WAR IN THE AIR

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16619, 26 August 1918, Page 7

WAR IN THE AIR

FRENCH AIRMEN BUSY

Australian and N.Z. Cable Aisn. LONDON, August 23.

A French communique reports:— Yesterday wo several times caught the retreating enemy under our machineguns in the region of Lassigny and between the Oise and the Aisne. .We dropped during the day .thirty four tons of bombs on the region of Chauny, Margival, Vauxaillon and Amzy lo Chateau, and during the night we dropped twenty-eight tons on railway stations at Thionville, Conflans and Mezieres -and also in the battle zone. 'Numerous bursts on, objectives were observed, with fires a°t the stations jof Conflans, Ham, Guiscard, Chauiiy, Thionville, Triancourt and Pontavert-.

RAID ON AERODROME. ENEMY HUNTED DOWN. Correspondents describe the recent air work, particularly the daylight raid on the Harbourdeti aerodrome on August 16 Flying at an average altitude of 200 feet, without interference from enemy planes, the British spotted two. planes in che distance and attacked. One crashed down, the other was driven down. The British * silenced nests of machine-guns about the' aerodromes, dropped a hundred l.ombs and completely destroyed three large hangars, containing machines, and partially wrecked eight machines in the open. They also set fire to oflicers' and men's quarters, blew up the officers', messroom and \ ignited several buildings, including an ammunition shed. There were many casualties.

Having completed tho demolition of the aerodrome, the machines went off. They chased and stopped a train, overturned a staff motor-car in'' a ditch and forced another to run. up the bank. It is believed-that they killed all the occupants of both' cars. The whole squadron of planes returned. '

THE BRITISH FLYERS. . HARASS THE* ENEMY. Sir Douglas Haig's. aviation report states:'—Thick" m'isfc "prevented aeroplanes participating in the early stage of the attack northward of the Ancre on August: 22, but when the weather cleared participation became active, xhe airmen attacked hostile troops and transport from low altitudes with bombs and machine-guns, scattering ammunition waggons and a marching column". Also in several cases theyi silenced guns that were firing on our tanks by means of bombs and machine-gun-ning from the air: \Ve dropped twelve tons of bombs during the day and destroyed twentyone aeroplanes. Eight British are missing.

Our night, bombers dropped 25$ tons of bombs on different targets. Cambrai and Marcoing stations were heavily attacked, also a number of- bridges, lines, aerodromes and billets. We broke down the Aubigny-A'ubac bridge on the Douai-Cambrai road. GERMAN CITIES RAIDED. The Air Ministry reports:—Despite the enemy's determined protective efforts, consisting of large numbers of aeroplanes ,and increased numbers of anti-aircraft guns, wo heavily attacked five important German towns and live aerodromes. We attacked Frankfort and Cologne on the night of August 22, with very good results. Bombs landed all round the stations and barracks.

We also .successfully attacked Treves railway junction. We heavily bombed four aerodromes, hitting many hangars. We attacked chemical factories at Mannheim on the morning of August 22, and we successfully bombed our objectives. The fiercest fighting occurred on the return journey, as a result of which five British machines are missing. DUNKIRK BOMBED. A French communique reports:— Last evening the Germans bombed Dunkirk with shells of great calibre, and seven civilians were killed and one injured. AMERICAN SUCCESSES. RAILWAY XARDS BOMBED. An American official message states: —We carried out a successful raid northward of the Ve6le. Our aviators on August 21 and 22 successfully bombed the railway' yards at Longuyon, Caudon le Komman and Couflans, with many direct hits.

AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION. s IMPROVEMENT HOPED FOR, Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn. WASHINGTON, August) 23. > The Senate Committee investigating iiircraft production scathingly ile. Bounces the incompetency, mismanagement ond delays shown in tho first year of the war. It recommends a' separate Department of AviUlion, on the British modelMillions of dollars were wasted in experimenting in aircraft when good Allied models were available. Inexperienced automobile manufacturers were allowed to dominate the aircraft programme. Many defective machines were sent to Geneva! Pershing. The committee hopes that frhe production will soon urprove.