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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 0120.PDF
f/JLJCHT] reprisals should there be any more raids on unfortified places such as have taken place on our East Coast. One of the most satisfactory features of the raid is that every one of the pilots and observers, although exposed to heavy fire from rifles, anti-aircraft guns and mitrail leuses, succeeded in returning safely. It is true that in the first raid two out of the thirty-four machines were damaged, but this is a small price to pay for an under taking which, while associated with considerable risk, was so rich in its material, as it must have been in its moral, effect. The raids, while forming another instance of the marked efficiency of the British flying services over those of the enemy, also bring into strong relief our methods of working on purely military lines, as against the woeful destruction of non-combatants as practised by the Germans. This is fully appreciated by neutrals, and especially so in America, where very glowing tributes have been paid in the American press. In striking con trast to the German expeditions to England, the fact is commented on that the attacks of the British flying officers were directed against fortified submarine stations. American military critics are also reported to have ex pressed the opinion that such a large fleet of aeroplanes, piloted by men who know how to handle them, would be more than a match for any Zeppelin invasion of England. One American writer goes so far as to state that " it is clear that any squadron of German war vessels engaged in a descent upon the English coast would have to reckon with the efficiency of the men ' who are now asserting their mastery of the air as well as of the sea.' Indeed, one of the surprises of the war, from the American stand point, has been the skill and audacity of the British aviators and the speed and stability of their machines." It is not only in their capability as pilots that our officers are demonstrating their increasing and marked success ; it is also in their offensive work that they are excelling anything yet done by the enemy, as each week fewer bombs are being wasted, and more are hitting their mark, showing that whether it be for observation or attacking work, our officers can be relied upon to get home on their quarry. One result of these raids emerges, as we always felt that it would, viz., that air attacks are more effective en masse than when only one or two aeroplanes are operating together, as by assailing the enemy at a number of points simultaneously he becomes completely distracted, and by degrees our ascendancy in the mastery of the air is further asserted. Before the end of the war, even the great work which has already been accomplished by our flying services will probably sink into insignificance beside what is likely to eventuate in the next few months. There is the possibility, as we suggested last week, that the aero plane will ultimately prove to be the natural and most effective enemy of the submarine. And we shall look forward with considerable interest to developments in this direction, having regard to the fool blockade which is supposed to come into being on Thursday of this week. In the meantime the eulogistic references to the Royal Flying Corps in Sir John French's latest despatch must be a source of congratulation to all those who in the past have so consistently believed in and strenuously fought for the building up of this arm of our forces to the highly efficient state which it has now attained. To elaborate the references by Sir John French would be to spoil them, and the following single extract should be sufficient to open the pockets of every FEBRUARY 19, 1915. thinking person for the purpose of subscribing to the Flying Services Fund which is now in active operation under the auspices of the Royal Aero Club. Sir John French's words are as follows :— "The Royal Flying Corps has again performed splended service. Although the weather was almost uniformly bad and the machines suffered from constant exposure, there have been only thirteen days on which no actual reconnaissance has been effected. Approximately, one hundred thousand miles have been flown. " In addition to the daily and constant work of reconnaissance and co-operation with the artillery, a number of aerial combats have been fought, raids carried out, detainments harassed, parks and petrol depots bombed, &c." Beyond the tribute paid to the Royal Flying Corps in the Commander-in-Chief's despatch the following signifi cant paragraphs form part of the early general remarks in this document:— " To cause anything more than a waste of ammunition long-range artillery fire requires constant and accurate observation ; but this most necesssary condition is rendered impossible of attainment in the midst of continual fog and mist. " Again, armies have now grown accustom<d to rely largely on aircraft reconnaissance for accurate information of the enemy ; but the effective performance of this service is materially influenced by wind and weather." * * «• Arising out of this raid, and adventures Honourable 0f a simjiar character carried out by the Murderers? German fleet, we recently advocated our following the example of Russia in treating those who participate in such dastardly work as criminals, and when captured to let them stand their trial at the criminal court in the same way that an ordinary murderer of women and children, or a burglar, has to submit to. No doubt the position of the German General Staff is becoming desperate, and accordingly they are indulging in desperate deeds in every phase of their operations, but their desperation does not justify the entire abolition of all international and civilised laws. It seems therefore any thing but a satisfactory outcome that the Prime Minister last week in replying to a question emanating from Lord Charles Beresford upon the subject, stated that he was not prepared to make any general statement; each case as it came along must be decided on its merit. The exact wording of Lord Charles Beresford's question was as follows :— "Whether His Majesty's Government would, for the future, treat German raiders from the air and sea, when captured, as pirates, and publicly hang them for the murder of women and children in undefended places, when proved guilty of that crime after trial by court- martial, instead of treating them as honourable foes." Parliamentary replies are, of course, always of a guarded nature, but in this case we feel that a bold declaration should have been forthcoming that the perpetrators of any further hostile raids over non-military parts of our country would, if caught, be tried for murder or attempted murder, and, if found guilty, condemned to the punishment the law of the land provides for such crimes. So long as the Huns confine their attacks to points that are in accord ance with all written and unwritten laws of warfare as military stations, we can offer no objection to whatever they may attempt to do, but such piratical raids as the Germans have so far indulged in merit only one punish ment—the handing over to the hangman of all who are caught in the act and are found guilty of killing civilians who have not the right to protect themselves against an armed and uniformed foe. It is hardly possible for us to say what the opinion of their fellow prisoners would be, but from a British point
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