AERIAL ACTIVITIES

Southland Times, Issue 17665, 24 February 1916, Page 5

AERIAL ACTIVITIES

EXTENSIVE A 18. FIGHTING, (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) LONDON, February 22. Communiques show that yesterday was a record-breaker for aeroplane attacks. Apart from the destruction of the Zeppelin and the great raid on Don, air raids and air fighting are reported from all theatres. These include Austrian radis on Brescia and Milan, which did only small damage, and Russian raids on Bucyacy and Manasterjick. SUCCESSFUL FRENCH BAXES. PARIS, February 22. The French brought down a Fokker, an Albatross, and a third machine in various sectors. Seven machines also fought four aeroplanes at Hattonchatel, two of the latter being brought down, while the others fled. A French chaser squadron attacked fifteen German machines and forced the squadron to take flight. At Revigny they brought down one. A squadron of seventeen dropped seventy bombs of heavy calibre on the aerodrome at Habesheim, and the goods station at Mulhausen. A squadron of twenty-eight bombed the enemy’s munition factory at Pagny-suf-Moselle, and all the machines returned safely. OH THE BRITISH FRONT. LONDON, February 22. Sir Douglas Haig reports that twentysix of our aeroplanes attacked depots, and did extensive damage to stores and the railway. Enemy aircraft have recently made several night attacks on various towns area with no military results. A rew civilians have been killed. THE LOST ZEPPELIN. PARIS, February 22. The Zeppelin, reported to be on flames at Brabant-le-Roi, was shot through by an Incendiary shell. THE ZEPPELIN’S END. BLOWN TO FRAGMENTS BY ITS OWN BOMBS. CLOTHES BLOWN OFF THE CHEW. BETWEEN 20 AND 30 PERISH. PARIS, February 22. Received February 23, 9.15 p.m. Details of the destruction of the Zeppelin state that at eight in the evening the Zeppelin was reported witli lights out struggling against the wind at a height of two thousand metres. When gunfire was opened with incendiary shells one struck the Zeppelin’s side and went right through. The flames spread from end to end in a few seconds, outlining the airship clearly. There was no explosion, and the airship slowly descended, enveloped in flame. When it touched the earth all the bombs aboard exploded. Nothing remained but tangled wreckage in which were between twenty and thirty naked corpses, including an officer clad in a few shreds of his uniform. The Zeppelin was LZ77, a new naval type. A second Zeppelin witnessed tile disaster and turned tail. GERMANY ADMITS THE LOSS. AMSTERDAM, February 32. Received February 23, 9.15 p.m. The German communique admits the loss of a Zeppelin at Revigny. INCENDIARY SHELLS. LONDON, February 22. Apropos of the loss of Zeppelins it is stated that it is possible to make an incendiary non-explosive shell, which is plainly visible at night and during the whole flight. It develops such terrific heat that it will inevitably set fire to a Zeppelin that is struck. BRITISH RAID NEAR SUEZ. CAIRO. February 22. Official: A British aviator made a reconnaissance on Sunday over the enemy’s advanced posts eastward of the Suez Canal, lie descended and dropped a 1001b bomb, which destroyed the power station at El Hassana. ZEFPELIN SHEDS DEMOLISHED. BARIS, February 22. Reports from Swiss papers show that a hurricane partially demolished the Zeppelin sheds at i'riedrichshafen. GERMANY’S AIR ORGANISATION. LONDON, February 22. 'l'he Daily Telegraph, in an authoritative review of the German air service, points out that until the summer of 1913 the British and French aeroplanes had the clear ascendancy owing to the superiority of their pilots and the fact that the machines were better adapted to the stress of a protracted ■ caihpaign. Since then the Gormans have made lavish use of the most powerful aeroplanes, and by concentration of the Power of their air service in the west, continued to reconquer tin' highways of the air. Six hundred and fifty machines are now in active commission with even more in reserve. The aviation establishment consists of ninety-three squadrons, each of seven aeroplanes, whereof seventy-nine

are field squadrons. One is allotted to every army corps, and ejght squadrons are specially detailed for artillery observation. There are four fortress squadrons in each German field. The squadron consists of three aeroplanes for observing artillery fire, unarmed, but provided with wireless usually an Aviatik or an Albatross, two lighting wireless, mostly Fokkers, and one heavily armed, armcured and equipped with wireless. One machine is kept in reserve. The amr ’™‘ nitlon carried varies from GOO to 1000 rounds. The wireless plant weighs fortyfive pounds. The organisation includes many training centres. Each army has a complete aviation park with stores, a reserve machine, spare parts and workshops. Official reports in 1915 placed the Austro-German losses at 210 aeroplanes and seventeen captive balloons. Ihe real losses were much higher. BRITISH SUPERVISION. lOBD DERBV MJEHTIOUH). UNFORTUNATE ERROR. LONDON, February 22. Lord Derbv is likely to be appointed Chairman of the Committee to co-ordin-ate the naval and military air service, Mr David Henderson assisting. Mr Bennett Golding related in the House of Commons that during the raid in' Kent in January a British aeroplane mistook a seaplane for an enemj. battle ensued and anti-air gunners witnessing the fight turned their guns upon both, damaged the tower of Walmer Church and injured some men in bairacks there. AUSTRIAN HEADQUARTERS BOMBED. BASLE, February 22. It is authoritatively stated from Vienna that forces of Russian aeroplanes dropped thirty bombs on the Austrian staff’s headquarters.