of operation, at which we so recently failed off Malaya. The answer lies in two words—air power. Air support also explains why the German Admiralty preferred to chance the Channel passage instead of sending the ships round the north of Scotland as we expected. “ Why the warships were able to leave Brest is less explicable. The effectiveness of our bombing policy is bound to be called into question. This audacious enterprise is a great success for Germany and will add considerably to her prestige. She will also derive more solid benefits, because the concentration of her fleet has caused us great embarrassment. Value of Air Power “ The Japanese prevented the junction of the British and American Navies, but we failed in a similar endeavour because we failed to develop our air power.” The Daily Express says: “ People are shocked by the daring scuttle home of the German warships. The loss of many fine airmen weighs heavily. But let us be balanced about this incident. Do not go rolling heads in the sand before knowing all the facts. The escape of the ships is most serious in its implications, by showing again how the air weapon has completely altered the old conceptions of sea power.” The Daily Herald says: “ We shall do ourselves no good by ignoring the consequence. Our response must be active, not emotional. The public wants to know how soon we may expect to have the right weapons in the right place at the right time.”