BRITISH FAR FROM OUT= CLASSED.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 16949, 10 April 1917, Page 5

BRITISH FAR FROM OUT= CLASSED.

LONDON, April 8. Sir Douglas Haig leports:—We progressed at a number ou points between JSelency and Jepcourt, and reached the outskirts of Fresiiy-Le-Petit. Our aeroplanes oh the "sth. and '3th continually harassed the enemy's ociiimumcations, seeking out his fighting machines to a considerabel di^i ice m the rear. Seventeen hundred photographs have been taken of kir^e trnc's of enemy country many miles to the rear. Despite repeated atieinp's to prevent-it, the co-operation of tne artillery was not hindered.

Seventeen successful bomb raids w.ere conducted on enemy aerodromes, ammunition depots, and railways a long distance in his rear, and there was intense aerial fighting in large formations. Twenty-eight of our machines are missing, but many of. the enemy's are known to have been shot down. Fifteen hostile maenmes were actually seen to crash down, and 31 others were driven down damaged, the large majority being undoubtedly destroyed. It is authoritatively stated that the rumour that we are outclassed by the German aircraft is unfounded. Our air service is liable to heavy losses because they are doing specially heavy reconnaissance work. Everything possible, is being done to augment the supply of the latest aircraft.