EPIC OF 1918.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20278, 12 April 1934, Page 1

EPIC OF 1918.

Dared Death to Stop Enemy. LONDON, April 6. “ Very low flying essential. All risks to be taken.” This grim order was issued by Air Chief Marshal (then Major-General) Sir John Salmond to the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force in March, 1918, when the Germans were sweeping ahead in their last great offensive on Somme and in Flanders. How gallantly those orders were carried out is shown by the fact that between March 21, when the German attack began, and April 29. the ending cf the Lys offensive, 1032 of the 1232 machines in action were lost. The volume of official history of the Great War dealing with air operations says that the airmen flew so low mach-ine-gunning the enemv that their wheels touched the earth. They even knocked down some of the Germans at whom they were firing, causing panic and disorganisation. Three Australian squadrons were engaged in the attempt to stem the German tide. They had been ordered to bomb and shoot everything and everybody they saw on the enemy’s side of the line. Of the 1032 planes lost 195 were never seen again, and 141 were burnt. The remainder were wrecked beyond repair. Australians’ Share. The official history prints statistics regarding the Fourth Australian Squadron during the German attacks in the neighbourhood of Bray, as an example of the work of the fighting squadrons. In one day. Lieutenants F. J. Scott, A. E. Robertson and G. M. Elwvn fired 900 rounds at troops and transports. They scored several direct hits with bombs on various targets. In four days the squadron’s fifteen available pilots flew more than 201 hours. The Australians were also active 'in the Battle of Lvs. In conjunction with five other squadrons, they dropped 300 bombs and fired 30,000 rounds on April 10. The history records that air observations before the Battle of Lys gave full warning of a new German thrust, but the High Command refused to believe that Ludendorff had abandoned his assault on Amiens! Richthofen’s End. Discussing the death of Richthofen, the German ace, the official history examines evidence regarding the share of the Australian machine-gunners Popkin and Weston and the Australian 53rd Battery Lewis gunners Evans and Buie. It reaches the conclusion that the Canadian. Captain Brown, who attacked Richthofen in the air, was responsible for the single bullet which brought him down. “ Richthofen’s plane was already out of control before the Australians opened fire from below.” the history states.