AIR REPRISALS DEMANDED

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3132, 10 July 1917, Page 5

AIR REPRISALS DEMANDED

THE LATEST GERMAN RAID GREAT AIR BATTLE DJCiOUuDIM/ PUBLIC INSISTING ON RETALIATION London, July 8. Mr. Lloyd George, accompanied by Lord French. Lord Milner, Sir 1 , . E. Smith (Attorney-General), ami Sir. G. Barnes (Minister of Pensions), to-night visited the bombed areas in the City and the East End. Crowds gathered in the wake df the party, cheering, and shouting "Don't forget reprisals."—A ns.-N.y,. Cable Assn. CASE FOR REPRISALS ENORMOUSLY STRENGTHENED London, July 8. ! The Lord Mayor of London, in an interview, said Unit thejaid ought to convince everyoue that the case for reprisals was enormously strengthened. It had become a matter of urgency that the air forcK! should immediately act in jaccordance with the demand of the majority of citizens.—Aiis.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Seuter.

QUESTION IN PARLIAMENT London, July S. Mr. .Toynson Hicks, M.P., will on Monday ask the Premier to appoint a Committee to inquire into the causes of tho- failure to cope effectively with the German air-raiders, and whether the Government will order punitnto raids on the Rhine.—Reutor. • GOVERNMENT'S POLICY MAY BE ALTERED London, July R. Experts are of opinion that the raiders were twin-engined Gethsi biplanes, which are comparatively slow. They came with a brisk wind, and were correspondingly slow returning, hence it is said that the more daring (lew much lower than in previous raids. 1 Mombers of Parliament favour reprisnls. It is understood that the Government will reconsider Its attitude. Jlr. Lloyd George summoned experts after the raid.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Aesit. STERNER TONEJN. THE PRESS London, July 8. Tho newspapers adopt a. sterner' tone of criticism" of the defences.' They draw attention to tho lead given by France in the matter of reprisals. The soldiers, they say, will not tolerate their homes being thus ravaged. Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, in an article, says the best way of shortening, the war is to concentrate upon the construction of aircraft, and embark upon a vast aerial offensive.—Aus.-N.Z. , Cable Assn. LATEST ACCOUNTS OF THE RAID GREATEST AIR BATTLE YET WITNESSED London, July S. . The raid on London occurred about 10.30 a.m. The enemy squadron was one of the largest yet sighted over England. The British patrols- became active as soon as the raiders were signalled. Several duels took place over London, and these aTO the supposed cause of the raiders' sudden- change of course homewards. Large numbers of bombs were dropped. A group of tho enemy appeared to receive' the first check as it reached the inner northern district. The gunners found the range, and machines began to waver and get out of line, and the squadron scattered somewhat. The crowds in the street took the raid coolly, watched until the bombs began to drop, and then took cover. ,

As soon as the British machines nrrived the enemy squadron quickened its pace. The main body raced away, leaving two machines in the, rear. The latter were apparently- engaged by the British, but the haze prevented,, seeing what happened, and soon alb were lost to sight. The bomb-dropping lasted two or three minutes.

Ono party of eight raiders crossed a. town oa tho south-east coast, flying unusually low, but did not drop any bombs. Ono raider returned, seawards and the remainder proceeded inland. Fine View of the Battle. The inhabitants of a town in Kent, ten miles from London, had a fine view of the aerial battle. I'ifty aeroplanes were counted, divided into two squadrons. The larger was tho enemy squadron, .which held the eastward position, with anti-aircraft shells bursting among them, whilo the smaller English squadron closed rapidly from the westward. Notwithstanding the heavy bursts of shrapnel, tho , 'enemy appeared almost stationary for, a few minutes, but as the English machines drew nearer tho enemy moved out of sight, rapidly travelling south-eastward, with the English in hot pursuit. The enemy apparently approached tho coast in. two groups, north and south of the river, and joined forces before reaching the metropolis, ignoring the pun fire en route, and sped towards tho City. As a demonstration of welldirected aircraft, the sight was splendid. The machines flew in a wide-fluug crescent, led, apparently, by a single machine at a higher level than the main body, flying well north of the river. At a sign • from the leader tho squadion swerved to the south over the densest part of London. Flying low, in a fanlike formation, tho machines made a long, sweeping curve, and headed towards home. The end of the curvo was made to brinj them over the Thames, leaving a broad swathe of damage in tlimr wnke.

At one time the hostile air squadron was directly overhead ahovo thousands of girl clerks, and they remained at their desks. The system of warning by the principul workshops and warehouses enabled the workers to reach safety.

The largo hospitals had made elaborate preparations, and arranged to receive the inrush of injured. The fust alarm was given at 8.45 a.m., and tho "all clear , ' signal at 11.30 a.m. As soon as the raid was over, queues of people waited at the public telephones, anxious about the safety of their relatives. Dvery vantage point, despite the danger, was thronged by watchers of the combat. Thero was a total absence of paoic. By 11.15 tho greatest battle jet seen over British soil had ended.

Opinions of Spectators,

Opinions vary greatly as to the number of machines which crossed the coast, one estimate being as high as sixty. A town in Essex reports that twenty-uvo were counted going to London and thirtytwo returning. Duels were witnessed over Kent, where tho British, pursuers, reinforced by British pilots, niounte.l abovo tho enemy, and fired downward on them. As the river-mouth was reached a strong force 'of, British machines pjigaged the raiders ii'i a fierce running iight, and disappeared in tlio direction of tho sea.

Bombs lore off the corner of a great block of public buildings on a main street, dislodged giant granite pillars, and broko olf hugo masses of copingstones, and wiudow frames. The street was almost impassable 'owing to the heaps of debris, wire netting, bricks, and woodwork, and the (angle of telephone wires. Tho staff, aggregating thousands, including many girls, were unhurt. Tho street was barricaded, to enable the brigades to deal with a, fire in an upper story. Londoners unanimously pay a tribute to tho amazing daring of the raiders. They carried out their audacious plans .with the jttinost coolneesj It i§ hejiej:*.

Ed that the entire squadron was composed of machines of the latest "Albatross" type, carrying three men, and capable- of a wonderful turn of speed and ability in fighting and manoeuvring. Their machine-guns are able to shoot in any direction. ]t was noticeable that citizens did not take the former risks. Streets immediately threatened were almost deserted; those which were passed were instantaneously thronged. Anti-German Riots. Anti-German riots occurred in the evening in Hackney. A large body of men and women, the majority women, formed a procession, and attacked and dismantled several German butchers' and delicatessen shops. They smashed tho windows, penetrated upstaiss, and threw the furniture and pianos into the streets. Bedding was set on fire in the middle of the roadway, and the mob threatened aliens with violence. Strong bodies of police quickly patrolled tho localities, Uit the excitement continues. —Aus.-jS'.Z. Cable Assn. air battleTaTthe front GREAT BOMBING ACTIVITY „. _. London, July 8. hir Douglas Huijj reports: "Ai-rial lighting yesterday was chiefly botween Lens and Ypres. In this area a lai-ge number of the enemy's machines wore encountered. In spite of the enemy's pronounced activity, we bombed ard damaged his aerodromes, and carried oar successful artillery work' and' photography. Tho enemy dropped 114 boaibs on our side of the line, but our machines dropped three times that number on the enemy's side."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Ueuter. (ltec. July 10, 1 a.m.) London, July 9. Sir Douglas Haig reports continued enemy aerial activity. "Our pilots yesterday frequently broke up large formations and carried out successful raids. "Wo bombed and attacked with machine-guns the enemy's aeroplanes and depots. Our troops brought down six German r,-aeh-ines, while ten others were driven down. Eight of ours are missing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. *

DAMAGING RAIDS BY FRENCH AIRMEN ' . / , London, July 8. A French official communique stats: "The enemy made an air raid in the !<■- gion of Nancy on Friday. The hospital wks bombed, and three were killed :inj four wounded; and several were wounded'at Epernny. "Eighty-four French machines carried out a.' series of brilliant operations on Friday night, some attacking towns )<"ir into enemy territory, in reprisal for tho German bombardments. Eleven maenines dropped 2{ tons of bombs in Treves, causing fires. Six aeroplanes bombed Ludwigshafeu, and left the great Baden aniline works aflame. One pilot uombed the Knipp works at Essen. He started at 9.20 o'clock in the evening and returned at +.15 in tlu> morning, after covering 4-10 miles. Military establishments at Coblentz, and the stations at Hirson and Thionvillc. were bombed. Altogether ISA tons of bombs were- dropped. Two machines have not rtturned. —Aus.-aVi. Cable Assn.-Heuter. TEEEIBLY DESTRUCTIVE WOBK ACCOMPLISHED. (Kec. July 10, 1 a.m.) Amsterdam, July .9. News from Westphalia states that the French air raids were terribly destructive. At least fifty deaths are reported. Krupps suffered badly. The Essen artillery works and buildings were destroyed and enormous military, damage done.— ■The "Times." ~ NAVAL RAID ON GHISTEILES AERODROME ' (Bee. July 10, 1 a.ro .'} London, July 8. The Admiralty reports: "Naval aeroplanes last evening Taided the Ghistelles aerodrome, and despite the enemy's formations and heavy attacks, successfully bombed their objectives. All returned. — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Renter. GERMAN ACCOUNTS OF ALLIES' RAIDS—AND THEIRS (Eec. July 9, 8.5, p.m.) London, Taly 8. *. German official report states: "The enemy's, aviators dropped one Hundred incendiary bombs in the Westphalian industrial region, on the towns of .Trier, Mannheim, Ludwigsliaven, and Kodalben. No military damage was done. "Our squadron yesterday freely bombed (he London dock's, harbour works, and warehouses. Fires and explosions were observed. One English aeroplane was shot down. "We also bombed Margate. Our aeroplanes all returned except one, which was compelled to descend to tho sea. The enemy yesterday lost nine aeroplanes on the front."—AUS.-N.4. table Assn.-Reuter.