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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 0025.PDF
JANUARY 8, 1915. [/Gffl AIRCRAFT WORK AT THE OFFICIAL INFORMATION. FRONT. THE subjoined memorandum from the Director of the Admiralty Air Department appeared in a supplement to the London Gazette published on January 1st:— "December 17 th, 1914. "On November 21st, 1914, Squadron Commander E. F. Briggs, Flight Commander J. T. Babington, and Flight Lieutenant S. V. Sippe, Royal Navy, carried out an aerial attack on the Zeppelin airship sheds and factory at Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance. "Leaving French territory shortly before 10 a.m., they arrived over their objective at about noon, and, although under a very heavy rifle, machine-gun, and shrapnel fire from the moment they were sighted, they all three dived steeply to within a few hundred feet of the sheds, when they released their bombs—in all eleven. " Squadron Commander Briggs was wounded, brought down, and made a prisoner, but the other two officers regained their starting-point after a flight of more than four hours across hostile country under very bad weather conditions. " It is believed that the damage caused by this attack includes the destruction of one airship and serious damage to the larger shed, and also the demolition of the hydrogen-producing plant, which had only lately been completed. Later reports stated that flames of consider able magnitude were seen issuing from the factory immediately after the raid." In the despatch dated December 31 st from the " Eye witness " present with the British Headquarters, issued through the Press Bureau on January 2nd, there was the following :— " On Wednesday, the 30th, to our north the German aviators displayed more activity than they have lately shown, dropping bombs on Dunkirk and Fumes. The day was bright and frosty, favouring aerial recon naissance." In the communique issued in Paris January 1st, there was the following :— " Our aviators made a night bombardment of the railway stations of Metz and Arnaville." The following appeared in the despatch from at 3 p.m. on the French " Eyewitness " with the troops, issued in Paris on December 30th :— "Notwithstanding the extreme difficulty caused by clouds, rain, fog, and wind, our squadrons of aeroplanes and dirigibles have done excellent work. One of the latter on the night of the 17th dropped 15 bombs on the railway station at Sarrebourg, and on that at Petit Eich five bombs, and 1000 arrows on a train in the station at Helming. The damage done was considerable, and admitted by the German newspapers. "On several occasions, on the 18th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd, our aeroplanes chased the German machines, and compelled them to land. On the 18th one of our aviators killed by rifle shots a German pilot, whose machine was ultimately smashed on the ground. Another near Arras put to flight a hostile aeroplane by firing 20 carbine shots at it. On the 22nd another of our officers, pursued by an Albatros, succeeded in bringing back to our lines his machine that was badly damaged by the bursting of shells. " Several aeroplanes, notwithstanding the state of the atmosphere, threw bombs and arrows on the trenches on the 18th, on massed troops of the enemy on the 19th and 20th, on railway stations and trains on the 20th and 22nd, on a captive balloon on the 25th, and on Strasburg and the railway station at Dieuze on the 22nd. " The Prince of Teck has expressed his sincere thanks to the chief of the aviators who have been operating on the Belgian coast in conjunction with the British naval squadron. These aviators have, indeed, done useful work in regulating the range of guns and watching the enemy's submarines." ® ® ® ® WINGED.—A German Taube in the tree tops. 25
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