VIGOROUS AIR OFFENSIVE ON MANY PARTS OF FRONT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16909, 23 July 1918, Page 5

VIGOROUS AIR OFFENSIVE ON MANY PARTS OF FRONT.

NAVAL MACHINES MAKE ATTACKS ON ZEPPELIN SHEDS GREAT PART PLAYED IN FIGHTING ON THE MARNE. Australian and N.Z. and Reuter. (Reed. 10.15 c m.) LONDON, July 21. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Our aeroplanes on Saturday dropped 18 tons of bombs on Courtrai and Lille railways, Bruges Docks, three large dumps, and billets. There h£s been more air fighting. We brought down 14 aeroplanes, drove down three out of control, and destroyed three balloons. Seven British machines are missing. Our aeroplanes on Friday dropped 17 tons of bombs on hostile dumps, railway stations, aerodromes, and aviators. One pilot landed at an aerodrome and attacked the hangars with machine-guns before rising. We brought down 10 aeroplanes and six balloons, while seven British machines are missing. The night fliers dropped 14 tons of bombs on the railways between Mons and Valenciennes stations, and between Cambrai and Lille.

A report issued by the Air Ministry states: Photographs show extensive damage to a hostile aerodrome at Morhange as the result of an attack on Friday night. One large shed and three hangars were destroyed.

The Admiralty reports: Aeroplanes from the Grand Fleet, operating off the Jutland coast on Friday, made two attacks on Zeppelin, sheds at Tondern, in Schleswig. They secured direct hits on three sheds, but owing to anti-aircraft guns and dense smoke it was impossible to ascertain whether the destruction was complete. The airmen were sure that two Zeppelins were destroyed. Four British machines failed to return, three of which landed on Danish territory. British airmen in the raid destroyed a large stock of munitions outside the town, and the violent explosions killed many people. Two British machines, owing to lack of benzine and motor troubles, landed on the west coast of Jutland. One of the aviators, a New Zealander, stated that six German aeroplanes pursued his and two other machines. The latest advices state that two airmen were interned. A third landed at Culdagor and set fire to his machine. According to another correspondent, one landed near Rinkjoebing and obtained petrol, hoping to escape.

A French communique states: Our aviators redoubled their efforts, and made many raids day and night on Friday. They fiercely fought enemy forces, French and British bombing squadrons making the Marne crossings their chief objective. They ceaselessly hampered, and at some points completely stopped, enemy supplies. They were an important factor in the enemy retreat by attacking and bombing concentrations of the enemy preparing for counter-attacks, and also his columns of convoys. Our aircraft inflicted heavy losses, 24 and 27 tons of projectiles being dropped by day and night respectively along the Marne and in the rear of the battlefield. Several fires and explosions were observed at stations. Simultaneously the aeroplanes obtained a marked advantage for our troops and tanks between the Aisne and the Marne. They reported the arrival of enemy reserves, and participated directly in the battle by attacking the latter with machine-guns. Twenty-six German aeroplanes were brought down or disabled. In numerous fights with the French and British pilots everywhere the German aviation was inferior.