AERIAL WARFARE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3334, 6 February 1918, Page 15

AERIAL WARFARE.

Sir Douglas Haig reports great aerial activity during the past week. British aeroplanes dropped 400 hombs on Roulers, Menin, an aerodrome near Tournai, on enemy billets, a railway station and troop

trains, and machine-gunned troops. Aerodromes south of Ghent and Douai and east of Rouiers were heavily bombard* d; _also an aerodromo at Thielt and an ammunition dump at Courtrai. Nine enemy machines were brought down, while all British machines returned safely. British aeroplanes dropped four tons of bombs on various targets, including the railway station of Valenciennes. They also bombed enemy aerodromes and billets last night. Wo brought down 10 enemy machines, and ono of ours is missing. French communiques state: Our air squadrons dropped 60CO kilogrammes of explosives upon the railway station at Conflans, factories in tho- St. Priva't region, and various aerodromes. An aeroplane bombed tho railway station at Thiaucourt, causing a great firo. The British Admiralty reports that naval aircraft bombed tho Aertrycke aerodromo and 'the Engcl ammunition dump. A successful naval air raid was made on the Coolkerke aerodrome. The aerodrome at Eastcamp was bombed, and direct hits registered, causing fires. On tho 31st tho Engel aerodrome and dump wero bombed, direct hits being made and fires started. All British machines returned. The Varseinaere aerodromo was bombed and a direct hit obtained. A fire followed. For tho first time since the war two German airmen crossed the frontier and destroyed their machine. They deserted on bicycles. A British Mesopotamia official report says: Aeroplanes bombed our hospital near Bagdad, causing casualties. Ours retaliated successfully, bombing Turkish Headquarters, units, and aerodromes. t RAIDS IN ITALY. Tire Austro-German airmen have re sumed their attacks on undefended cities. They cannot oretend that there was any military objective, for they bombed through thick clouds, rendering aim impossible. Ninety bombs wero dropped on Treviso, and there were six raids between 7 o'clock at night and daybreak. The bombs destroyed several houses, burying 15 civilians. Thero wore greater material damage and fewer victims at Mestre, whore bombs dropped at random hit 'three hospitals, wounding three nurses. The Italians brought down 17 enemy aeroplanes in two days. Later on they brought down eight machines and the British six. . British' official: In Italy we shot down during,tho past week six enemy aeroplanes. Since the end of November wo brought down 39, and five of ours aro missing. _ RAIDING GERMAN TOWNS. The Daily Express Geneva correspondent says that the British air raid on Mannheim on Thursday eclipsed all previous raids, showing Germany the penalities she may expect for bombing open towns. Travellers in hot fight from Mannheim toll that the whole town spent a night of terror. The panic-stricken people rushed into the streets half-clothed. The British swooped so low that tho engines of their machines could bo heard from the street*. They surprised the German anti-aircraft gunners. One bomb fell on the barracks. When the British airmen departed an angry crowd gathered in the market square, crying. "Down with the war; give us peace." - ~,-•, Tho Press Bureau gives details of the raids on Germany cabled on January 25. Large quantities of bombs were- dropped on the Treves-Thionville-Saarburg railway junction. The aviators machine-gunned villages in the Moselle Valley and also trains and buildings at various places. The naval gunners simultaneously bombed the soda factory and docks at Mannheim and the 'town of Thionville. Heavy explosions and fires resulted. Two aviators bombed tho Zeppelin works at Friedrickhaven for 12 minutes. Correspondents with the American army in France cable that four American aviators penetrated into the interior of Germany, dropped bombs, and returned safely. LONDON TWICE RAIDED. Hostile aeroplanes crossed the Kent and Essex coasts at 8 o'clock in tho evening of the 28th ult. Some penetrated to the capital and dropped bombs. < Our airmen brought down one machine in Essex. A further aerial attack was made on London after midnight, and bombs were dropped till 12.30 a.m. Many enemy .aeroplanes wero concerned in the raid, which was tho most prolonged yet experienced. The first attack lasted two and a-half hours, and was renewed throe to four hours past midnight. Several machines penetrated London's defences. The British aviators sought to drive the enemy into the anti-aircraft gun fire. Finally the enemy attempted to break off tho fight, but wero subjected to a severe anti-aircraft bombardment. Tho_ British machines closely followed the fleeing Germans, and brought one down. A SECOND RAID. Tho Press Bureau reports: Aeroplanes crossed the Essex and Kent coasts at 9.30 on the evening of the 29th, but none was reported within the London defences, though bombs aro reported to have been dropped on the outskirts. The raid was the worst that has been experienced. A bomb was dropped on a large establishment which had been used during the raid as a shelter, in a thickly populated district. There is no exact estimate of tho number of persons who were sheltering in it. The estimate varies from 300 to 1000. The staff of the establishment state that it was capable of holding 1000 persons, and that it was crowded. Firemen who assisted in removing the bodies declaro that tho brigado removed about 25 during the night. It is believed that 13 others have been recovered. Tho big brick building looks as if it had been cut in halves by a huge guillotine, tho interior walls and floors" then collapsing. Tho police and the firo brigade assert that it is certain that tho majority of the victims were women and children. None of tho survivors seem able to give a coherent account of tho terrible scene that ensued. It was a . scene of .indescribable horror, to which tho fire gavo a last touch. The basement was a raging inferno within a few minutes. Two groups of raiders crossed tho Essex coast and ono group tho Kent coast. Tho latter group dropped bombs at Thanct, on the Isle of Sneppey, and crossed tho estuary of the Thames, approaching East London through Essex. About 15 participated in tho attacks. Four- or five reached tho capital, and bombed Various districts. Later other aeroplanes crossed the Essex coast. One reached London and dropped bombs. Two of the Flying Corps scouts, after a brief fight at closo range, set firo to an enemy aeroplane over Essex,

which fell in flames. Tho crew of threo were burned to death. All our machines returned safely. In the air raid on the 28th 14 men, 17 women, and 16 children wore killed,, whilo 93 men, 59 women, and 17 children were injured. All tho casualties occurred in London, with tliG exception of one killed and seven injured. Tho material damage done was not serious. Tho fire brigades, police, soldiers, and civilians did all that men could do to rescue tho survivors, but many of tin) injured perished in the flames. Tho building at daybreak was a smoking ruin. About 100 omployees wore working when tho alarm was given. They assisted tho sheltcrers to tho basement, _ and tended those needing attention during the raid. Many of these employees are among tho casualties. Many others had left the shelter during a lull in tho barrage, bub flocked back when tho guns resumed, announcing an air attack. The bomb that caused the destruction was dropped almost immediately. An official reports says: About 15 hostile aeroplanes delivered a number of attacks against London, but none penetrated to tho capital. One group crossed the Islo of Thanet and proceeded towards London,but gun firo turned them back. Simultaneously threo or four crossed the Essex coast, but failed to penetrate the outer . defences. A single aeroplane later passed round to the north and west of London. This machine dropped bombs on _ tho south-eastern outskirts of tho city. Simultaneously another bombed the northeastern "outskirts, where there were no casualties or damage. Gun fire later turned back others between London and tho Kent and Essex coasts. Three or four were engaged inthe final attack between 11.30 and midnight, bub were equally unsuccessful. Thero were fewcasualties in the south-eastern outskirts.Our aeroplanes engaged the enemy, machines, and all of ours returned. 1 Tuesday night's raid proved that London is growing increasingly difficult of approach. Tho Gothas attempted to pierce the fierce barrage, but most of the gunfiro was distant, showing that the enemy Avere worsted, and finally forced to accept tho inevitable and fly seaward. A bomb fell in a London suburb. < Instantly killing seven members of a soldier's family. THE CASUALTIES. Tho Press Bureau reports that Monday a air raid casualties in ail districts were 53 killed and 173 injured, of whom 50 werO killed and 91 injured in one shelter. Fourt local residents are still missing. Tho total casualties in Tuesday's raid were 10 killed and 10 injured. At the inquest at East London upon the bodies of eight Jews, mostly Russians, who were 'suffocated by the stampede at- Monday's air raid, the police gave evidence that when warnings were fired tho foreigners took panic and rushed the shelter, though there was ample time for everyone to reach the shelter. Many of those who created the panio were young men. A RAID ON PARIS. German aeroplanes bombed Paris, causing several deaths. It was bright moonlight for the raid. The Gothas, on arrival at 11.4-5, were met with intense gun-fire. Numerous bombs were dropped at various points of the city. Four enemy air squadrons crossed North Compeigne,. flying very high, owing to the clearness of tho atmosphere. They approached Paris from the north and northeaet, and successfully bombed several suburbs. They then flow over Paris, chiefly on the right bank of the Seine, where they dropped almost all their bombs in a few moments. About 20 persons were killed;: and 50 were injured, including- _ numerous women and children. Two hospitals were hit, and several buildings burned and damaged. There were several air fights at North Paris, and one German aeroplane was brought down, the two occupants being taken prisoners. A French aeroplane had to land with its occupants wounded. j Many of the victims were women and children. Three hospitals were struck, onu of them being set on fire. The theatres had emptied when the most murderous air raid Paris has yet suffered _ commenced. It is estimated 'that. 60 Gothas attacked,-operating in squadrons of 10. and sweeping over Paris in succession. Each squadron remained until ■ replaced by another 10 machines; hence the long duration of tho raid. Ideal weather favoured the savage enterprise—glorious moonlight, with a thin mis'fi over the ground, the least vestige of a fog-,, which aided the Gothas to elude tho aeroplane patrols. , ~''-, Thirty French aviators immediately wenf up, and a number of desperate duels were fought. Altogether 70 bombs were dropped, but many of them failed to explode. . The bombs were of three kinds, the smallest weighing 201 b and the biggest 1501 b. _ The Parisians were in no way frightened, but the raid angered everyone, and ifc haa ended all peace talk. Tho German prisoners state that Za machines participated in the raid on Paris. They were ordered to avoid bombing hospitals. . . L The casualties, it is officially announced, were 31 killed at Paris and 14- in the suburbs, including 11 women and fiye children; while 131 wore injured in the city and 76 in the suburbs. M. Clemenceau (Premier) ha* arranged to increase the acroDlane and other defences of Paris to equal those of- London. GERMAN REPORTS. German official reports state: Our aircraft dropped bombs on London and Sheerness with good effect Aviators successfully bombed London, Southend, Dunkirk, and Calais. A 3 reprisals for bombing German open towns our aviators threw 14- tons of bombs on Paris in the first systematic air attack. REPRESSING A PROPAGANDA. The Daily Mail says* that, Capt.iiri Scholtzo and Sub-lieutenant Wookley, both captured British aviators, have been courtmartialled in Germany and sentenced to 10 years' penal servitude on a charge of dropping hostile proclamations in Germany. British aviators dropped many copies of

President Wilson's speech behind the German lines. There is growing indignation m Britain over the sentences imposed on Scholtze and Wookley, The crew of the •Gotha brought down in Essex on January 28 were buried without military honours; but some British flying officers attended the funeral.