THE AIR WAR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 164, 9 July 1918, Page 3

THE AIR WAR

-~«o» ROTABLE RAIDS INTO G'ERMA.XY

OFFICIAL REVIEW OF WEEK'S

OPERATIOISiS.

The principal features of the air war during tlie week ended 6th Julv (says the official summary received by the Gover-nor-General) were notable British raids into Germany and intense fighting on British sectois of the Western front, in the form m telling blows upon big industrial centres in the Rhine pro\inees, upon docks, harbours, and naval works in Belgium, and upon the enemy's communications, dumps, billets and' rest camps behind the iine in France. Six raids were made during the week upon aerodromes and hutments at Bovilay, four upon the railway triangle at Metz Sablons, four upon Mannheim, three upon iSaarbrueken and Thionville. and two upon Treves and Frescafy. In addition, there were formidable raids upon j Karthaus, Hagenan, Ziverbiucken, l.udi wigs'hafe.n, Keinilly, Off en burg and : Karlsruhe. At Offenburg 'tnany direct j hits were, observed on engine sheds and barracks ; at Karlsruhe, two direct hits on engine works and a large, explosion caused in the MetallurgiqiU' Works; at Mannheim, .despite bad weather, six bursts were observed on the Badisehe munition works. Statements by prisoners confirm the spreading and intensifying anxiety through Germany from these raids On the enemy's right flank constant, and thoroughly successful attacks were made, on docks, submarine bases and naval works at Zeebrugge, .Bruges, and lOstend. Many hits were observed a.t Zeebrugge. Ghistelles.-.hedis and docka, Bruges and Vahillebrugge. dumps, etc Thirty tons of bombs were dropped on the land front proper. Almost no important points were left unbombed. Over 219 tons of bombs were dropped, hundreds of batteries were engaged, thousands of photographs were taken, and a vast r.aimbev of. rounds of small amis ajriiraunit ion 'were fired. Kere:alone 113 enemy aeroplanes and 6 balloons were destroyed, of which 57 were downed. Al- , together 195 enemy machines were j brought down by the British. Only 52 ] of our own machines were reported j missing. Valuable reconnaissance and photographic work was carried out in Italy, where. 7 enemy machines wei<> downed and but one of our machine.* was missing. Aerial activity also continues with similar good results on theBalkan front, in Palestine, and at sea.