AERIAL FIGHTING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 15

AERIAL FIGHTING.

Sir Douglas Haig reports: Our aeroplanes on the 11th dropped over a ton of bombs on various targets behind the lines. They also raided Germany on the 12th, bombing the town of Offenburg, near Straasburg. Tho raid secured excellent results, li tons of bombs being dropped on the barracks, railway station, and railway workshops. Several bursts wero observed in the vicinity of the barracks, and two fires broke out in the town. All our machines returned. The weather rendered flying on Tuesday almost impossible, but our observations enabled our artillery to engage a few hostile batteries. We also bombed various targets behind the enemy lines and machine-gunned the enemy's trenches. A British aeroplane made a successful reconnaissance over German aerodromes. British aeroplanes on tho 17th bombed a number of billets, railway stations, and bodies of troops. Twenty-one enemy machines were brought down, while antiaircraft guns brought down an additional three, one of them being a large bomber, with five occupants. Five British machines are missing. British aviators last night dropped 400 bombs in the neighbourhood of Ghent, Tournai, and Laon, and also bombed the Conflans railway station. Despite unfavourable conditions on the 13th our aeroplanes'machine-gunned a convoy ' and troops at a low altitude. We bombed the Menin railway station and sidings and aerodrome billets. French official reports- state: We dropped 9000 kilogrammes of bombs on the enemy's depots and railway stations, notably the railway station between Metz and Sablons; where a fire broke out. We made successful raids east of Auberive, and in the Vosgos. Enemy aircraft dropped bombs on Nancy. Three civilians were killed and five 'injured. Twenty-eight enemy aeroplanes were brought down between the Ist and tl 9 10th of February, of which 14 wore entirely destroyed. A German official report says:—We bombed Nancy as a reprisal for an air raid on Saarbrucken. Tho enemy lost during January 20 balloons and 151 aeroplanes. We lost 68 aeroplanes and four balloons. The British Admiralty reports : Our aircraft many bombs on Zwydwegc dump on Saturday, and a fire started in the centre of their objective. All our machines returned. Tho British threat of reprisals for the imprisonment of Scholtz and Wookly was delivered on tho 12th inst. Germany has not yet replied. Reprisals will commence on MfP"* 72. AIR RAIDS ON ENGLAND. Official: Six aeroplanes approached the mouth of the Thames at 9.45 on the night of the 16th and carried out an attack on

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London, but all the machines were turned back except one, which penetrated to tho capital and dropped bombs in the southwest districts at 10 p.m., demolishing a bouse and burying: an invalided officer, his wife, and two" children. Tho raider had previously dropped bombs on the eastern outskirts of London., but tho casualties and damage wore not serious. An aerial attack on Dover at 10.45 p.m. was driven off. Bombs were dropped in tho open country. Several of our aerial pilots engaged the enemy, and one action over the Kent coast resulted in a large enemy machine crashing into the sea. The casualties and damago are apparently light. The Press Bureau reports: Hostile aeroplanes crossed the Thames estuary at 10 p.m. on the 17th. Some bombs were dropped in London. The raid di<? not disturb Londoners, who anticipate nightly bombings during the coming week, owing to tho favourable moon. German official: Our aviators on the 16th bombed London, Dover. Dunkirk, and the pnemy fighting forces in North-east France.