THE GERMAN RAIDERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14340, 3 July 1917, Page 5

THE GERMAN RAIDERS.

FLICIHT COMMANDER'S THRILJ.IN « ' BEiSCRIPTIO^- ' ■•*■> lAustraUan andiNvZ. GabloMssotttatlon.: (Received J.ulyvV-3, io.'4S a'.nii)' ' •■'■'• '•: 'I'NBW-YO'RK-; July;2.V A Times cable from Berlin 1 by tho, commandei? ' of ; tl^t* l'e'ctent * air raid •on -London gives a thrilling description of air; fights''"' with- ; British^ aviators. 'He states: "The German flew m bursts bf flattie aiidf explosions all round. While- the commander claints'Hhat the raid was a success, he adtnits the great daath arid' gallahtrjr of-Vthe -British- airmen; ' T,he comhi'ander^ say's :- We" "left home at ten m the morning. We approached the Engihsir coast through a hank of cloud. • Leaving Sheefness we flew straight towards London. Now the British shells reach our altitudes. We clinSb higher, following 'the'-'tVindirigs <?f ,the Thames. As the cloud' 'batik, rSlls awaY we see our 'gdaly' naniely Lofiliohv' W^ see the houses. Then farUb'elow appears the first of England's 1 - pursuing machines. Little clouds. of .cottpn, seem-inpr-ly by magic, appear in' our path. These exploding shells multiply' with astounding; rapidity. We'- ftV through them till we- see Tliames Bridge, 'thfe Tbw^r .of : London, -a'hd' the Bank of England. 1 *" v 'fit m nowtinie to' -attack. F pu^h. the levers, and ahxioufely follow the flight'"tff the bombs as they strike. -* If is a magriii flcehitly teoirific spectacle from midraar. The earth seems to rock and houses seem to disappear m craters. ..^fean while projectiles frbln the 1 'defence'-. gnns are exploding and -spluttering all round: ' ' Our escape^ seems -miraculous. ' English ilifei's suddenly Appear ahead, blocking our retiirhr' Aeroplanes appear tin each side; above Va'hd" below. As all stai-ted "niai^ thei nbise was terrific. The maishiTies opened fire at 5?00 metres. One Englishman wa« particularly, brave and tenar. cioiis. He gave us no rest .but kept-Tip an jineesant running' fire.fo'r' ten minutes, 1 his bullets'- showering 'all' around our heads, cutting' through the '"planes, till; at last a. 1 whole sheaf of ; biilletH 1 entered hisf'body. arld^his-macHme fell. 5 ' 1 : .v.-.. <• The ''narrative. is ; a remar^cable!'-admis-sion of the- terrific nature of ; the -Bl'iti^h defence fire* Shqjving- that-'the range was accurate and the British aviators -m large numbers nlount* J to 'repel attheks.- -. ■• •■• ■ -■ -' •■•• The' narrative does not claim military works as objectives. l " y ' 4