Daily Post - 20.05.1941, Side 3

DAILY P0ST
X
Inside News of the Airwar.
The Battle of the Night Bomb
er — by Wing Commander
L. V. Fraser.
(SPECIAL ARTICLE WIRED TO “DAILY
POST“ BY THE MINISTRY OF
INFORMATION)
After the “Battle of Britein" in wh'ch
fighter pilots of the R. A. F. esteblishedt
their slipremapy in daiylight afr battles,
oomes the battle of the night bomber. The
Battle of Britain taught the Luftwaffe thati
mass daylight raiding was too Costly. Great
losses of trained pilots and crews, and air-
Craft turned the tide that inight have led
'to an immediiate invasion.
Thc battle of the night bomber is only
just beginning, but already there are indi-
cations thiat British night fighter pilots and
anti aiicraft gunneis are on the way to-
wards establi'shing results whi'ch if they are
not decisive, may in time oonvince the
LUftwaffe that night raiding is no longer
worth-while.
In January fifteen night-raiders were
brought down, in February sixteen, in Mfflrc^
the number was increased to 44, and in
April the total was 112- The fiirsit eleven
days of May accoUnted for 133 enemy bomb-
ers, which have been definitely oonfirmed
as destroyed.
To the Briitish Fighter Oommand, hovv-
ever, this is regarded only as a temporary
reward for months df hard work, and
merely as a pointer to the futuile progress
on the riight road to the defeatt of the night
raider.
Fighter-pilots know that given moonlight,
the chances of shooting down night-bombers
is reasonably hopeful, and that deterrent
loss can be, and is being inflicted. Their
present ooncern is to do as weil on moon-
Iess nights-
Meike the cost too hi'gh, and mass raids
wiil be stennned as surely a's were dav-
light raids.
Confidence in .final achievment is not
based on siome false hope m t,he appear-
ance of some newi “secret“ wieapon, bUit on
rapidiy growíng numbets and greatly im-
proved perfoimance of British night fighter
aircraft, on the cease'.ess training and groiw-
ing experience of night fighter pilots and
on tbe practi'sed skill of the A. A. gUnner.
A pi'iiot used ali his ammunition in
shooting down a biomber in the recent mass
raiid on London iwhile his. patrol was still
oniy half finished. He returned to his station
and begged to be alloiwed to go up w'th
the next patro]. Again he shot dow.n an
enemy bomher and again retumed and
asked for a furtber chance. Onoe more
he got his man. “He had a feeling", said
the squadron leader, who had himself de-
stroyed one that night, “thfflt if the n.iigh|
had lasted for three days, he woUld have
gone on sboioting them down.“
Ieelandic lessens
are given by
Sigurður Skiilason M. A.
(Headmaster of Y. M. C. H. Evening sehool)
Hrannarstíg 3. Phone 2526.
GULLFOSS
Steak and fried egge.
Egg and cips. Fish and chipð
Bacon and eggs.
Chops.
Coffee. tea, minerals and
coeomalt.’
Prompt service Music ali day
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