Evening star., 1941-07-13
Raids
Continued From First Page.

bomber had to weave its way almost
at sea level through an intense bar
rage, the British account said, and
got within so yards Of the largest
ship before letting go heavy salvo
of bombs.
These bombs were timed to delay
their explosions slightly to enable
the bomber to get away. Every bomb
hit the ship, it was stated, after
which flames swept her, she listed
heavily to port and appeared likely
to sink at any moment.
The Hudson got home safely, even
though it had been hit manv times
and it's port engine was af1re, the
account said.
Britains increased strength In
number of planes and the greater
bomb capacity, due both to Ameri-
can purchases and to the nations
own production, have enabled r.
A. F. bombers to attack 20 objec-
tives in Germany and 36 in occupied
territory just since June 26, British
/ oil SOul CCS SdlO III a lCSd plbuio IAoii
of results of the big offensive.
In the last week, these sources
said, the British battered vital tar
gets scattered from the Channel
coast to Central Germany at the
rate of one in every three hours in
round -the-clock attacks, and also
bombed 81 ships.
The British claims of total Ger
man plane losses break down as
| follows:
Two thousand, three hundred and
seventy-five planes destroyed in the
battle of Britain.
More than 3,7O0 lost around the
coasts of Britain.
One thousand accounted for by
British fighters in France and Fland-
ers during the wars first nine
months.
Three hundred and twenty -eight
destroyed by the navy's air fleet.
Five hundred lost in the Near
East tout of total of 1869 planes
lost by Italy and Germany together
Thirty-eight doWned at sea by the
coastal command.
Fifty-siX lost in Norway.
This makes a total of at least
1897 German aircraft lost. The
British source added that another
1,400 are estimated to have been
shot down over Germany by day
and night fighters, but it is ex-
tremely difficult to check these and
we'll leave it at 5000 until after the
war, when we can check the others"
Campaign Proceeds Swiftly,
The campaign of attrition against
| the German air force proceeded
swiftly during the past week. with
the Germans losing. according to
the British. SO fighter planes, six
of them yesterday.
This further depletion of the
! LuftWaffe patrols which guard the
occupied territory and Germany it.
self is viewed here as extremely
important for the future of our
operations against Germany"
The Luftwaffe also lost 20 bomb
ers for a total of 103 aircraft dur
ing the week. figures which British
air circles view as quite as i'm
portant as the German losses in
man power in the war against
Russia"
Against these figures the r. A. F.
acknowledges the loss of 81 planes
in the same period.
At present British air activity is
divided into five-sided strategy
of offense and defense:
l. Day offense: Bombing in
France by Blenheim and heavy
bombers escorted by Hurricane and
Spitfire bombers; bombing of Ger
many and German ships by bomb
ers flying singly with a cloud cover.
Offensive fighter sweeps aimed at
dwindling German fighter patrols.
2. Day defense: Interception by
Spitfires and Hurricanes.
8. Night offense: Bombing by
Wellingtons, Whitleys. Manchesters,
Strings and Halifaxes. Also night
raiding by Havoc douglas DB-7O
night fighters equipped with bombs
as well as guns.
4. Night defense: Interception by
Hurricanes, Defiants, Havocs and
Beau fighters.
5. Battle of the Atlantic: Patrols
of Sunderland and Catalina flying
boats backed by regular fighters
tpeor the shores 0f britain =