HOW KRUPP’S WAS BOMBED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4458, 27 January 1917, Page 7

HOW KRUPP’S WAS BOMBED.

FRENCH AIRMEN’S THRILLING

FLIGHT

Lieut.-Aviator Daucourt, who, with Captain Beauchamps, recently flew to Essen and back, and bombed the famous Krupp works, has contributed a thrilling story of his daring exploit. Tills 500 miles’ journey across the Rhine which occupied 7 hours was performed by many exciting adventures, both airmen being attacked by enemy scouts as well as anti-aircraft guns. How I bombed Essen? Indeed, it was very simple, as you will see by these extracts from my log-book, where I consigned some or my impressions during my journey. I could remind you first that two French, aeroplanes, one piloted by Captain Beauchamps, the other by mo, effected; the raid. Our. preparations and the way our planes were fitted cannot be described here, being, I am afraid, con•sidered as a military secret. But it might interest yon to know that tfte machines were of British design. Although the distance to. be covered was pretty nearly 500 miles, it was not to frighten me. I had an extensive training for seven years, and have always been a specialist of long distance flying.

OYER GERMAN LINES

“11 a.m.—My friend Beauchamps has just gone and I followed two minutes later; 1000 yards up, 2000— 0,000 wo kept on getting higher and higher. The weather is clear with just a few clouds over o,oooft. 'l’lie air is distinctly cold. “12 a.m.—l am full over the Boche lines. We are seen and the anti-air-craft start a curtain fire a little forward, but too high. The white puffs of the 77 make a line of smoke which I have to cross. Soon the shots become mort. and more numerous; 300 shots at least must ‘have been fired in a few minutes. Time after time I get right into tho smoke of the bursting shells, and I can hear pieces of steel whistle near, very near. Oh! the Boche gunner rectifies his range. But he is too low now, so l go higher still, and I pass.

“Now there are shots on my left, which burst with black smoke, 105 calibre shells. This is getting moreserious. Shots get nearer. I point towards tho west slightly, and, all, of a sudden, 1 go 90 degrees to the left and drop straight towards the ground for 300 ft. The came is finished and tho gunners done. Out of spite they •shoot all over the place, and .the shells burst now at the back of mo. It looks as if I was going to get out of trouble without much difficulty.

“Now where is my friend? I cannot see him. Has lie been brought down? Has he changed his line?”

ATTACKED BY ENEMY AIRMEN

A little under me I can see a big, fat yellow 'plane. Black crosses! It’s a Boche. Another one follows very near. The distance between us is about 600 ft, but they are much, slower than I ant. Clue—Clae—Clae. It is Mr. Boche opening fire. The short bursts of his machine-gun keep crepitating. The brute does not shoot badly. Shall I engage him in a fight? It is very tempting. But no, Essen is my only target, and I Ihave no right to compromise, by a passing engagement, the success of our raid. I open my engine right out, and lose soon my aggressors. As I fly over Treves I just distinguished on my left the outline of another aeroplane. It is getting nearer and nearer. The sun prevents me from seeing it clearly, although I seem to recognise the silhouette of my companion’s machine. No doubt it is him. I can now see his blue, white, and red cocarde. And ail of a sudden I feel very happy. One is so very lonely up there, verv. verv high.

A little later 1 dminge niv direction and go straight north, leaving Coblenz on my left. Far in front of me I can sec a* small grey ribbon. The Rhine. It looks beautiful,from up here. Somehow my confidence increases every minute. Sure, everything will go well. T cross over the right bank. On the river many large convoys of barges go up towards Coblenz. If only I did not have a consignment of bombs to deliver, 1 sOould go down to gun them. It is funny how strong these temptations are. Here is Bonn. My friend ami coraider is still on my right. My engine keeps on turning merrily, and 1 marvel at the ease with wfiiich I have covered these first 200 kilometres, A quick calculation shows me that we are going about 130 miles au hour. It is a goodish .speed. The weather is cold up here. My thermometer shows 16 degrees below zero. To try and get warm I move arms and legs as much as I can in that cramped space. _ A few drops of peppermint which I drink warm my inside ami cool my mouth. Underneath tine Rhine and still more boats. Now we pass town which seems enormous. It is Cologne. What a splendid target it would make But there are women, children, old people, and I am a soldier, not a pirate. I must only aim at destroying the military power of the enemy. ■ Now 1 point straight towardsDusseldorf. But all the district disappears under a pool of smoke. VV hat an extraordinary agglomeration of works. Here are Sol'ingen, Barmen, black country criss-crossed by innumerable railway lines, and with hundreds ol lngn chiniuevs like guns, pointing to tne sky. Down rfliere a tremendous amount of arms of all sorts, guns, munitions, etc., all to be directed against us, are produced with tremendous activity.

ESSEN AT LAST! Essen at last. I am over what has been considered as the heart of Germany, over the town which stands the symbol of brutal force. Where are now the Krupp’s works. There at the west of the town. How large they are! The shops and buildings between which trains are running seem innumerable. The attempts to disguise it are indeed foolish. It is the most pelfeet target one can imagine. 1 suppose 1 am going to be ‘‘stinted. 1 look'here and there for bursting shells. Nothing. They aim too low. However, some very violent waves ot air of which I do not understand the cause disturb for a moment my bombing preparations. Two o’clock. The centre of the works pass. I drop my torpedoes in rapid succession. My friend*who is over me and a little on the left does the same. I miess, more than I can exactly set , as I am so very high, that underneat'ii in the works the people sutler from a sort of madness. There are rushes or people soon hidden by clouds of smoke which rise from many points. Nearly at the centre it seems that there is a formidable explosion, followed by intensive fire. _ What a joy to have attained one’s aim. Ivrupp has been bombed, in lull daylight, in spite of its anti-craft guns and of its planes. I suppose that now the Boohe must be mad with fury, and will try to chase us. Nover mind, my mission lias been iuliilied. 1 will tight enemy planes it they conie. CHASE ON RETURN JOURNEY Here I am again over Dusseldori, but not going so fast as in coining. The wind, which has veered, hampers mo. A quick verification of my oil and petrol tanks. All is well, l can keep up for another six hours. Tho clouds get denser and denser. There is at some moments a thick mist, which veils completely the, ground. My only guide is. now the compass, S.SA\ . ; As I am browsing, some explosuus thunder louder than the! noise of my engine. I turn right round so that tho Boche gunner loses range. But as I turn I see 1500 or 2000 ft under me

three Boclie plane-s who are giving chase.

Their machines are as fast as mine, but as soon as they try to go up they lose ground. I slacken for a second or two and going straight towards the most forward of them, I serve 'him about 150 yards with three bursts oi my machine-gun. Unnerved he prepares not to engage a light and flies towards the left. But the others are attacking me from the back. It is time to go. Have 1 wounded my opponent? I don't think so, as he seems to be flying straight again, but very much lower.

The chase has lasted over 30 minutes and 1 have got a real ■stiff neck, go often did I turn round

Now I have been up six hours. Time drags dreadfully. My eyes hurt, and I suffer from the cold. Evidently 1 am over Belgium now. But where? I must know. I come down, engine stopped. How sweet is that silence after six hours of tempest! Four thousand feet; it is low enough.

AMONG FRIENDS AGAIN 6.30.— 1 I cannot stand it any longer I am coming down 7000 ft. 5000 ft, 1000 it. But what are these? Bivouacs. ■<m lin France ? I keep on for another quarter of an hour, going south, and finally alight in an immense field, far irom a village. If I am on the territory invaded by the Huns I’ll away under their nose.

I am at the end of the field, ready t start again in case of alert. I have kept my engine turning slowly. After five minutes of waiting some people come running to me, peasants. I shout •Where am I?” "At Champaubert,” they answer me. What a joy is mine. L am in France, back, after what seemed to me an impossible enterprise. And now, Mr. Krupp, to the pleasure of seeing you again soon.