AERIAL WARFARE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3304, 11 July 1917, Page 18

AERIAL WARFARE.

There has been a marked increase in aerial activity on the western front, and Br.tish aeroplanes have participated in successful artillery and bombing raids. Tho Admiralty on the night of July 2-3 carried out raids on tho Bruges docks. Several tons of bombs were dropped with good results. All ""r machines returned. Naval aeroplanes r'ropped several tons of bombs on aerodromes at Ghistelles and Nieumanoter, and on seaplane sheds at Ostend.

Sir Douglas Haig reports: Aerial fight- | ing oocurred on the 7th chiefly between Lens and Ypros. In this area a large number of enemy machines were encountered; but, despite the enemy's pronounced activity, wo bombed and damaged aerodromes and carried out successful artillery work and photography, r'nemy airmen dropped 144 bombs on our side of the line, but our machines dropped three times that number on the enemy's side. Our pilots on tho_ Bth inst. frequently broke up large formations, and carried out successful raids. They fired bombs and machine guns at enemy aeroplanes, depots, and troops, and brought down six German machines, while 10 were driven down. Eight of ours are missing. The Admiralty reports that naval aeroplanes raidod the Ghistelles aerodrome on the g'.h inst., despite hostile formation?, and heavy attacks, and successfully bombed their objeclives. All returned. French communique states: .From June 21 till June 30 our chasing planes brought down 19 enemy aeroplanes, and an additional 14 enemy machines, which were seriously damaged, J"ell in our lines. The enemy air machines raided theNancy region on Friday, 6th inst., tho hospital being bombed and three persons killed and four wounded, while several more were wounded at Epernay. Eightyfour_ French machines executed a seres of brilliant operations on Friday night, some attacking towns far within enemy territory a 6 reprisals for German bombardments. Eleven of our machines dropped two and a-half tons of bombs on Treves (neat Luxemburg), causing fires. Six others ,

bombed Ludwigshafen, and the great Baden aniline works were set aflame.

One of our pilots bombed the Krupp works at Essen. He started at 9.20 p.m., and returned at 4.15 next morning, covei--ing 440 miles. The military establishments at Coblenz and the railway stations at Hirson and Thionville were bombed. Altogether 14i tons of bombs were dropped. News from Westphalia states that the French air raids were terribly destructive. At least 50 deaths are reported. Krupps suffered badly, and the Thiessen artillery works and buildings were destroyed. Enormous military damage was done. A German communique states: Enemy aviators dropped 100 incendiary bombs in the Westphalian industrial region, at Trier, Munnheim, _ Ludwigshafen, and Rodalben, but no military damage was done. The United Press correspondent at Ypres says that the German High Command, realising the British air superiority, has ordered the grouping of fleets into flying " circuses," so called by the Tommies, because they move up and down the line in fitful engagements as the British deliver blows. Italian aviators dropped leaflets in Trieste announcing that they will bomb Trieste whenever the Austrians attack Venice. ,A GALLANT AIRMAN. Sir Robert Borden congratulated Captain W. A. Eishop, a Canadian, aged 19 years, who has been awarded the Victoria Cross, the tXS.O., and the Military Cross. Bishop has fought 57 victorious air battles, thus exceeding the record of Ball, the British air hero. Bishop on one occasion single-handed fought an entire aerodrome of German airmen, destroyed four machines, and returned unhurt, though his machine was riddled with bullets. His record to date is 21 aeroplanes and two balloons destroyed. ''