GREAT ACTIVITY IN THE AIR

Waikato Times, Volume 87, Issue 13270, 28 August 1916, Page 5

GREAT ACTIVITY IN THE AIR

TWELVE ENEMY MACHINES BOUGHRT DOWN, INCLUDING FOUR FOKKERS.

ENEMY RAIDS ON SOUTH-EAST COAST OF ENGLAND AND LONDON

BRITISH ZEPPELINS SUPERIOR TO THOSE OF THE ENEM\

CAUSE ANXIETY IN GERMANY—COUNT ZEPPELIN'S PROPOSALS

MARVELLOUS ESCAPES DURING THE RAID ON LONDON

RETURNING RAIDERS FIRED MX BY DITCH

ONE DAMAGED AND COMPELLED TO DESCEND

(Australian and N.Z. Canle Assn.) LONDON, August 2'',. Sir Douglas llaig reports: —"Aerial combats have taken piace along thf whofe front. Twelve enemy machines, including four Fokkers, have been brought down at various points. AMSTERDAM, August ■>>'<. A Cerman communique, in a report of recent operations. says; "Near Maurepas live enemy aeroplanes have been brought down." A Rerlin official message says: "Several airships attaeki'd the soutii-ea>t coast of England, and dropped many bombs on the city and tlx- south-western part of London, on Hie batteries at. Harwich and Folkestone, and also on many ships in the Dover roadstead. Mood results were observed elsewhere. Ail the airships returned safely, despite a heavy bombardment." LONDON, August The Oeneva corespondent of the Daily Express says He' appearance of British Zeppelins is causing anxiety in Germany, it is reported that Count Zeppelin presided at a conference of aircraft experts at Friedrielishaven, at vvhieli it was proposed that German airships shauld have less beam, be less cumiiersome, and carry a smaller load of bombs, with a view to the crew giving more attention to speed, so Ilia! they would be belter able lo cop.' wilh ill■ ■ British Zeppelins. The Kaiser's consent to the change is awailed. The Daily Express slates I hat new British Zeppelins have appeared on the Danish coast on patrol duty. They showed they were able lo outrange the There were many marvellous escapes from wrecked buildings during the Germans' lasl air raid. An old lady who was in bed in a room mi the upper

floor of a house fell wiili her bed into iln- mum below. She was almost buried in t!ie debris, but. wns rescued. She was seriously injured. iillht ladies • 'scoped from the lower floors of buildings. The liremen rescued a number. Thirty bomiis fell in one area, and several peuple were killed or injured. One bomb landed in a van, and killed ihe driver and the horse. Three persons were killed in one house. Some almshouses were partially wrecked. One roider, which was at a great height, was under gunfire for several minutes. The searchlights were playing on it, and shells were bursting around it. Most of ils bombs fell into the sea. The raider lied in Hie direction of Ostend. The Central News Agency states that the Jitv of the Dutch frontier guards severely damaged one of the Zeppelins whilst it was passing over Maastricht, the capital of the Dutch frontier province of Limbur j, on Friday. The airship was compelled to descend near Liege. \ message from Kol!cr<!am also stab's that the Dutch fired on two of the reluming raiders which were above Dutch territory, and were thus violating ihe laws of neutrality. Reuter\s Telegrams.) PAI{IS, \MLU-i -2.;. A semi-oflleial docum-ml captured by the French shows thai ihe Germans are m great di(Tien! ii< s regarding the manning of aeroplanes. An oflieer's diary admits thai tiie Herman airmen ore for inferior to the French or lirilish, •••nd says this has the worst effect upon the German morale.