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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 1291.PDF
DECEMBER" 6, 1917. planes were active reconnoitring the enemy's new positions and observing forour artillery. Many bombs were dropped and machine-guns fired from a low height on villages occupied by the enemy s reserve troops north of Bourlon.' The enemy's batteries on the Ypres battle front were also engaged with machine-gun fire and bombs. " Hostile aircraft activity was slight, and few fights took place. One Germanmachine was brought down. Five of our aeroplanes are missing." French. . Paris, November 22nd. " Salonica.—An enemy aeroplane piloted by the German Lieut, von Esche-wege, was brought down." Paris, November 23rd." Two German aeroplanes were brought down yesterday, one after a fight with one of our pilots, the other by our machine gun fire." Paris, November 24th.'' Dunkirk was bombarded last night by aeroplanes. There were no victims. Material damage was insignificant." Paris, November 25th. " Salonioa.—Our airmen have dropped bombs on the enemy establishmentsat Vasarcica on the Prilep Road." Paris, November 26th." Salonika.—In the region of Monastir and the Tcherna our artillery and air forces have been active." Paris, November 2yth. " Salonica.—British airmen have been active. On the 26th they bombedthe railway station at Drama and the neighbourhood of Seres." Paris, November z&lh. " Salonica.—In the region of Monastir an enemy aeroplane was broughtdown by our machine gun fire." Paris, November 30th." Salonica.—French airmen carried but several bombardments in the valley <jf the Vardar and to the north of Monastir. Three enemy machines werebrought down, two by British airmen and one by French artillery." Paris, December 1st." Salonica.—-British airmen bombed the region of Rupel and the railway from Drama to Seres. On the Russian front Bulgarian attempts at fraternisationwere repulsed with rifle fire." Italian. Rome, November 21st. " Our aircraft carried out effective bombardment operations and foughtseveral duels with hostile aeroplanes, as a result of which two enemy machines were brought down." Rome, November 22nd. " Our seaplanes continue to carry out each day reconnaissance operationsand bombardments against the enemy's vessels, troops, and works, to direct the nre of the guns, and have been engaged in violent aerial combats. " On November 16th a number of chaser aeroplanes attacked a group of enemymachines with a numerous escort. An enemy torpedo-boat destroyer was hit by an incendiary bomb from one of our seaplanes, and one of the enemy aero-planes was brought down, with one of its wings broken, by two of our machines (pilots Sergt. Levi and Sergt. Cornillon). On November 18th two of our sea-planes gave chase to three enemy aeroplanes engaged in reconnaissance on the Sile front, and brought down the machine K 2ir, the aviators being taken byair as prisoners to Venice. " On November 19th another of our seaplanes, while making a photographicreconnaissance, was attacked by two enemy machines. It bravely gave battle and brought one of them down. On the same day an enemy torpedo-boatdestroyer near Punto di Tagliamento was attacked by one of our seaplanes and hit by a bomb. On November 20th another enemy aeroplane, after a battle inthe air, was forced to descend rapidly on the other side of the Piave." Rome, November 23rd." On the 22nd one of our seaplanes, flying over Grado at a height of 3,600 metres, was attacked by three enemy seaplanes, one of which it brought down,whereupon the other two fled." Rome, November 25th. " Near Mount Grapper two enemy aeroplanes were brought down by one of our aviators." Rome, November 28th. " On the Asiago Plateau, in the Primolano basin, at the north of the Col <$> <$> British Flyers in Italy. WRITING from the Italian Headquarters on December- 3rd, Mr. G. Ward Price says :— " The first shots exchanged between the British Ex- peditionary Force and the Germans on the Italian front have brought success to our arms. It was an encounter in the air, and the Royal Flying Corps opened this new campaign with an achievement of good augury, for the very first day that our airmen crossed the enemy lines they shot a German machine to pieces, and sent it crashing to earth on the banks of the Piave. " Four of our machines crossed over to the German side of the river for a flight along the northern sector of the plain. The little squadron had not gone five miles before they were attacked by five German Albatros scouts. One of these enemy machines was immediately driven down in a vertical dive, but at 5,000 ft. it flattened out again. " Meanwhile the fight went on with the rest. After 20 minutes of continual manoeuvring and occasional bursts of fire another of the enemy was driven down. His British antagonist followed him in his dive, and as the German flattened out again the English pilot got a burst of 80 rounds into him at close range. That ended the fight. The right wing of the German machine collapsed and fell back along the fuselage. At once the Albatros turned over and fell, the rest of the right wing breaking loose as it crashed to earth. " By this time the enemy had received reinforcements, but for all that another of his aeroplanes was driven down out of control below 5,000 ft. Then the four British machines returned, having encountered in this first outing of theirs 12 German adversaries, of which they had smashed up one and seriously damaged two. della Berretta, and on the Middle Piave, our batteries, in co-operation withbombardment flights, have carried out concentrations of fire on the enemy troops massed and in movement." Four enemy aeroplanes were brought down or forced to land by our air- men." Rome, November 30th." Above Asiago an enemy aeroplane was brought down in an air combat. " Last night enemy encampments between Feltre (on the Piave) and Fonzaso(6 miles farther west) were effectively bombarded by our machines." Rome, December 1st." Our airmen were intensely active. Enemy encampments in the hollow of Arten were bombarded, and three enemy machines were brought down in aerialduels. One caytive balloon was set on fire and another forced to land." Roumanian. Jassy, November t&th." On November 23rd, as the result of an aerial battle between three enemy airmen and three of our own men, one enemy machine was brought down byPilot Lieutenant Craeu and Lieutenant Nasta in the region of Mandresti. During the course of the same battle Pilot Plutonnier Muntenescu, seriouslywounded, fell with his machine whilst trying to land near Tecuci." German. Berlin, November 22nd." Lieut. Bohme, by the shooting down of an enemy aeroplane, has gained his 22nd aerial victory.""Balkans.—Lieut, von Eschwege brought down an enemy captive balloon, thus gaining his 20th aerial victory." Berlin, November 24th." Since November 20th our opponents have lost 27 aeroplanes in aerial battl* and by anti-aircraft fire. Capt. Baron von Richthofen has gained his 62nd,Lieut. Baron von Richthofen his 26th, and Lieut. Bongartz his 24th aerial victory." Berlin, November 26th. '* Our infantry, battle, and pursuing airmen, who, in spite of the violent stormand rain, successfully intervened in the fighting on the battlefield near Cambrai and on the Meuse, supported our indefatigable leadership and troops." Berlin, November 30th." In aerial engagements and by fire from the ground our opponents have lost 30 aeroplanes and two captive balloons. Lieutenant Buckler gained his 30thaerial victory, Lieutenant Bongartz hi.; 25th, Lieutenant Boehme his 24th, and Lieutenant Klein his 21ft." Berlin, December 1 St.'' Captain Baron Richthofen and Lieutenant Klein have respectively secured their 63rd and 22nd aerial victory." Berlin, December 3rd." In the last three (? days) our opponents have lost in aerial fighting and by gunfire from the ground 27 aeroplanes and two captive balloons. Lieut. Mullerobtained his 35th aerial victory, Lieut, von Biilow his 27th and 28th, and Lieut. Bongartz his 25th and 26th." . Turkish. ' Constantinople, November 2%th." An enemy aeroplane dropped bombs upon Gallipoli, injuring a woman and two children." Constantinople, November 30//1." A British captive balloon was brought down by one of our airmen. Bombs were dropped successfully on enemy provision and munition depots." Bulgarian. Sofia, November 21st." Three enemy aeroplanes were brought down in aerial combat between the Tcherna and the Vardar, and a fourth was shot down by our artillery in theStruma Valley." Sofia, November 22nd." The German Sub-Lieutenant von Eschwege was hit by the enemy's anti- aircraft fire and perished gloriously in the air. The Bulgarian Army, whichrejoiced at all times at the exploits of this incomparable champion of the air, will cherish him in affectionate and lasting memory." Sofia, November 29th." After an air fight the German Sergt.-Major Lage brought down an enemy aeroplane, which fell behind our positions south of Stoikovo." " Flying conditions here will bs very different for ourairmen from those to which they were accustomed in France. For one thing they will probably have to carry out recon-naissance flights above high mountains. Good landing places are very scarce even in the plain. However hard conditionsmay be here, those pilots and observers who have had ex- perience of Flanders believe that there is no chance that theirwork will prove more arduous than it was in France." Air Raid Gallantry Rewarded. Bow STREET Police Court can be a welcome place in whichto foregather. It depends upon the circumstances. One instance of the sort may be noted last Saturday, when SirJohn Dickinson presented to Sub-Divisional Inspector Wright, L Division, ^15, and to Constables Melton and Christmas /12each from the Police Reward Fund for gallantry on October 19 during the Zeppelin raid. Entering a burning house wheremuch gas was escaping, they hewed a hole in the floor and rescued thirteen persons. Drs. J. F. Williams and Chas. H.Prfng, also quiet heroes in their way, although in danger from tlte^tottering ruins, attended all night to the injured. To Readers—One and All. THE Editor of " FLIGHT " will at all times be pleased to consider original articles (illustrated or otherwise) on subjects directly or indirectly allied with aviation. All articles accepted will be paid for ; a high literary standard of writing is not essential; it is the facts which matter. Practical explanatory articles are most acceptable. Diagrams and similar illustrations need only be rough sketches if neces- sary.
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