FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0802.PDF
1/ilCHTf SEPTEMBER 14, 1916. From Other Sources. The Morning Post correspondent, writing from Petrograd on August 21st of the fighting in the marshy ground traversed by the tributaries of the Stokhod, says :— " Under such circumstances aeroplane activity is plainly suggested, and the Germans have concentrated this arm of their forces in remarkable strength at Kowel. Twice daily, morning and evening, flotillas, working together like fleets at sea, swoop down upon this difficult region, and, enjoying comparative immunity from artillery fire, and therefore flying lower than is customary nowadays at the Front, they do con siderable execution. This execution, to no small extent, is due to a new form of aeroplane bomb, which is exceptionally efficient. It is an Austrian production, and it is, I believe, the first contribution of Austrian inventiveness to the machinery of this war. Its main feature is a heavy rubber base, in which a detonator is embedded. But, principally, its effectiveness is due to the fact that the explosion radiates from the centre laterally and not upwards. Anywhere above a man's average stature there is comparative safety, even in close proximity to a bomb. In the space below that height, for a distance of 20 or 30 yards around, death or mutilation is almost certain. The effect of a rain of these new bombs from an aeroplane flotilla upon an area where dug-outs are impossible defies the imagination. During the first days of their use, when the enemy had the advantage of that deadly element in war—surprise—he gained some temporary suc cesses owing to the rain of destructive bombs which he was able to drop upon certain important centres. Now, however, that the element of surprise has evaporated, the Germans' success is markedly decreasing, as is the way with practically all enemy inventions in this war. . . . " On my way back from the Russian front I visited Minsk, arriving there only a few hours after a bombardment by German aeroplanes. The results were quite ridiculous from the point of view of serious warfare. I examined the places where the bombs exploded. About a score of people had been killed or injured, but only two of them were wearing uniform, and that not the military but the police uniform. A number of women on their way to market in the early morning were among the victims. One poor old market woman, sitting beside her basket of wares, lost both of her lower limbs. A girl, aged io, was killed. The material effect was merely to provide work for plasterers and glaziers. This is not war, but it amuses the Germans. One must congratulate them on succeeding in dropping every bomb into an open street. Not a single building «uffered damage beyond defacement of plas tered fronts and wholesale smashing of glass. " This particular bombardment was the German form of reprisal for Russian aviators' activity at Baranowitchi a few days before. Baranowitchi is a strategic point of prime significance for a certain part of the front, and is therefore a legitimate objective for all forms of warlike operations. It is the pivot of the German front, contains the immense stores of the German forward base, and is a thoroughly fortified centre. Minsk is none of these things, so that it would appear that the Germans, having been attacked by Russian aero planes in a purely war centre, look around for the nearest convenient township and make an air raid on it in retaliation and in order to provide news for the German press. At any rate, no other war purpose can be served by such raids upon peaceful townships. The Russians the same night heavily avenged this reckless killing and wounding of women and civilians. Several of their big ' Dreadnought' aeroplanes again visited Baranowitchi and dropped a quarter of a ton of bombs on military stores at the station and in the artillery magazines. Thirteen took effect, and terrific explosions and large columns of flame indicated the extent of the damage done." Mr. Edmund Candler, writing to the Times from Mesopo tamia on August 25th, states :— " On the Tigris front military operations during the last month, excepting the usual sniping and continual harassing of the enemy with artillery fire, have been confined mainly to air raids and encounters with hostile aircraft. On August 12th our machines brought down an enemy Fokker in an en counter on the river bank opposite Magasis Fort, near Kut. Our guns opened on a stranded machine and destroyed it. " At night on August 14th our aeroplanes, flying very low, dropped bombs on the enemy's sheds and the bridge at Shumran. Owing to the dust and uncertain light it was impossible to estimate the exact damage, but it is significant that for many days after the event our reconnaissances were unmolested." The Times special correspondent at the British Head quarters in France, in a despatch dated August 31st, writes :-— " After the rain the air has been clear, and aeroplanes have been very active this afternoon. At the part of the front where I was we had over 30 kite balloons up, and the air above was full of aeroplanes and of the black puffs of shrapnel smoke from German guns. At one time I counted 15 of our machines so close together that the field of my glasses would take them nearly all in at once, circling and weaving in and out like a flight of rooks. Around and among them all the time the shrapnel burst, and it seemed amazing that none was hit. What their particular business was I do not know ; but the superb indifference with which they came and went, passed and repassed, while the air about them was dotted with black smoke-balls till it looked like a pin-cushion studded thick with black-headed pins, was magnificent to watch." Mr. W. Beach Thomas in a despatch to the Dmilf Hail on the same day notes :— " Each day I see more of his (the enemy's) kite balloons and rather more of his aircraft, but the sense of inferiority lies heavy on his infantry. They write home sarcastic comments on their own aircraft and grim accounts of our guns." A Reuter message from Athens on September 1 st regarding the arrival of the Allies' warships notes that there are some seaplanes with the Fleet. In a despatch from the Press Camp, France, on September 2nd Reuter's Special Correspondent says :— " A steady increase in the heavy artillery of the enemy has been noticeable during the past week, and, notwithstanding the bad weather, German airmen have been much more lively, although they only venture over our lines in strong squadrons, and only then very occasionally. Their attempt to re establish observation is proving pretty expensive to them. The total " bag " accounted for yesterday over the Anglo- French lines amounted to 19 machines." An Exchange message from Cairo on September 4th states:— " Yesterday morning an Australian flying squadron carried out a successful reconnaissance in Sinai. One airman per formed a most gallant feat. He flew back some eighty miles in order to pick up a comrade who had been compelled to descend owing to engine trouble, and succeeded in bringing him back in safety despite the fire of the enemy." According to a Reuter message describing the capture of Mrogoro in East Africa, the booty taken included a 4*2 naval gun ingeniously mounted on a locomotive turntable to serve as an anti-aircraft weapon. It is also noted that our aeroplanes have left their mark on the railway buildings. Mr. G. J. Stevens, writing to the Daily Telegraph from Athens on September 3rd, says that he had received the following information dated September 1st from his correspondent with the Serbians at Sorovitch :— " THe German field telephone and aviation services, which arrived here two days ago, left again to-day. They went back in the direction of Fiorina, carrying with them all their apparatus and paraphernalia." Mr. W. Beech Thomas, in a despatch to the Daily limil on September 3rd. regarding the new " push " from the Delville Wood, says :— " The perspective of this new fighting is beyond the reach of the senses, even for an onlooker. For myself, as I was dunned, almost in my ear, by the bark of some heavy howitzers I looked up and found the air populous with our aeroplanes. Fourteen of them in a flock were heading for the enemy's lines. They too were part of the battle ; and before many minutes were doubtless telling our gunners across the towering distances at just what corner of what map-square such and such German guns were located." The Echo Beige reports that " On the morning of August 25th a squadron of Allied aeroplanes bombarded the neigh bourhood of Ghent. At 8.20 a.m. the first bombs were dropped, and the bombardment continued until 8.55. Suddenly a big explosion was heard. It lasted 15 sees., and shook all the windows in the town. Doubtless one of the ammunition depots was blown up. Five minutes later a seeond explosion occurred of similar violence. It is rumoured that the damage done and the number of victims are rery great. 798
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
