THE AIR WAR

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16217, 21 May 1918, Page 7

THE AIR WAR

(By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, May 19. Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report states:—

"Our aeroplanes on Friday dropped 22 tons of bombs on the Tournai, (Jourtrai, and Ciiaulnes railway stations, also on several aerodromos and billets, all along the front. Hostile aircraft are loss active than recently, although large formations wero encountered well east of tho lines.

"Our night fliors dropped ton tons of bombs on the Chaulnes, liaubourdin, Douai, and Marcoing stations, and on Peronne and in tho neighbourhood of Bapaume. They also dropped 32 heavy bombs on the Thionvillo and Metz railway stations. Several direct hits wero observed, a fire being started at Thionvillo.

"We made a successful daylight raid on Saturday on railway stations, factories, and barracks in Cologne, 33 bombs being dropped. Bursts were seen in tho railway sheds." A total of 109 German aeroplanes wero destroyed on the West Front on Wednesday and Thursday, 81 by tho British, 2o by the French, and three by tho Americans.

On the Italian front 100 enemy machines were brought down in 30 days. Tho famous French airman, Eugene Gilbert, was killed while tosting an aeroplane.

The report of the Select Committee on National Expenditure, shows that after £500,000 had been expended in the preparatory wort of establishing an instructional school of aerial gunnery at Lochboon, in Ayrshire, the project was abandoned, because the climatic conditions in the locality were unfavourable to flying, also because it was necessary to drain a largo bog in order to make an aerodrome.

. AMSTERDAM. May 19. Six Allied aviators raided Cologne, and caused much damago in th'e centre of tho town. Fourteen people wero killed and 40 injured. ANOTHER RAID ON LONDON. (By Cable.—Pre ee Association.—Copyright.) (Received May 19th, 1 a.m.) LONDON, May 19. A two hours' raid on London has ended.