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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0798.PDF
AUGUST 2, 1917. Mr. Faber: I am perfectly satisfied, if the hon. gentleman gives me an answer, to take it as decisive. Does he know ? Mr. Macpherson : I cannot exactly say. The answer which I have given says " on the occasion mentioned." I presume that my hon. friend refers to the occasion when the air raid took place. Mr. Faber: Is not that really toying with the question and playing with the House ? I said " recently employed " in the question. Mr. Macpherson: I may answer my hon. friend by saying that they were' employed recently. R.F.C. Casualties. MR. P. BILLING asked the Under-Secretary of State for War what are the total losses of killed, wounded and missing among the R.F.C. during the month ended July 21st; and what were the total losses during the previous month ? Mr. Macpherson: These figures cannot be stated in public, but, as I have told hon. members before, if any individual member of the House cares to go to the War Office he will be shown the figures. Range Finders. MR. BILLING asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, at a certain northern anti-aircraft base, where there are 12 French 75 anti-aircraft guns, they have no range-finder of any description whatsoever; whether, even in cases where range-finders are provided, the instruments measure yards, whereas both the range dial of the gun and the fuse punch register are in metres ; whether the officers or men responsible are qualified to transform metres to yards, or vice versa, with rapidity; or whether this is any way responsible for the failure of our guns in recent raids ? Mr. Macpherson: It was not in the public interest that this question should have been put, and I cannot give any answer to it. AIRCRAFT WORK AT THE FRONT. OFFICIAL INFORMATION. British. General Headquarters, July 17th. " Although handicapped by thick clouds and strong winds, our aeroplanes carried out a great deal of successful work yesterday in conjunction with our artillery, and, in addition, our raiding machines dropped a large number of bombs on various points of military importance behind the enemy's lines. In the evening many fights took place in the air, as the result of which six enemy aeroplanes were brought down, one of which was forced to land in our lines, and three others were driven down out of control. None of our machines are missing." General Headquarters, July i&tk. " Owing to the clouds there was little aerial activity yesterday until the evening, when a number of combats took place, in two of which large forma- tions were engaged with on each side. In the course of the fighting eight German aeroplanes were brought down and six others were driven out of control. Another enemy machine was shot down by fire from the ground. Four of our machines are missing." War Office, July igth. " Salonica.—Our aeroplanes have bombed Marinopolje and Vetrina (Upper Struma Valley), Savjak (south of Demir Hissar) and Angista Station.. Near Angista a hostile machine was brought down in flames." > General Headquarters, July 21 st. " Four German aerodromes were successfully bombed yesterday by our aeroplanes, and bombs were also dropped on an important enemy railway junction, causing a large explosion. There was much fighting in the evening. Three hostile machines were brought down and six others were driven down out of control. Four of our aeroplanes are missing." General Headquarters, July 22nd. " Yesterday thick haze interfered with activity in the air until the evening, when many fights took place. Two German aeroplanes were brought down by our machines and four others were driven down out of control. In addition, one German observation balloon was brought down in flames. One of our aeroplanes is missing." General Headquarters, July 23rd. " Yesterday there was great aerial activity on both sides, and fighting took place continuously from dawn to dark. Visibility was excellent. Much successful work was accomplished by our aeroplanes in co-operation with our artillery. Over three tons of bombs were dropped by us on the enemy's aerodromes, ammunition dumps, and railway sidings, and good results were observed. Nine German machines were brought down in combat, including one brought down in the sea when endeavouring to return from England, and four other enemy aeroplanes were brought down out of control. In addition, one enemy machine was shot down out of control by our anti-aircraft guns, and one hostile observa- tion balloon was brought down in flames. Nine of our aeroplanes are missing.'' War Office, July 23rd. " Salonica.—On the same day our aeroplanes bombed Demir-Hissar and the neighbouring village of Puljovo," General Headquarters, July 24th. " Great activity on the part of our aeroplanes continued yesterday, and much successful work was again accomplished in co-operation with our artillery. Over four tons of bombs were dropped by our raiding squadrons on the enemy's aerodromes, ammunition depots and railway junctions. Fewer German aero- planes were encountered and fighting was not so severe. Three hostile machines were brought down, and three others driven down out of control. None of ours are missing." General Headquarters, July 25th. " Yesterday's thick haze interfered greatly with operations in the air. Bombing raids were none the less carried out by our aeroplanes during the day, sts well as during the previous night. " Fighting took place in the evening, and four German machines were driven down out of control. Three of our machines are missing." War Office, July 26th. " Salonica.—Our machines have bombed Porna station camps near Seres and Demirbissar, the depfit at Petric, and Dedeli (north-west of Lake Doiran)." General Headquarters, July 26th. " Owing to the thick mist there was little activity in the air yesterday. One German machine was brought down in air fighting. One of our machines is missing." General Headquarters, July 27th. " Little flying was possible yesterday until the evening, when sharp fighting took place for about two hours. One hostile machine was brought down and one other driven down out of control. Two of our machines are missing." General Headquarters, July 28th. " Yesterday morning aerial activity was slight, but from r p.m. till dark it became very great. The fighting was intense, and the day proved a markedly successful one for our airmen. The vigorous offensive tactics employed enabled our artillery machines to carry out their work successfully during the day, and made it possible for us to take an unusually large number of photographs. Our bombing squadrons, moreover, carried out many raids, and bombed four of the enemy's aerodromes. Some of our machines came down to very low altitudes at a distance of over 40 miles behind the enemy's lines. Fifteen German machines were crashed to the ground and r6 others driven down out of control. Three of our machines are missing." General Headquarters, July 29th. " Yesterday there was again great activity in the air and fighting was con- tinuous. On the night of the 27th-28th inst. important railway stations and two hostile aerodromes were bombed by our aeroplanes, and during the day a number of other bombing raids, as well as much photographic and artillery work, were carried out by us with success. In air fighting 16 German machines were brought down, and 14 others were driven down out of control. In addition two hostile observation balloons were brought down in flames. Thirteen of our machines are missing." General Headqiiarters, July 30th. " On the night of the 38th-2pth inst. bombs were dropped by our aeroplanes on a German aerodrome, two important railway stations and an ammunition depot, where fires and explosions were caused. Bombing operations were continued yesterday, and there was great activity in the air until 10 a.m., when a severe and sudden thunderstorm prevented further flying. Many of our aeroplanes were caught in the storm, and four have not returned. In air fighting four German aeroplanes were brought down and two others were driven down out of control. Six of our machines are missing, including those lost in the storm." French. Parts, July 18th. " Salonica.—British airmen bombarded the station of Angista." Paris, July 20th. " Salonica.—British airmen dropped bombs on the enemy depots at Petric, causing fires." Paris, July 21 si. "Between July nth and 20th five enemy aeroplanes were brought down by our pilots, and in addition 11 hostile machines were driven down out of control in their own lines." • •* - Paris, July 22nd. " Salonica.—-British airmen have bombarded the motor car park at Demir- hissat. During the day's air fights two enemy machines were brought down." Paris, July 24th. " Last night enemy aeroplanes dropped several bombs on the town of Nancy and on the region south of that place. There were no casualties. " The Allied airmen bombarded successfully enemy encampments in the region of Demirhissar and Staravina." Paris, July 28th. " Saionita.—British airmen bombarded the enemy's encampments in the region of Rupel. There have been artillery activity in the Majadag region and patrol encounters on the Serbian front." Belgian. Havre, July 29th. " A coup de main attempted by the Germans on our advanced trenches north of Dixniude was repulsed, and serious losses were inflicted on the enemy. " Our airmen, whenever the weather was favourable, have displayed very great activity. Three enemy aeroplanes were brought down, one of them falling a few yards from our advanced trenches." Russian. Petrograd, July 20 th. " Near Dvinsk, one of our aeroplanes, in charge of Lieut. Tsirniladze, attacked by an enemy machine, was forced to descend in our territory. Lieut. Tsirniladze was slightly wounded. The machine received five holes." Petrograd, July 21st. " In the Carpathians, a German aeroplane was brought down by our fire and its occupants were made prisoners." Petrograd, July 28th. " Enemy aeroplanes made a flight over the railway station of Molodeczno, dropping five bombs upon the hospital camp near the station. A physician was killed, and a nurse, a priest, and a boy were wounded. In the region to the south-east of Baronoviczy a German observation balloon was burnt by one of our aeroplanes." Petrograd, July 30th. " In the Baltic Sea, on Friday, an enemy Zeppelin, while flying over the island of Aland, dropped 20 large bombs on the town of Tomby, near Marie- hamn. The Zeppelin was fired at by the guns of the fleet, as well as by the shore batteries, in the Gulf of Riga. Squadrons of enemy hydroplanes carried out raids in the neighbourhood of the islands of Zerel and Arensburg. Fired at by the fleet and the shore batteries, the machines disappeared after dropping about 20 bombs without effect. A squadron of enemy aeroplanes in the same district attacked one of our destroyers, dropping eight bombs without effect. " Our fire brought down a German aeroplane, which fell in flames west of Stekhnikovce (west of Zboroff)." Italian. Rome, July i$th. " Aerial activity was considerable along the whole front. Two enemy machines were brought down by our airmen. One fell east of Mt. S. Daniele and the other at Lom (south of Tolmino). One of our aeroplanes was obliged to land within our own lines." Rome, July iglh. " The aerial activity was intense along the whole of the front. One enemy machine was brought down in an air engagement, and fell near Asiago." Rome, July 2isl. "One of our gallant airmen'attacked a squadron of five enemy machines above Oppacchiasella [Carso], bringing down two, one of which fell in flames in our lines." Rome, July 23rd. " Last night, notwithstanding difficult atmospheric conditions and the enemy's defence, our aeroplanes effectively bombed enemy batteries on Mount Hermada and the railway works on the Opsina-Gabrovica line." Rome, July 24th. " Two of our bombing flights, accompanied by chasing planes, carried out a bombing raid on hutments and railway works at San Daniele on the Carso. In spite of the enemy's violent anti-aircraft fire the operation was carried out successfully. All our machines returned to their bases." Rome, July 26th. " Along the whole front normal artillery and reconnoitring patrol activity is reported. During the night of the 25th an isolated attack of the enemy south- west of Kostanjevica was broken up by our fire. Last night one of our airships paid a surprise visit to S. Lucia fTolmino), and dropped a ton of high explosives on the railway works, doing considerable damage." Rome, July 2.8th. " The air services were active along the whole front. On the evening of the
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