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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 0330.PDF
uncertain voice what is required of them as a corollary to the premeditated wholesale murders which have so effectively been carried through. We are not alarmists. We have from the first held the opinion that although the raiding of London by aircraft is a possibility—nay even a probability—that the resultant, from a military aspect, will be negligible. There would naturally be individual calamities, which, however regrettable, could have no possible bearing upon the great main issue for which the world is at war. But it would be but the action of an imbecile to allow any chances of help from " inside' the camp, when there are ways and means of •encompassing such chances. There may or may not be any real reason to think that, synchronising with the much-prophesied aerial attack on the Metropolis in the very near future which is promised, a number of fires are Jikely to break out " promiskus like " throughout London. But why take any chances ? Prevention is better than cure, and by " caring for " all alien-born subjects, under official bar and bolt, at least each and every one of such subjects will require little other proof that they were not concerned in such abominable plots. Feeling runs high now, as may be gathered from the rousing episodes reported from all parts of the country. The action of the members of the Stock Exchange, the Baltic and similar establishments is a warning note which *he Government cannot afford to ignore. Action, imme diate and drastic, should be inaugurated, and every pre caution taken to ensure that, at least during the period of the war, the mad beasts of Europe shall have no assistance from their blood sympathisers in our midst. Undoubtedly many cases will occur in which only whole hearted sympathy would be but in keeping. But this is no time for differentiation. The few must suffer for the possible misdeeds of the majority, and perhaps they may still live to bless the day that they no longer reside in the land of their birth. For their own protection it would be but a gracious act on the part of the Government to lake them into its safe keeping. An infuriated public is hardly a body to exercise discretion, and there is every reason to see ahead an outbreak of passion in protest against the inhumanities which have been perpetrated through the German nation, as will be with difficulty restrained. The writing on the wall is there. Let those ® ® Another R.F.C Honour. IN a supplement to the London Gazette issued on Saturday it mi announced thai the King had been graciously pleased to approve of the appointment of the undermentioned officer to he Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, in recognition of his gallantry and devotion to duly whilst serving with the Expeditionary Force:— l.iiu'enanl 1-anoc George Hawker, Royal Engineers and R.F.C. I'nr conspicuous gallantry on April 19th, 1915, when he Micceeded in dropping bombs on the German airship shed at Gontrode from a height of only 200 feet, under circumstances of the greatest risk. Lieutenant Hawker displayed remarkable ingenuity in utilising an occupied German captive balloon to shield him from tire whilst manoeuvring to drop the bombs. The Roll of Honour. THK following casualties in the Royal Flying Corps allached to the Expeditionary Force have been officially notified by the War Office:— Under date May 3rd : Wounded. Lieutenant C. W. Anstey, S. Wales Borderers and R.F.C Second Lieutenant C. F. O. Master, Wiltshire Regt. and R.F.C. lieutenant N. C. .Spratt, R.F.C. MAY 14, i9,5 in authority take heed before it is too late. When Germany can officially justify its action of sending, with out warning, non-combatant men, women, and children to their doom by asserting that the " Lusitania " was an armed cruiser, and bolster up their aerial raid upon Southend and other seaside resorts with the official notification that they are fortified towns, all hope of inspiring the smallest spark of honour in their minds must go by the board. The only thing to keep steadfastly in front is that recruiting must be maintained and that every able man must be made to realise the necessity for his joining up. By that means only can we hope to come out on top at the end, knowing that in fighting to a finish, we have waged this unholy war in the interests of the civilised world—not merely as a nation fighting a nation—and have suc ceeded. The words of Mr. Lloyd George, last week, when speaking at the Newspaper Press Fund annual gathering, may well be taken to heart. The sooner the vital nature of the present struggle is realised, the sooner will the end be. Thus spoke the Chancellor of the Exchequer:— " We accepted this war for a worthy object, and this war will end when that object is attained, and this must be the sentiment of every true-hearted Britisher to-day—under God I hope it will never end until that time comes. " What is that object, that supreme object ? The freedom of Europe ! This desolating war has been forced upon us by an arro gant military caste who sought to enslave Europe ; who thought they had perfected a machine that would tear through the vitals of Europe and leave it bleeding and crushed at their feet. The Prussian means to dominate the world. That is a mania which has possessed military castes almost in every century. Once or twice have they succeeded, and that has upset the balance of many who thought they could follow. But although they will not succeed, nevertheless to overthrow that ambition will cost Europe a ghastly price in blood and in treasure. Our share of that price we must be prepared to pay or for ever sink into a degrading vassalage, a poor end for a splendid Empire that was to lead the world in the paths of liberty. " I wonder now whether the nation fully realises what the issue is, what the issue would be if defeat were possible. . . . " Russia is to be broken, France and any other nation that will stand up to this mighty Power must go ; Russia, a toothless bear chained in its pit, France with no wings to soar or spurs to defend itself, Britain a harmless whale in the German ocean fit only for blubber for Germany. A pretty picture ! But do not imagine that the Prussian does not mean it all. The nation has got to realise it i it has not quite done so yet." ® @ The following casualties in the Royal Naval Division in the Dardanelles was reported by the Admiralty :— Under date May 3rd : Killed in Action. Lieutenant-Commander (temporary) James R. Boothby, R.N.V.R., Armoured Car Division. Wounded, Squadron-Commander Charles E. Risk (temporary Major, Royal Marines), Armoured Car Division. Under date May 4th : Wounded. Lieutenant-Commander Stanley Lambert, R.N.V.R., Armoured Car Division. Sub-Lieutenant Lord Loughborough, R.N.V.R., Armoured Car Division. Under date May 5 th : Wounded, bub-Lieutenant Lionel W. HunUngton, R.N.V.R., Armoured Car Division. Under date May 9th : Wounded, bub-Lieutenant Douglas Illingworth, R.N.V.R., Armoured Car Division, R.N.A.S. Under date May 10th : Wounded. Lieutenant-Commander Josiah C. Wedgwood, R.N.V.R,, M.P., Armoured Car Division.
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