THE NEAR EAST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17326, 28 May 1918, Page 5

THE NEAR EAST

MACKENSEN'S COMMAND. Router' 3 Telegrams. AMSTERDAM, May 26 The Westphaclische Zeitung's Bucharest correspondent fitcites thst von MftckGns6n has resumed control of the military administration of Humanist. BULGARIAN DESERTER'S TALE. MACEDONIAN FORGE 3 WEAK. SOLDIERS ILL-FED. Router's Telegrams. ATHENS, May 26. (Received May 27, at 7.15 p.m.) A Bulgarian deserter states that there have been many deaths from starvation in Bulgaria, and the Government barbaroorly suppressed numerous outbreaks. The Bulgarians desire peace. Their forces arc now so weak in Macedonia that the 19 3 class are being sent to the front line, though not properly trained. The army is ill-fed, and there are constant desertions.

AVIATION ALLIED SUPERIORITY ESTABLISHED. NEW TACITCS FORECASTED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, May 26. It is now 26 days since the CJermans ceased attacking on the -west front. Critics suggest that the reason why the offensive is delayed is that the Germans are awaiting the Austrians. Meantime the Allied, air superiority is so marked that the Germans are experiencing the greatest difficulty in completing their preparations. The correspondent of the Echo de Paris learns from, a good quarter that the Aliisuperiority wi T shortly be on euch. a, scale tnat the Allied aeroplanes will be able to isolate considerable portions of the enemy armies during an attack, groups of aeroplanes acting as air cavalry in such numbers as to turn the flanks of the whole enemy divisions. Paris quotes a distinguished British leader as saying that their aerial superiority will soon enable the Allies to indulge in new tactics, entirely isolating portions of the enemy's attacking troops and cutting off or outflanking a complete army corps. AIT AVIATOR'S OPINION. GERMAN AVIATION " SMASHED FLAT." », .. _ , LONDON, May 26. The' New York Times correspondent with the French army has interviewed the oommander of an important aviation unit, who declared: "German aviation has been smashed flat and avoids combat whenever possible. The German bombers only invite disaster when they attempt to fly over our lines in daylight- so they attempt only night attacks. The French bombers enjoy almost immunity, and bomb certain concentration centres day and night. I should not be surprised if the German air weakness is the chief cause of the delay in their offensive." FRENCH POLITICIANS' RESOLUTION. PARIS, May 26. rhe Parliamentary Aviation Grohp adopted a resolution affirming that aerial operations should play a decisive role in obtaining victory. The Allies have sufmachines for obtaining an overwhelming superiority in the air; therefore the group urges the Allies to form an aenal anny with a clearly,defined plan of campaign and to centralise the administration of the air service with a view to speedmg up the production, of machines, to organise an air army of picked BRITISH AEROPLANE FACTORIES. WOMEN REPLACE MEN. T ,p. , , LONDON, May 26. Jjoird •Uesbaraugh announces that 100 000 ■women have • replaced) male workere' in aeroplane factories, and there ia no shortage of machines for the front or for Home defence. A GERMAN RUSE DISHONEST USE OF RED CROSS. . LONDON, Mav 26. British airmen photographed a German aerodrome at Thionville, marked with the red cross to represent a hospital, in the hope that the sign would induce the British to attack it and so justify the German bombardment of British hospitals. BRITISH OPERATIONS IN ITALY. HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL WORK. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. a . LONDON, May 26. A iintisn official message from Italy states that since May 18 our air force has earned out numerous raids and reconnaissances, and destroyed 24 enemy aero- . p>anas, while we have not lost a single machine. BROKEN WEATHER. BUT USEFUL WORK DONE. LONDON, May 27. (Received May 27, at 9.40 p.m.) Sir D. aviation report states : Flying was only possible during fine intervals on the 25th inst. We dropped over 300 bombs on billets in the neighbourhoods of Armentieres and Mervflle, an ammunition dump at Varssenaere, and' the Bruges docks. We brought down nine enemy machines and drove down two uncontrollable ; no British machine is missing. Our night-fliers dropped over six tons of hombs on Peronne, Bapaume, and Mariconrt. All machines returned; ALLIED RAID ON LIEGE. ENEMY WORKS DESTROYED. AMSTERDAM, May 26. (Received May 27, at 7.15 p.m.) A recent Allied air raid -upon Liego destroyed German military works and railways. Twenty-six persons were killed.