AVIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17428, 24 September 1918, Page 5

AVIATION

SEVERE FIGHTS. DESPITE BAD WEATHER. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Router. LONDON, September 22. (Received Sept. 23, at 9.55 p.m.) Sir Douglas 'Haig reports : There has been active aeroplane work, despite the bad weather. We brought down 13 hostile machines; eight British planes are missing.

WHAT BRITISH AIRMEN ARE DOING. WEEK'S MAGNIFICENT RECORD. STRIKING AND SUCCESSFUL WORK, (Pbb United Peess Association.) WELLINGTON, September 23. The following weekly official review has been isued by the Ministry of Information :— After five days of almost perpetual storm and rain, the week's air war culminated in a remarkable burst of fighting on the British western front and over Germany itself. Notwithstanding, unfavourable air conditions from Tuesday to Saturday night, the British airmen seized every opportunity to press home the advantages gained in recent operations. In intervals of fine weather they took many photographs and dropped more than 20 tons of bombs on enemy organisations behind the lines. On the 15th inst. improved weather produced most maxked aerial developments, and large numbers of enemy machines were encountered on the German side of the line. Considering their recent heavy losses, the enemy squadrons worked in large formations and fought bitter combats. In two days' fighting 32 British machines were reported missing; but 72 German machines were destroyed, 27 brought down, and one kite balloon brought down on fire, making a total "bag" of 100 enemy aircraft in 48 hours. While these battles were proceeding the British bombing squadrons were most active, dropping more than 60 tons of bombs on military objectives behind the ' battle-line. On the 16th mst. British reconnaissanre machines established a record, bringing back a larger number of aerial photographs than ever previously recorded in a single day's work. The Royal Air Force s independent force, acting in concert with the French and American attack on the St. Mihiel salient, easily surpassed its own records, both in number of objectives attacked and weight of bombs dropped. Probably there has never been a more formidable and persistent air assault than the Rhine country suffered from British airmen during the past week. Between the 13th and the 16th inst. 34 separate raids were made. Twelve went for the vital railway junter triangle at Metz-Sablon, four against the Courcelles' junction, seven against the railways at Arnaville, Chrange, Saarbrucken, Kaiserslautern, and Marine while heavy attacks were also made on enemy aerodromes at Buhl, Boulay, Frascaty, and Hagenau. Such repeated attacks on the same places were necessary as measures against perpetually renewed German repairs'and machine-production. In addition, destructive raids were also made on chemical and aeroplane factories at Mannhein, the Daimler works at Stuttgart, and dock sidings at Karlsruhe. Fifty-nine tons of bombs were dropped during the five days, which is equal to more than half the total wight of bombs dropped during \h e whole of the preceding month. Material results are clearly shown by photographs and other records, and a large number of direct hits were obtained on all the objectives. British airmen continue to do successful work in conjunction with the Allied offensive in the Balkans and Italy. Besides maintaining all their usual patrols, they attacked vigorously naval and military works at Bruges, Ostend, Stahille, Mariasaarter, Zevecote, etc. Over one of these places on the 16th inst. no fewer than eleven enemy machines were destroyed, with seven more driven down, while only two British machines failed to return.