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Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0143.PDF
FEBXUA*Y 17, 1916. l/ycBTj AIRCRAFT WORK AT THE FRONT. OFFICIAL INFORMATION. British. War Office, Feb. gth. " With reference to the Berlin Main Headquarters report, dated February 8th, 1916, to the effect that a German aeroplane squadron attacked Poperinghe railway buildings and camp, Sir Douglas Haig reports that a hostile aeroplane dropped four bombs near Poperinghe Station, but that no damage was done." General Headquarters, Feb. 10th. " Eighteen aeroplanes carried out a successful bombing raid yesterday on enemy huts at Terhand. Several huts were damaged and a steam lorry was hit. All our machines returned safely." General Headquarters, Feb. 12th. "The facts of the German aeroplane attack described in the German wireless of the 8th instant are as follows : " ' Eleven hostile machines appeared. One machine dropped three bombs about six miles behind our front line. It was driven down by two of our machines, crossing the line at 500 ft. The remainder did not face our patrols, nor did they cross the line.'" General Headquarters, Feb. 13th. " There has been considerable aerial activity by both sides about Ypres." War Office, Feb. 14th. "Mesopotamia.—A report dated February 13th from General Aylmer states that the situation is unchanged, and he also reports that an aeroplane flew over Kut, dropping two bombs, and that no damage was done." General Headquarters, Feb. 14th. "Yesterday there were seventeen fights in the air. As a result of one of these, a large hostile double-engine machine was driven down in the enemy's lines." French. Paris, Feb. 13/A. Evening. " A German aeroplane cannonaded by our batteries fell in flames to the east of Givenchy and was captured." Russian. Petrograd, Feb. 8M. "A squadron of our seaplanes attacked with bombs a large steamer anchored at the jetty at Zunguldak (on the Anatolian coast)." Italian. Rome, Feb. iyh. " Yesterday enemy aeroplanes flew over Codigero, in the pro vince of Ferrara, over Boterighe, in the province of Rovigo, and over Ravenna. Bombs were dropped and caused some casualties among the civilian population, fifteen persons being killed and a number wounded. Among the killed were several women and children. " At Codigero and Boterighe slight material damage is reported, but at Ravenna the civil hospital, which is a Red Cross station, was struck and damaged, as well as the Basilica of Santo Apollinare, a portion of the portico of which was destroyed." German. Berlin, Fib. 8lh. " A German aeroplane squadron attacked the camp at Poperinghe and the English camp between Poperinghe and Dixmude. After frequent fights with the enemy aeroplanes which ascended for defence, our squadron returned without loss." Berlin, Feb. gth. " In the Bois le Pretre an enemy aeroplane was shot down by our infantry. It fell down in flames, and the two occupants lost their lives." Berlin, Feb. 14M. "Our aeroplane squadron attacked the railway establishments and military encampments of the enemy on the northern portion of the front." Berlin, Feb. 13M. " Out aeroplanes bombarded enemy positions and railway establishments of La Panne and Poperinghe with bombs. "An attack made by an enemy aeroplane at Ghistelles, south of .Ostend, caused no damage whatever." ® ® AIRCRAFT AND THE WAR. THE Daily Mail correspondent at Athens, writing on February 9th, says:— " Information has been received from Mytilene that a squadron of French aeroplanes bombed Smyrna yesterday. The damage done is not stated." A Central News message from Amsterdam, dated February 10th, says :— " The Allies' aviators have again been very active. Bombs were thrown on German camps, parks of artillery, and buildings used for military purposes. Since February 3rd forty seven Allied airmen have executed raids on camps at Houlthust, causing serious damage." The following details of the air raid on Zunguldak were com municated from an authoritative source in Petrograd last week :— " The Russian seaplanes on February 6th dropped bombs upon the most important Turkish land establishments and constructions for hauling and loading coal, as well as upon a large enemy steamer lying near the jetty. The bombardment by the aircraft appeared to cause considerable damage, and fires were seen to break out both on shore and on numerous small wooden ships lying behind the quay. Some bombs were also observed to strike the steamer, which apparently suffered extensively. Despite an intense fire from the shore, all returned safe. While the seaplanes were rising from the water the Russian auxiliary cruiser was attacked by an enemy submarine, which fired a torpedo from a short distance. The cruiser, however, succeeded in evading it. The submarine was fired upon by the cruiser, and disappeared, not to be seen again." A correspondent of the Daily Mail at Hazebrouck, writing on Februaiy 5th, says :— "Two German aeroplanes flew over Hazebrouck (17 miles south west of Ypres) on Saturday morning towards II o'clock, and were driven away very quickly by the Allies' aircraft and shrapnel. The Germans flew on to Saint Omer, where one machine dropped several bombs, killing two British soldiers and a civilian. This aeroplane is stated to have been brought down near Saint Omer." The Daily Telegraph correspondent at Rome, writing on February nth, regarding the situation in Albania, says :— 'Essad's troops have good artillery at their disposal. His followers are excellent shots, and have succeeded in shooting down several Austrian aeroplanes, two of which have been captured." The Daily Mail correspondent at Rome, writing on February 13th, says:— " Italy is greatly enraged at the crime committed at Ravenna by Austrian airmen, who dropped bombs, killing fifteen persons, the majority of whom were women and children, and seriously damaging the Church of S. Appollinare Nuovo, one of the most beautiful and ancient churches of Ravenna. " This new act of vandalism, committed in spite of the repre sentations of the Pope to the Austrian Emperor, has caused a painful impression." The Daily Mail correspondent at Territet, writing on February 10th, says:— " During a visit by the German Crown Prince to St. Ludwig, Alsace, near Bale, on Tuesday afternoon, a large French air squadron was observed heading for the town. The alarm was immediately given and caused great commotion. " German aeroplanes set out to meet the invaders, the Crown Prince and his staff the while departing in their motor cars." Writing under date February 13th, the Daily Mail Parisian corre spondent says:— " When landing at the Chateauford aerodrome, near Buc, the other day, the French airman Neungessen meb with a serious accident. M. Neungessen, although only twenty-three years of age, is one of the finest pilots in the French Army. " Like Sergeant Guynemer, whose exploit was mentioned in the Daily Mail last Monday, he has brought down five German machines. At the beginning of the war he was in a cavalry regi ment, but transferred last year into the air service. As an aerial bombardier he took part in a raid on Ostend, and is said to have destroyed three enemy submarines. His third fight, with the German Fokker fighting scouts, was extremely exciting. Engaged with two enemy machines, he winged one with his quick-firing gun, and saw the observer pitch headlong to the ground. With another bullet he killed the pilot. The second Fokker fled. " The audacious young pilot wears the military medal, the War Cross, and the Cross of the Legion of Honour. " After the tragic death of Pegoud, the celebrated upside-down airman, Francois Pegoud, his brother, became very despondent. Yesterday morning he was found dead in a wood between Choisy- le-Roi and Versailles. He had committed suicide by hanging." An Exchange message from Athens, dated February 9th, says :— " German aeroplanes attempted yesterday to bombard the Allies' camps at Zeitinlik. They were cannonaded by our batteries, and disappeared northward." 143
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