NEWS OF THE WEEK
spite.of losses wholly disproportionate to their achievements 1 the enemy have continued to make daylight raids during the past week. The mass attacks have been broken up either by our improving A.A. fire or by the action of our fighters, and the dispersed enemy have paid heavy forfeits to our defence, a few only breaking through to Central London or other areas which they may believe to be military objectives. These raids, involving the Nazis in losses of planes at about the rate of three to one of ours, and a still larger proportion of pilots—actually the Germans lost 1,071 machines and the R.A.F. 319 (with 156 pilots saved) in the war over Britain in September--bring steadily nearer the day when the superiority in the air is ours, in quantity as well as in quality. The prolonged night raids, particularly over London, are of a different character. The losses of their bombers in the dark are still comparatively few. They fly blind, attacking indiscrim- inately, continuing to do damage to houses and civilians, but unable to distinguish real military objectives. These are mere terror-tactics--wanton murder contributing nothing to the business of winning the war. Against these night atrocity raids we are no longer defenceless, and other and surer means are being found for dealing with them in the future. Already in and around the London area the barrage is presenting a formidable obstacle, and on several occasions the raiders have been kept away from the centre of the metropolis. The means Of prediction have been immensely improved, and there are other reasons why it is likely that the enemy will soon find these wild night attacks much more hazardous. But that the attacks will be checked altogether is too much to hope.
