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ALLIES' AIR
POLICY
Reaching Peak
"The Age" special Correspondent
In London
LONDON, April 3.
Britain's new bombing policy 91
concentrated "blitzes" on enemy in
dustrial areas has marked the begin
ning of a new phase of an Allied
world-wide air offensive. It should
reach a terrific peak at the same time
as Hitler begins his formidable spring
t offensive on the ERstern front against
Russia, and threatens to strike the
most serious blow that the Italian and
German air forces have yet experi
enced.
Last night's raid on the Matforci
works at Poissy — the second raid on
consecutive nights and the third In
three weeks — and the Lubeck raid are
clear demonstrations of the direction
the R.A.F. 's tactics are now taking.
Russia --on the Eastern front is strik
ing heavy blows on German key
transport links, but the Luftwaffe,
which was largely immobilised by the
winter freeze up, is replying with
heavier counter attacks.
Tho aerial war on the whole front
hns now reached its heaviest pitch,
and Russian successes, particularly In
the Crimea, are forcing Germany to
throw in reserves which have been
carefully husbanded since the cessa
tion of the raids on Britain. Germany
at present has more fighter squadrons
on the Western front than on the
Eastern front. They are there to at
tempt to prevent Britain sending out
huge fleets of bombers against one
main target nightly, as well as to
prevent the R.A.F. pushing the air
front further back from tho Channel.
It is believed Germany, however, has
only a relatively small bomber force
posted for use against Britain, which
she is using sparingly.
In the east tho Russian fighters
continue to hold air superiority. Hit
ler must smash Soviet control of the
skies before tho full weight of his
spring offensive can be felt. Ger
many is thus faced with problems
I which are made more difficult by the
Germans' bid for air supremacy over
Malta and the central Mediter-
ranean.
There appears to be no limit to the
size of the enemy air blitz against
Malta. Day after day Germany Is
losing a largo number of bombers In
almost non-stop air raids against the
Island, but still she seems further
from success than she did at the be
ginning of tho blitz. While Spitfires
and Hurricanes nre taking heavy toll,
Malta's anti-aircraft barrage— the
heaviest and most concentrated box
barrage in the world— is becoming
more nnd more effective.
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