MOCK AERIAL RAID.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 204, 27 July 1927, Page 7

MOCK AERIAL RAID.

DARING “ENEMY” RAIDS.

VALUABLE LESSONS PROVIDED,

SEVERAL OBJECTIONS REACHED

LONDON. July 25. The mock was has already provided valuable lessons. The “enemy” made a series of most daring raids from the east and south, in a continuous attempt to break the defence cordon. . Lowclouds aided the attacks. Poor visibility enabled the raiders to score some success upon the targets, representing the Duke of York’s School, Chelsea, and the stores depot at Kidbrooke. Ike enemy scored at least one direct hit on the Duke,of York’s School from 15,000 feet, the results being registered by camera obscura methods. There were eight raids during the day, and of these several reached their objectives without being intercepted in the morning, necessitating a rearrangement of the plans for deience later. No attacking squadron readied its objective without several casualties. In one case a squadron crossed the coast at Havant (northeast of Portsmouth) at 8 14 a.m. and attacked the Chelsea area at 9.30. At 10.15 the umpire noticed that the machines were only 300 yards from the Chelsea target, despite the fact that the attack was obscured by low clouds. A patrol squadron failed to intercept it, so this laid was an enemy success. Another raid from Shoeburyness (in Essex) ait 8 o’clock, failed owing to low clouds. A squadron which crossed the coast at Bognor (in Sussex) at midday attacked Chelsea at 1 o’clock, inflicting severe casualties on the defending aircraft 'and others. The attacks were beaten off in the afternoon. A squadron at 3 o’clock bombed Chelsea from 15,000 feet, a patrol searching for two hours without making contact with the raiders. . Each bombing force was accompanied by a photographer, whose pictures will be built up in a mosaic map. In addition each machine took photographs as it dropped bombs. The photos will be used to test the accuracy of the work. i Remembering the speed of modern aircraft, and that such a raider travels a mile while a shell from an Archie is climbing to him, it is difficult to see why any raid should fail. The defence included an artillery barrage, as well as squadrons of aeroplanes wording in the inner zone. The defence was conducted from the map room, of which the whereabouts was a profound secret, and from which orders were flashed by wireless. As the position of each attacker was noted, a black disc was placed on a .map showing the height and direction in which it was moving. Bad weather defeated the night raids. The defence fighters were in readiness from 10 o’clock to set out at a moment’s notice against the enemy, who was reported to have crossed the coast before 11.30. The raiders, however, encountered low clouds and drizzle and were forced to give up before approaching the capital. They returned without the home defence forces taking the air.—A. and N.Z. cable.

TRAGEDY RESULTS

MANOEUVRES MARRED,

LONDON, July 25. The aerial manoeuvres were marred by a tragedy at the Northoft aerodrome. When the Seventeenth Squadron was returning. Flying Officer Anderson collided with the next machine. He crashed and was burned.to death in the sight of hundreds, who were unable to approach the blazing machine. The other pilot managed to land safely.—A. and N.Z. cable.