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Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0124.PDF
fTPGHT] FEBRUARY I->, 1916. AIRCRAFT WORK AT THE FRONT. OFFICIAL INFORMATION. British. General Headquarters, Feb. 5th. "Hostile aircraft has shown some activity about Ypres." General Headquarters, Feb. 6th. " On February 5th there were twenty-eight combats in the air. In five cases German machines were driven down in the German lines, and a sixth machine was forced to descend with a stopped engine and a broken propeller. One of our machines which went out on reconnaissance duty did not return. " The winch of a hostile captive balloon was struck by a shell, and the balloon was lost." French. Paris, Feb. 2nd. Evening. "During the night of January 3ist-February 1st, a Zeppelin dropped several bombs on the port and town of Salonika. Two projectiles fell on the Greek Prefecture, and a third on the Caisse Generate of the Bank of Salonika, which was completely burnt. The other bombs caused only slight damage to property. The number of victims among the civilian population was 11 killed and 15 injured, while two soldiers were killed and one injured. " An enemy aeroplane was brought down by one of our machines between Topsin and Verria (west of Salonika). The two aviators, a captain and a subaltern, were taken prisoners." Paris, Feb. $lh. Evening. " This morning, towards 11.30 a.m., Sergeant-Pilot Guynemer fought an enemy aeroplane in the region of Frise, and brought it down in a burning condition between Assevillere and Herbecourt. This is the fifth enemy machine brought down by Sergeant Guynemer." Russian. Petrograd, Feb. 1st. " In the region of the village of Godutsischki, east of Svientziany, our aviators bombarded enemy convoys and a train." Petrograd, Feb. 3rd. " On the Middle Strypa front our artillery brought down an enemy aeroplane, which fell in the enemy lines near Novostavze Zelena." Petrograd, Feb. 4th. " During an aerial reconnaissance to the north of Lake Narozc our aeroplanes, despite a violent fire from the enemy artillery, bombarded the enemy lines and convoys which they had noticed on the Vidzy road. They ecaped without injury from the fire of the enemy's artillery, both heavy and light. " On the front of the Middle Strypa one of our aeroplanes threw bombs on the station of Jezierna and on the rolling stock there. " North-east of Czernowitz our heavy guns, supported by aero planes, bombarded the enemy batteries in the district of the villages of Toporoutz and Rarancze. Petrograd, Feb. $th. "A large number of German aeroplanes flew over our position at Dvinsk, and some Zeppelins was observed." Petrograd, Feb. 6th. " The flights of German aircraft over the district of Riga and south of Uxkull continued. Our aviators dropped bombs on Mitau and the railway station and the bridge on the River Aa." Italian. Pome, Feb. 7th, ' " Along the whole Isonzo front more intense artillery and aircraft The Loss of the Zeppelin "L19." THE following announcement was issued by the Admiralty on February 3rd :— " A fishing trawler has reported to-day to the naval authorities that she has seen a German Zeppelin in the North Sea in a sinking condition," The following official communique was issued by the German Admiralty on February 4th :— "The naval airship ' L19'did not return from a reconnoitring cruise. All investigations have proved fruitless. According to a Reuter telegram the Grimsby trawler ' King Stephen' sighted on the 2nd inst. an airship floating in the North Sea, with her cars and the gasbag partly submerged. The crew were on the upper part of the balloon. Their request for rescue was refused by the English trawler under the pretext that her crew was weaker than that of the airship. The trawler returned to Grimsby." The Press Association correspondent at Hull reported that the captain of a French vessel reported having seen a Zeppelin destroyed in the North Sea on the morning of the 2nd inst. Two naval vessels which made a special search of the area failed to find any trace of the airship. activity on the part of the enemy is reported. Our artillery effect ively replied and compelled the hostile aeroplanes to keep at a great height. In the Zagora sector (middle Isonzo) one of our airmen daringly attacked two hostile machines, forcing them to take flight by the fire of its machine-gun." German. Berlin, Feb. 1st. " Balkan Theatre.—One of our airships attacked ships and depots belonging to the Entente in the port of Salonika with great success." Berlin, Feb. 2nd. "A large French aeroplane, hit by our anti-aircraft fire, fell down south-west of Chauney. The occupants were injured when taken prisoners. " Balkan Theatre. — Our aviators have noticed great fires in the port of Salonika, which have obviously been caused by our airship attack." Berlin, Feb. yd. " In the legion of Peronrse our airmen shot down an Anglo-French battle-aeroplane. Three of the occupants were killed, and the French observation officer is seriously injured." Berlin, Feb. $th. " One of our airships attacked the fighting positions at Dvinsk." Berlin, Feb. 6th. " Near Bapaume a British biplane was compelled to descend. The occupanls were taken prisoners." Berlin, Fib. 7th. " To the south-west of Widsy a Russian aeroplane, whose pilot had lost his way, fell into our hands in an undamaged condition." Austrian. Vienna. Feb. 4th. " On January 25th five, on January 27th two, and on February 1st three of our seaplanes successfully bombarded Durazzo, especially the encampment and tents near the town. Despite a heavy fire from coast batteries and war vessels our aircraft returned safely. On February 2nd Valona was bombarded by thiee sea planes. The harbour works and the various camps were struck several times. A heavy fire was opened by the coastal and naval batteries, and one seaplane was twice struck in her engine and was forced to descend on the sea. The commander of the air group, Naval Lieutenant Konjovic, immediately came down by the side of the damaged seaplane, and in spite of heavy wind and high seas succeeded, in face of the guns on the island of Saseno and of two destroyers approaching at full speed, in saving the two wounded flying officers and taking them in his own machime, subsequently completely destroying the damaged seaplane. Lieutenant Konjovic, with his double complement, returned safely to the Gulf of Cattaro after a flight of 140 miles. " A Russian air squadron dropped six bombs on Buczacz, killing two inhabitants and wounding six. Our aviators successfully torn- barded the terrain west of Czortkof and north of Zbaraz." Turkish. Constantinople, Feb. 6th. "On February 4th a Turkish battle aeroplane piloted by Lieutenant Kronhais pursued a British biplane. The latter was shot down between Imbros and Gaba Tepe, and fell into the sea." ® ® ® ® According to the mate of the trawler, his attention was attracted by a flashing light, and after getting in the gear the trawler was steered in that direction. It was then daylight, and eight men were seen on the top platform. The greater part of the airship was under water, and about fifty feet of the fore part of the envelope was above water. Subsequently about twenty men were seen, and others were apparently at work trying to repair the airship, as the sound of hammers was heard. As the crew of the trawler only numbered nine and they were unarmed, the skipper decided that it would be too risky to take the Germans on board, and as it appeared that the airship would probably keep afloat for some time, he made for the nearest point to report to the British naval authorities. It was reported in Amsterdam on February 2nd, that the "L19" was seen over Holland in the Island of Ameland on the previous day and that some sixty shots were fired at it by Dutch soldiers. It was believed that the airship, which was flying very low, was hit; it disappeared in a north easterly direction. In a French official communique sent cut by wireless on February 5th, it was stated :— " It is confirmed that the Zeppelin 'L19' was brought down by Dutch guns at the moment when, with their usual contempt of neutrality, the airship passed over Dutch territory," 124
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