PIRATES OF THE AIR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15912, 8 May 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

PIRATES OF THE AIR.

■ ♦■— • — •'■' ,THE GERMAN MURDERERS. | UNARMED SHIPS ATTACKED, - BOMBS FAIL TO FIND MASK. A STAsruxo account of aft attack on a coasting steamer by a German aeroplane off the North Foreland was'given by the crew of the ex-German steamer Blonde ■when she arrived in the Ty ie. Mr. Roach, the- second mate, told the following story :— " At ha'f-past ten in the morning, when the sky was quite clear, my attention was called by the man at the wheel to an aeroplane coming towards us- At first I took little notice.

"But the machine circled several times round our ship at a height of not more than oOOit. It then came down slightly, and manoeuvred about so near us that 1 could hear the throb of the engine, and to my surprise 1 saw two German officers fitting side by side. I was ablo to see clearly th* figure of the Iron Cross on the 'planes.

Suddenly the Germans dropped two bombs, which fell into the sea* not more than 20ft from the stern of the vessel. Both exploded, throwing the water «p to a. height of 60ft or 70ft. We put the helm hard over to starboard and kept the engines going at full speed. The effect of this was to make the steamer circle round and round and make the task of the airmen, as difficult as possible.

" Then came a second attack. Two more bombs were dropped, and both exploded about 20ft from the bows of the ship. They did no damage. The airmen then came down to not more than 300 ft above the ' vessel, evidently with the idea of making sure of their aim, and hitting the deck of the, vessel with the fifth bomb. Luckily, hovrever, this bomb also missed us, falling a .."onsiderable distance on the starboard side of the ship.

"Apparently this bomb was the last they had, for the machine then made off to the south. Just before it headed southwards the Taube nearly toppted over, and

we all made sure it would fall on the deck of tho steamer, but the airmen managed to right it. ~ . "On the following day a member of the crew, named Henry Chiswell, belonging to Ipswich, died, apparently from.' shock. He «had been ill >. in his berth, and ,whet he came on deck he appeared extremely

>; nervous, and talked a good deal about the .: raid "and what might have happened. After .waiting along the deck for a short disv tance he. fell and * died almost immediately."- '■"-. ■. ..'."T.. . ' ''"'■ <

Another attempt , to murder , norrcoinbatants was made .from the air when

:"* "pirates made a cowardly attack on the little ■'* steamer Teal,, of London. 'The Teal, a i vessel of 766' tons, owned by .the General Steam Navigation Company,- was homeV ward-bound from < Holland c jind > was at- * tacked by a Taube when about 30 miles I from the Dutch coast. . There were -two! "■'"■■.men ; in the aeroplane;;, which^was flying >' J at a height of about 20fjft. .'■ '■ V '\ • • The attack ertendMlover about threequarters of «n hoar, 'during'which time , four bombs were dropped/ The mat©, who was on the bridge at the time, said :~ "The Taube made three distinct attacks. In -'.its, first 'and best attempt'- it dropped: two bombs. The 1 first missed m very narrowly, falling about 15ft away on the starboard side of the vessel. : -It 7 raised a great column of water/and was felt all over the vessel. The second bomb fell into the "sea a little farther off, but they were both ' perilously close. . The Taube then swept round 1 and S immediately/retumed to • the -.' attack, dropping two more bombs. ? We ' had no rifles aboard, and were quiie un|||f vto ■•■"' do " anything: but % dodge. "-1 manoeuvr*! the vessel its best I could, and both bombs fell into the sea. The crew - behaved admirably, and beyond talking excitedly at first about stopping did every- v thing possible to keep tie vessel clear.,No { boroSs .were dropped at the third attack, j but from aishort range one of the men fired at us, apparently from * machineWm(!o§ But he 'w»:a poor shot, and do v not Relieve that's single bullet struck the shipTlßut as 'the] Taube.passed over us •a'shower of steel dart* descended, one of i • which lodged in tne d(sck". They were deadly sort of things, ab&at San long, and sharjply pointed. After the third attempt," I ffiStife cl'tlrf sate concluded,!" the.; aeroplane j flew away, having, I suppose, run out of ammunition. We expected another attack, but made full steam .ahead and arnyeoT| , home BaEely.^l'r':.?f#:f';^v.;^^>"; l . - —:r,- - . , ,-K