ALLIED AIRMEN SPREAD TERROR BEHIND GERMAN LINES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16872, 10 June 1918, Page 5

ALLIED AIRMEN SPREAD TERROR BEHIND GERMAN LINES

ELABORATE PRECAUTIONS OF MARCHING TROOPS. COMPLETE ASCENDANCY GAINED ON MARNE FRONT. Times. (Received 5.5 p.m.). LONDON, June 7. Mr. H. Perry Robinson writes: The effects of the allied air raids on the battlefront are so immense that the enemy troops are taking elaborate precautions to avoid observation. They are inarching in small formations and are ordered to break up and scatter when warned. Router. LONDON. Juno 7. A French headquarters report issued last evening says: During the first 24 hours of the battle the Germans had mastery in the air between, the Aisne and the Marne, but their triumph was short-lived. As the attack opened on Monday a powerful aviation group, including some of the best known French aviators, started from the Aisne, via the German Oise front, causing damage en route. The group took the air on Tuesday morning, engaging ;German airmen, and descending within 20ft of the ground in order to attack troops and convoys. In the course of Wednesday our supremacy in the air was definitely re-established, and since then it had hardly been challenged. French squadrons carried out systematic attacks at short intervals on German concentrations at such places at Fismes, 12 miles behind the front, and scores of tons of explosives were dropped on German camps and communications. It is remarkable that a number of enemy balloons were destroyed lately. These the Germans use almost in the front line, in order to compensate for their inferiority in the air service. They haul them down with remarkable quickness on the appearance of French aeroplanes. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON. June 7. It is reliably stated that British aircraft in May brought down 398 German aeroplanes and drove down 100. The guns brought down 20. A total of 12S British aeroplanes were missing during the month.