ATTACKED FROM THE AIR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIX, Issue XLIX, 31 December 1915, Page 1

ATTACKED FROM THE AIR

STEAMER'S EXPERIENCED "* \' ; \ The "Journal of Commerce'' '(Liver- *; pool), in reporting the arrival at .Man- ,' '■ Chester of the Cork Steamship. Company's streamer_Avocet (says the "Alan- 0 Chester Guardian"), describes how-on \-• the passage (from Rptterdam, wxtjb. general cargo) the vessel was attacked by, <' three enemy aeroplanes. •; < The incident took place ooiithe morning '• ' of October 30th at 11.15. One'of the , ; aeroplanes, was a' lai'get battle-plane, -\ which dropped 36 bombs, some of which. . „, 4 missed the steamer by not more than - "*! seven feet. Having apparently - all the bombs, the battle-plane took, up- " ~- position,off the port beam, and-opened,'' " fire on the bridge with a machine-gun, - > and the ship's sides andi decks were struck with bullets. - -> ' \ - | The battle-plane was handled with' , great skill, attacking from a' Height of ' < 'BOO to 1000 ft., and, going ahead of the :\ A\ocot, turned and came end on to meet ; her. When parallel its ' conimancfer . ' dropped his bombs so as to, have '- j&er full length and so make' sure of scoring\ , a hit. ' ' "' *' ' ■ The ship's helm was put hard asterboard, and as she swung to '.'Dort three bombs narrowly missed the t starboOTjd ( s * bow and three the port'" quarter..'. ~»BGjjT;-. j * the vessel continued her' course"", toese" -\,i 'bombs would have rained on her, dropping on the forecastle and poop deck. The smaller planes crossed and ren crossed the vessel, dropping bombs as they passed over her, Thetjr all made '' a most determined effort to sink the ship ,and only failed because- ,tbey 3jad."' not nerve enough to fly lower, [ Seeing , / the ship was unhrnt they" opened"' >' • rifle firing. ■. ... The action altogether lasted 35 itiittr ntes, and then the aeroplanes flew away." The decks of the Avocet were littered - with shrapnel, but otherwise she es- '' caped any serious hurt, and none of lhe>~ crew was injured. " ." Jx, is a tribute to- the men of the mer- ', t chant service (adds the "Journal-of Commerce") that the man on the look- ' out actually kept his station and reported a floating mine right ahead while bombs were bursting ai'ound him. .'"