AERIAL WARFARE.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15537, 13 March 1916, Page 8

AERIAL WARFARE.

/ WESTERN FRONT ACTIVITIES. , FRENCH SUCCESSES. GERMAN MACHINES BROUGHT DOWN. (By Cable. —Press Association. —Copyright, PARIS. Ma-rli 10. An official communique say 6 : — "'Our aircraft bad numerous encounters with German airmen, mostly over the uemy's lines, on W edne-sday. "In the course of the combats, fifteen German machines were put to flight, and ten plunged vertically into their own lines. Two German machines were brought down in the Champagne district, and three near erdun. The Commissioner reports: — LONDON, March 12 (10.25 a.m.). A Fokker aeroplane was brought down in the region of Douaumont. <■ BRITISH AIR RAID. A SUCCESSFUL ATTACK. (Received March 12th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 10. Sir Douglas Haig reports: — "Thirty-one aeroplanes made a successful attack on a hostile railhead and billets at Carvin. It is believed that considerable damage was done. The aeroplanes returned safely." [Carvin is about eight miles southeast of La Bassee, and is an important railway junction.] A GERMAN CLAIM, FEBRUARY OPERATIONS. (Received March 12th. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 10. ( A German wireless message, in reviewing the air combats during February, says:—"Six of our machines are missing, but the Allic s have lost thirteen." , ZEPPELIN RAIDS . BRITISH ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENCES. DEBATE IN HOUSE OF LORDS. LONDON, March 10. Lord Montagu, of Beaulieu, a leading authority on aviation, raised a debate in the House of Lords. He said he believed that Germany had / over forty Zeppelins. None had been damaged in twenty-five raids on Britain. Our anti-aircraft guns were feeble, and the shells burst 2000 feet below the raiders. He demanded the creation of a Ministry of Aviation, as air warfare was developing tremendous?;-. Lord Lansdowne said he recognised that there were serious shortcomings, but groat hopes were placed in Lord Derby's committee of naval and militarv advisers; ' Lord Beresford urged a policy of wholesale aeroplane attacks on the Zeppelin sheds. Incidentally he advised Mr Winston Churchill to consult a specialist, for his mentality .was affected. THE RECENT , RAID. ZEPPELIN REPORTED MISSING. (Received March 12th, 11.10 p.m.) THE HAGUE, March 12. Reports from Cologne state that one Zeppelin has not re'turned from the Jaet raid on England.