THE MUCH BOMBED GOEBEN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 223, 8 June 1918, Page 8

THE MUCH BOMBED GOEBEN

ATTACKS FROM THE AIR THAT LASTED

NINE DAYS

SIXTEEN DIRECT HITS

The following details of the recent operations against th« Goeben and Breslau have been received from a reliable source. News that the Goeben and Breslau were out was received early on January 20, and patrols were sent out. The Goeben and Hreslau were then about five miles out to sea and nteering south. They were followed by our 'planes. Ten minutes later there wore eight to ten machines in the air continuously harrying the enemy ships. This action of our air craft was causing the Breslau to 6teer a zigzag course, which brought her into one of our minefields, to the northwest of Rabbit Island, where she 6truck a mine. Very shortly afterwards she was hit by an aircraft bomb and sank.

The Goeben continued on her southern course, and headed for tlw Dardanelles. Soon after this she struck one of our mines, and developed a list to ]iort. After tho Goeben had lieen definitely located ashore orders were sent for machines to be collected for a bombing raid, and- a special reconnaissance to report on the Goeben's position was carried out. In all G5 flights w-ere made during the day, and a great many pilots and observers made two. or three attacks on the enemy ships, as well as carrying out other flights. At dawn the following day a raid was made on the Goeben by five bombers, and at mid-day another bombing raid commenced, in which H 'machines took part. Shortly o after 6 p.m. nine machines made a night raid. Six heavy bombs were dropped on the warship from heights of 2510 to 3000 feet. Tho target was difficult to define, and while no claim to a direct hit can be made, certainly one explosion took place in clo«o proximity to the two searchlights cn the Goeben, which seem, ed to be the reason for their immediate extinction., All the machines returned safely; 51 'flights were made during the 24 hours and some two tons of bombs were dropped. On the morning of the 22nd operations were again hindered by the dense mist, but about 9 a.m. four mnchines made a raid, which was most successful, the machines returning without damage. One machine made a direct hit amidships, and a volume of steam and smoke appeared directly afterwards from the sliip. This observation was confirmed by tlie otlier machines, each c« which had also released two bombs, which, although not making direct hits, fell very close on different sides of the ship. Three plates were pyposed from which plans were prepared for observers, showing the exact position of the Goeben. All the machines reported having seen a Turkish cruiser in the. vicinity of the warship. An E.F.C. flight also attacked the Gooben that afternoon, and later P.N.A.S. machines dropped eight bombs, which fell eiose to.the Goeben, but no direct hit was claimed. There was a night raid by three small seaplanes, which all dropped bombs. At midnight another raid was. made on the Goeben, and four direct hits were registered, and on the morning of the 23rd four machines dropped two bombs on the stranded ship. All fell close. A raid in the afternoon reported bombs dropped close, around the Goeben, and in a further raid during tho evening thTee direct hits were claimed. SI ill another raid was made on the Goeben 'on tho morning of the 25th by five machines. Four machines each dropped two bombs from a very considerable altitude on account of the accurate antiaircraft fire. On January 28 seaplanes reported that the Goeben had disappeared and that t'nere was no floating wreckage. A reconnaissance of Constantinople -area to '.locate GoGben was matte on January 29. Tho Goeben was 6een to lie lying near the inner- of tho two bridges spanning the Golden' Horn by the arsenal, and stretching half-way along that bridge. The air attacks lasted from January 2d to January 29, during which period 270 flights were made by our aircraft and approximately 15 tons 3 cwt. of bombs were dropped, and at least 1G direct hits on the Goeben were recorded.