GREAT AERIAL ACTIVITY ON WESTERN FRONT.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13929, 10 July 1917, Page 6

GREAT AERIAL ACTIVITY ON WESTERN FRONT.

,'. > »[" BRITISH AIRMEN 'BREAK UP BIG FORMATIONS. .. (Australian and Renter). * , Received July 10, at-1.0 a-m. .. ( ', ,' ' ' LONDON, July 9, Sir' Douglas Haig reports:-' There is-continued enemy 'aerial activity. Our pilots yesterday "broke up large formatioiis,, ai]l i., out successful raids. : We bombed andiired'.our machine giins at the enemy aeroplane depots and troops. We brought down six German machines, and ten were driven ; down, Eight of ours 'are missing '. ,j ........■.■!• . '*' PAYING GERMANY. IN HER OWN COIN. . , FRENCH AIR RAIDS INFLICT TERRIBLE'DAMAGE. *■ r ' —j (Australian and Reuter). Received July 10, at 1 a.m. >, ..' .... „■;■,. f _ : ; '*•' LONDON, July "9. ' 'The Admiralty announces that naval aeroplanes last night raided Ghistelles aerodrome. Despite hostile formations W heavy attacks the raiders successfully bombed their objectives ' and all returned. ' . ■ ;., ;■ ,-... , Received July 10, at 1.0 a.m. AMSTERDAM, July 9. ... ■ News from Westphalia states that the French air raids were terribly destructive and at least fifty deaths'are reported. Krupps' suffered badly. Tihiessen artillery works and .buildings-were destroyed, and enormous military damage done.- •'' \ •/..'.;;'' : : [''\ FURTHER PARTICULARS OP THE RAID. . . GEREAEST AERIAL BATTLE IN HISTORY OF WORLD.

•The enemy apparently approached the coast in two groupsone on flie north ami the other on the south of the river. ■ They joined forces before reaching the metropolis, and, ignoring the <nmiire en route, sped rowards the city. As a .leiiionsiralimi t!:e efu'iri was well directed, an.! the sight was splendid. The machines flew in a wide-thing crescent, led app°arently by a single machine on a higher level than the main bodv. ' After flying well north of the river, at a sign from the leader the machines swerved southwards over the densest.part of London. They, flying low, in fanlike formation, made a,l6ng'swecping curve '.and Jieadcd homewards, leaving a broad swath of damage in their :.wake. Every "vantage-point, despite the danger, was thronged with watchers of the combat, and there was a total absenc/of ■.pmiie. • By 11.15 the greatest battle yet seen over British soil Lid ended." Opinions vary greatly as to the number which crossefl to the coast. One estimate, is as high as 60. An Essex town reports that 22 machines were counted going to London, and 32 returning Duels were witnessed over Kent, where the British pursuers were reinforced. The British pilots mounted.above the erjemy firing downwards on them. As the .'river niouth was' rcachfrd "a r-BtFong:for«»-oE.Britwh mug fight, disappeared seawards,

As soon as the British machines arrivcrthe enemy squadron quickened its pace, and the main body raced awav, leaving two machines in the rear. The latter were apparently engaged by the ■British. A haze prevented the. people seeing -vhaWiappeMl', and v soon the machines were all lost to sight. The bomb-dropping lasted two or three minutes.. The inhabitants of a town in Kent; ten ■ miles from Loudon, had a fine view of the aerial battle.' Fifty aero- . planes were counted,'divided into two squadrons. The'lavger enemv .squadrons held the eastward position, and the-anti-air craft shells ~we ousting .among them, while the «raaller..Eugli«h..'squadron-. c osed in rapidly from the westward. Notwithstanding^c-hea vy • shrapnelbnrstvtlie enemy maehines'app'eared lo"be almost stationary ;ior a few minutes, but nslthe English drew nearer the enemy moved qufof sight rapidly soinh-eata.d, irftluthe English in Imf, r pursuit. -• ■-" ■ p- ~..., ••■-. .'.--' :".■'■ LONDON 7 , July 8. ;•;.• One-party of raiders crossed to a souths c^, topi. at.an ■unusually low altitude, but dropped no bombs. One raider returned -seawards, and the remainder proceeded inland, The raid over London occurred about 10.30. The enemy squadron was one of the largest yet sighted in England. . The Britislrpatrolslbecaimractive as soon'as the approach of the enemy was signalled. Several duels occurred over London, and these are supposed to have caused the raiders' sudden change of course homewards. - A large number ofbombs were dropped. Three of the e : nemy grL : appeared 10 receive the first check as they reached the inner norther,) dkr'et . The British gunners found the range, and the machines began to waver and go out of line so that the squadron scattered somewhat The, crowds m the streets took tlic raid coolly, and watched until bombs began to drop. They then took cover.