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Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0407.PDF
M*v ii, I9i$- •' A German squadron freely and successfully dropped bombs on ihe railway establishments in the Noblette and Auve Valley, in Champagne, as well as on the aerodrome at Suippe." Berlin, May ftih. " To the south of Warneton Sergeant Fremiti b.ought down a fourth English biplane, and has theieby put his fourth enemy aero plane out of action. His Majesty the Emperor has given expression to his appreciation of the achievements of the capable aviator by promoting him to rank of an officer. " To the south-east of Diedenhofen a French machine was forced to land, and -ts occupants were taken p isoners. A great number of French captive balloons broke loose last night owing to a sudden storm and floated over our lines. More than 15 have been salved up to the present." Berlin, May 7th. "On Friday afternoon a hos'ile aeroplane was brought down in the course'of an air fight off the coast of Flanders, one of our torpedo-boats assisting. The approach of British forces prevented the rescue of the occupants. One of our torpedo-boats yesterday captured a British aeroplane off the coast of Flanders undamaged, the occupants, both officers, being also captured." Berlin, May 8M. "Two French 'D' biplanes fell to the ground in a burning condition over Cote de Froide Tefre." Austrian. Vienna, May t,th " Last night an enemy airship crossed our lines at Wippach and dropped some bombs. It then proceeded in a northerly direction across the Idenia Valley, towards Laibach and Salloch. On its return our artillery fire cut it off near Dornburg, and the airship, which was simultaneously attacked by our aviators was set on fire and fell a wreck near the drill-ground at Goruia. The four occu pants were killed. Yesterday several of our aeroplanes.attacked the Italian camp near Vilesse, and returned safely after dropping numerous bombs and taking part in a heavy aerial engagement. " At 3 o'clock this afternoon a squadron of our seaplanes bom barded the railway station, a sulphur factory, and the barracks at Ravenna with good effect. Conflagrations were observed in rtie •-.; j».T . • • - From Other Mr. A. Beaumont, writing to the Daily Telegraph from Milan on May 2nd, says :— " The impression left by the information from Switzerland is that Germany has thrown down her task before Verdun as hopeless. A certain amount of activity will continue to be shown opposite Verdun and also in the Vo.-ges, where German aeroplanes fly in numerous squadrons, making daily demonstrations, but meanwhile there is a strong suspicion that a considerable amount of artillery is lieing removed from the Verdun front every night, and started on its way towards the Russian frcnt "Meanwhile there are certain other indications also that Ger many is conveying vast aviation material to the Russian front, which is always a premonition that she is preparing some big offensive.'' The Times correspondent at Pctrograd, wiring on May 3rd, says:— " With the advent of warm weather German airmen have greatly developed their activity, chiefly on the northern front. " Flights for reconnaissance purposes are usually undertaken by single machines, which, miintaining a great altitude, endeavour to cross the line of fire unperceived. More frequently, however, the objects of these raids are aggressive, when several aeroplanes par ticipate, and in order to strike their target fly comparatively low, generally within range of artillery fire. Hitherto, despite the perfection of the enemy's machines, the material damage inflicted has been inconsiderable, and the moral effect nil. " The latest German armoured aeroplanes are effective only against rifle fire, and powerless to cope with shells. Last week our artillery on the northern front brought down four machines, one of which was captured with the pilot. " According to the latest estimates some 10 Zeppelins are now operating on this front, principally in reconnaissances which take them far afield. In spite of their strong a'mament they aoid en counters with our aeroplanes owing to the vulnerability of their envelope. Last week a Z-ppelin was sighted near Uexkiill making for Riga, whereupon two shrapnel shells were discharged, the second of which evidently damaged the enemy, who abr ip'ly veered to the south-west and disappe.red." The Daily Chronicle correspondent in Paris, writing on May 2nd, gives the following de'ails ot the exploit of the French pilot who attacked a Zeppelin :— " To the list of the intrepid aviators of France, famous for ex ceptional exploits, is now to be added the name of Sergeant Pilot Treille de Grandseigne, who has recently attacked in succession a German cruiser and a Zeppelin off the Belgian coast. (/UGHT) sulphur factory and at the railway station. Although heavily bom barded by two anti-aircraft batteries, all the aeroplanes returned. " At the same time a reconnoitring torpedo-boat flotilla met fow enemy destroyers to the South of the mouth of the tUvtMMfffffll long-range artillery engagement ensued, but we were unabU- to « any success, as the superior speed of the enemy did not allow ot out coming to close quarters. Several of our aeroplanes participated in the fighting and attacked the enemy vessels with machine-guns." Vienna, .tAii- §tk. " The day before yesterday our aviators dropped bombs on the railway junction of Zdolbunovo, south of Rovno. It is stated that the station, working shops, rolling stock and the railway linen were hit. Several buildings caught fire. " On Thursday morning our seaplanes bombarded V*lona and in the afternoon Brindisi. At Valona the batteries and the aerodrome were several times effectively hit. In Brindisi railway trains, the station warehouses, the arsenal and a group ot destroyers lying close together were several times hit. Many bombs exploded in the town. An ascending hostile aeroplane was immediately chased. On the way back, far out to tea, the cruiser Marco Polo was observed with the crew standing close together on deck. The ship was fired at with machine guns. In spite of the heavy antiaircraft fire, all our aeroplanes returned safely from Valona and Brindui." Turkish. Cmstantinepk, Mjy $th. " On the day of the capitulation of Km el-Amara one tit our aeroplanes, piloted by Captain Schiltr., sueceeded^n thootia? down in an air fight an enemy aeroplane, which was captured by us. The pilot was found dead, but the observer was captured. On the same day Captain SchUt* brought down a second machine, the occupants of which fell into our hands wounded." Cemtantinopjt, May 7/A. " One of the Iximbs dropped on May 3rd on bmyrna by two hostile aeroplanes hit a goods train. Three persons were slightly wounded. On the same day a hostile aeroplane flying ov< r Oiresserah was brought down north of that town. The pilot was captured. He had promisee some approaching Bedouins money it they would facilitate his escape." Sources. '• The latter affair took place at about 2 o'clo.k last Wednesday morning, when De Grandseigne e icouuleied in the North. Sea, aUiut 13 miles out from Zeebrugge, one of the German dirigibles returning from th ir raid on the Thames estuary. " With a naval gunner he was piloting a French army machine of the type called aviun-can< n, or gun plane. They were at the great height of 12,000 ft. when the Zeppelin came in sight, and, careless of the fac that should it be injured and fall into the s a their machine hid none of the floating power of a hydroplane, they at once attacked. Nineteen incendiary shells were fired, and, though no decisive success ciuld be seen in the darkness, the dir'gible i^ believed to have been several times nit and seriously damaged " Fuller details are now available of the other adventure which took place during the night of April 15th. De Grands igne and his gunner had already distinguished themselves by night flights over the sea, in one of which they demolished a searchlight which was playing on them over Ostend. "Leaving their camp at 9.15 on the night in question, and passicg Nieuport and Middclkerke at a height of scarcely 1,500 ft., they were soon to the landward side of Ostend. Here De Grand seigne noticed that signals were passing between the harboui and two red lights at sea, which he divined to be G.rman ships. Th s was the prey he had hoped for. " Falling to only 300 ft. above the water, he approached, and found them to be two cruisers apparently making for Zeebrogge. The aeroplane was now under hre, but although several shell-, exploded near it, it was not touched. Meanwhile Dc Grandseigne'* gunner dad fired sixteen shells, repeatedly striking one of the cruisers, which must have been considerably damaged. Their ammunition exhausted, the aviators rose out of range and returned safely to their base. "This is the first time a land machine ban attack-.d a warship at sea, and there arc only two or three cases of hydroplanes doing SO. " Sergeant Pilot Treille de Grandseigne, who is only 25 years old, and has done two years' military aviation service, after making several remarkable flights as a civilian, had already been decorated for several exploits." Mr. G. Ward Price, writing to the Daily Telegraph from Salonica on Saturday night, said:— " The twelve men of the Zeppelin crew, who were captured by the French as they came out of the shelter of the thick reeds of the marshes, consist of one lieu'enant, three second lieuenants, and eight non commissioned officers, all Germans. They say that they are the whole crew of the airship, and as all are skilled ratings this 407
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