WORK OF THE AIR FLEETS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume L, Issue 175, 26 October 1917, Page 8

WORK OF THE AIR FLEETS

THE SUBMARINES. LONDON, Oct, 5. Admiralty records show that a squadron commander in a recent air raid attacked 10 Gothas at a height of 12,000 ft oversea, and fired a hundred rounds from straight behind the tail of one of the Gothas at a range of a hundred yards. The commander followed, fired 25 more shots to make sure of an effective blow and saw the enemy crash into the sea. Then he followed the •eight remaining Gothas, one having been shot down in flames. : He caught the Gothas at a . height 'of 14,000 ft, and silenced one after 300 rounds. Both the German ' aviators must have been hit,, as they did not -fire. When the commander was within 60ft he had to cease his attacks on account of running short of ammunition. .Two British seaplanes in the North Sea .sighted a submarine travelling at the rate, of 14 knots, and swooped down on' her- like a kestrel to 800 ft. The leading machine dropped a bomb, which burst on the starboard side of the - submarine between the stei-n and the conning tower. The submarine heeled slowly, and then the bow rose in the air. and she began to sink. A second seaplane dropped a bomb which burst in front of the conning tower. Finally" a third aeroplane wheeled i*ound and dropped a third bomb, and the submarine sank without any survivors. Another patrolling seaplane overheard hostile wireless, and shortly after sighted a large submarine on the surface a mile ahead. Flying at the rate of 80 Imiles an hour she whizzed over the enemy and released a bomb. The submarine replied with a shell, which burst SOft from the seaplane. As the latter turned she dropped another bomb, which tore a great rent in the submarine's hull- Three more hostile : submarines were then sighted, with .three destroyers and two seaplanes. All fixed upon the British machine, which turned and dropped another bomb. The submarine sank, leaving much oil and J wreckage. As the bombs, were exhaust-j ed ,the. seaplane returned, after photographing the sinking submarine.. A. division of destroyers patrolling ,the North Sea sighted a large submarine three miles off, and went full speed in the direction. The submarine promptly dived t but the destroyers were so. quick that the leading boat reached the spot before the swirl of the-dive left the water. The destroyer dropped an explosive charge, bringing to the surface a large dark object, •which promptly sank. A second destroyer then dropped her charges, which covered the surface with small pieces of wreckage and oil. Another force of destroyers .in company with light cruisers sighted a small sail on the horizon at dawn. A destroyer recognised this as a submarine eeven miles distant. The destroyer "altered her course, and the sail vanished.- The conning tower was seen as she dived. Five minutes later, the submarine raised • her periscope for a look out, and submerged within 10 seconds. This was enongh to betray her whereabouts. ~ The destroyer went full speed to the spot, and the submarine's bows suddenly, broke to the surface, presumably inadvertently, half a mile away. The destroyer opened fire, and the submarine's bow dipped. The stern rose, showing her conning tower and large vertical rudder.. Midway between these the destroyer rammed while going at 30 knots- The enemy sank vertically, bubbling like a gigantic empty bottle, in a hundred fathoms.