Evening star., 1941-06-23

R. A. F. Planes Carry
Offensive Against
France for 7th Day
Destruction Of Seven
More kuzi Croft Brings
Three -Doy Toll to "a
~ the Associated Press,


LONDON, June 73.-Making an
offensive sweep over Northern
France for the seventh successive
day, the r. A. p. reported the de-
struction Of seven more German
planes today, bringing the total for
the last three days to "a.
Less opposition was encountered
from German fighters" an authori-
tative statement said.
British fighters were accompanied
across by Blenheim bombers. 1t
was acknowledged that two r. A. r.
fighters were missing.
The raid followed up the twelfth
straight night assault on Germany
proper, III which bombers pounded
the big naval base of Wilhelmshaven
and other targets In the northwest.
Rumble Of Bombs Heard.
Successive waves of r. A. r.
planes crossed the Channel and
from time to time the heavy rumble
Of bombs echoed back.
The British seemed to be attack
ing tragets inland as well as on the
coast, with bombing by large forces
carried out on Q selective basis over
a wide area.
Some quarters expressed the opin-
ino that the flyers were striking at
Na1 communications in Northern
France.
Fighter escorted bombers sped
across the Channel in midafternoon
and resounding explosions soon were
heard by watchers on the British
southeast coast. The bombers
tangled in a spirited fight with
German chasers then headed home
again.
Besides Wilhelmshaven, where the
Air Ministry said large fires were
started. other r. A. F. targets last
night included Emden, Bremen,
Bremerhaven and Dusseldorf.
These raids followed Sunday bat
ties over the Channel and France
in which the British reported 80
German planes were downed against
only 2 r. A. r. losses Another Ger
man plane was declared destroyed
by one Of last nights raiding
bombers.
CThe German high command
said the r. A. r. dropped "a
minor number of explosives and
incendiaries" on Western Ger
many last night and that dam
age was caused to buildings in
residential sections of Bremen
and other places. 1t said three
of the night raiders were de-
stroyed and II more had been
knocked down over the Channel
in daylight clashes0
The series of crippling blows dealt
by the r. A. F. to Nazi military
targets and the Luftwaffe has won
Britain absolute sunrepacy" in the
air over Northen Europe, an Ameri-
can Army Air Corps officer said
today.
Opportunity Seized.
According to this observer. who
has spent the last five weeks with
the r. A. F., the British seized to
good advantage the opportunity
presented by the German diversion
against Russia and have hammered
home an offensive the like of which
the r. A. F. has not undertaken
before in this war.
In addition, he declared the war
of attrition against the Luftwafie's
fighter units had whitfield German
defensive strength Ito the point
where British fighter escorts in day.
light outnumber German planes
which attempt to intercept them"
This observer reported a star
tling" decrease in the number OF
German heavy bombers in Western
Europe, but warned this does not
mean they cannot blitz British cities,
for their Messerschmitt l09 and the
new-type Messerschmitt 109-F's can
carry q considerable bomb load"
Three British bombers were missing
and a fourth was reported missing
from a coastal command attack of
the west coast of France where, the
Air Ministry said, supply ship was
damaged.
The British said they lost only
two planes in the heavy fighting
over the German invasion bases.
German air activity over Britain
again was light and aimed mainly
at East and Southeast England.