DELAVED WAR NEWS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11616, 15 August 1918, Page 6

DELAVED WAR NEWS.

SEIER& AsH RfiHTIKS EXE Ml' LOSESS IN WEEK TWENTY RAIDS TO GERMANY. Ptr Press Association. Welli i.'-gtou, Monday. The weekly summary of the war situation received hy the ActingPrime Miuiter states that exceptional severin' lias marked the week’s air fighting throughout the British zone' of operations iu the west. Much of the work took the form of reconnaissance and offensive patrols behind the German lines, but bombing operations on tlm_ Belgian coast were not less decisive, both as regard the damage dene and the toll of the enemy machines destroyed. Fires were started at the Drugeoise woiks, important euanij organisations east of Nieupoi, while a large lire at Zeebrugge caused by our bombs was followed by a heavy explosion. In three daylight raids upon Bruges, ('stand and Zeeorugge our squadrons were opposed b\ powerful enemy lormations. Four British machines are reported missing, but 4 enemy machines were destroyed and 17 others driven down helpless. In Belgium alone 17 tons of bombs wore dropped on militarv objectives, and much damage was done. , . . Ou the British western lana front British air fighting was uniformly successful. On three successive day the enemy lost la, 36, and 11 machines respectively, besides IS others, which wore driven down. Only 13 British machines were reported mising in these actions. In all 17 British machines tailed to return in this lighting during the week, but 81 enemy machines were des’roved and 36 driven down. The Royal Air Force and the independent forces also had heavy lighting in the course of 20 rairlsinto German territory. Large Gem man forces contested our progress during an early morning raid on Saarbrucken, and very severe fighting, which resulted in the loss of seven British machines, took place. Kevorlhek-ss our squadrons immediately resumed the attack and successfully dropped bombs the station and the factories of baarbrucken, and this time returned without loss. In the couse of efleclive raids on Trove and Offonburg six oneuiv machines were destroyed and one driven down, while two British machines failed to return. Among oilier objective bombed were the stations at Rastatt, Sollingen, Baden, and Dimler works, railway station at Stuttgart, station and barracks at Haenau, station at Coblenz, aud Remiisy Juntiou, etc. Bad weather hampeded operations in Mediterranean theatres, _ but on the Italian and Palestine frouts 10 enemy machines were destro}ed. No British machines were reported missing.