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Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0154.PDF
(/USED FEBRUAKT 24, 1916. THE "X" AIRCRAFT RAIDS. IN view of the decision of the Government tnot to allow details of aircraft raid* to be published, we are, as before, giving to each one an index number. Eventually, when details are available, we shall give the respective information under these index numbers, which will facilitate easy reference to each particular raid. The following announcements have been officially issued :— "X19" and "20" Raids (Lowestoft and Walmer). " War Office, Sunday, 8.35 p.m. " Four German seaplanes carried out a raid over the East and South-East Coasts at about noon to-day. " The first raiders, two in number, both biplanes, appeared over Lowestoft at 10.55 a.m. They circled over the south side of the town for about 5 minutes and dropped bombs. In about 5 minutes they rose to a great height and seemingly vanished. At 11.10 a.m. the two seaplanes were again over the town and then vanished eastwards again. Altogether 17 small high-explosive bombs were dropped. There were no * casualties. Considerable damage was caused to the outbuildings of a restaurant and to two dwelling houses. Two naval seaplanes went up at 11.5 a.m. and pursued the raiders, but without result. '' Meanwhile two other German seaplanes were making for the Kentish coast. The first passed over the Kentish Knock Light- vessel, dropping bombs in that vicinity at 11.20 a.m. The last raider made straight for Walmer, reaching that town at 11.27 a.m. Flying at less than 3,500 ft. altitude, it dropped six bombs and turned sharply back to the east. Two bombs fell, destroying roofs and breaking windows, in the neighbourhood. One of these bombs fell close to a church, blowing out the windows, as the congregation were singing the 'Te Deum.' A third bomb fell on the roadway running along the beach, killing one man (civilian) and injuring one marine. " The total casualties amounted to two men and one boy killed and one marine wounded. " Two of our aeroplanes went up from Dover, and were over Walmer at 11.15 a.m. They pursued the raider, but apparently could not overtake him." «' War Office, Feb. 21st. " Later information obtained states that the casualties at Walmer were over-estimated, the total being one lad of 16 or 17 killed, and another of the same age injured. " About twenty shop fronts in the town were blown in." German Version. " Berlin, Feb. 21st. " On February 20th, at noon, naval air machines attacked the English coast. Factories at Deal, railway and harbour works and a gasometer at Lowestoft were liberally bombarded, with good results. The main station and the harbour at Lowestoft were hit several times. The gasometer collapsed from the effects of the bombs. In the Downs two tank steamers were pelted. Despite bombardment and pursuit by enemy airmen our air machines all returned safe." ® ® ® ® THE ROLL THE Secretary of the Admiralty has announced the following casualties:— Under date February 15 th : Drowned. Flight Sub-Lieutenant HerbertlJ. Page, R.N. Flight Sub-Lieutenant Bernard'R. Lee, R.N. Under date February 18th : Seriously Injured. Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant Thomas C. Angus, R.N. Under date February 20th: Killed. Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant Francis H. Toms, R.N. Under date February 21st: Killed. Commander Neville F. TJsborne, R.N. (Wing-Commander, R.N.) Lieutenant-Commander de Courcy W. P. Ireland, R.N. (Squadron-Commander, R.N.). The following casualties in the Expeditionary Force have been reported from General Headquarters:— Under date February 1 ith : Wounded. Second Lieutenant C. Faber, Royal Flying Corps. OF HONOUR. Undated: Killed. Second Lieutenant E. A. Cave, Royal Flying Corps. 6679 2nd Class Air-Mechanic F. Charles, Royal Flying Corps. Previously Officially reported Missing, now Unofficially reported Killed. Lieutenant E. S. Wilkinson, London R. (T.F.), 1st Batt. (R. Fus.), and R.F.C. Previously reported Missing, now reported Died of Wounds as a Prisoner of War. Lieutenant A. R. H. Browne, Royal Flying Corps. Wounded. 2551 1st Class Air-Mechanic F. Thomasson, Missing. 4473 Sergeant T. N. Palmer ; 3318 2nd Class Air-Mechanic W. C. Pass, Royal Flying Corps. The following casualties have been reported from Egypt :— Under date February 15th: Killed. Second Lieutenant T. G. Hakewill, Royal Flying Corps. Second Lieutenant R. Yates, Royal Flying Corps. ® ® ® ® The Government's Insurance Scheme. REPLYING to Lord Parmoor in the House of Lords on the 17th inst., regarding the Government's Insurance Scheme, Lord Newton (Paymaster-General) said that up to the end of last November over 1,100,000 proposals for insurance had been accepted. Twenty-two per cent, of these were for combined insurances against aircraft raids and bombardments, and 78 per cent, for aircraft risk only. In addition, 65,900 certificates of insurance against aircraft and bombardment risks had" been issued through the Post Office to owners of small property up to the 12th inst., the sums insured aggregating more than ^3,800,000. This was under a special scheme introduced last November for the benefit of people who desired to insure property of a less value than ^100. Asked by Viscount St. Aldwyn as to whether there was any intention of revising the rates for agricultural property, which seemed enormous compared with those of the ordinary fire insurance, Lord Newton promised to inquire. London's Anti-Alrcrait Defences. IN the House of Commons on the 17th inst., Sir Clement Kinloch-Cooke asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether trained members of the R.N.A.S. Anti-Aircraft Corps have been removed from certain gun and light stations in or near London and their places taken by younger men and officers selected from the Army ; if this has been done, why the change has been made ; and whether the men so displaced are kept on full pay without being given employment of any kind. Mr. Tennant, who said he had been asked by the First Lord of the Admiralty to answer the question, stated both naval and military personnel have been employed for some time in the anti-aircraft defences of London. Necessarily they are employed where their services are most useful and convenient, and they are moved as may be necessary at the discretion of the Field-Marshal Commanding-in- Chief the Home Forces. In one or two instances men may have been withdrawn, but that has been because they were required at other stations, and where they have been withdrawn they have been moved straight to these new stations. No men have been displaced and kept unemployed. Further information regarding this subject will be found in the statement made by Lord Kitchener in the House of Lords and reproduced on p. 161. 154
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