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Aviation History
1918
1918 - 0163.PDF
FEBRUARY 7, 1918. Air Services. Medical Advisory Board.COLONEL SIR HAMAR GREENWOOD on January 29th asked the Prime Min- ister if he will publish for the information of the House the Report of the MedicalAdvisory Board in reference to the medical service of the Air Force ? The Parliamentary Secretary to the Air Board (Major Baird) : As the arrange-ments for the medical care of the Air Force are still under consideration, it would be inadvisable to publish this Report. Mr. Joynson-Hicks : May I ask whether the Air Board have given very carefulconsideration to the Report of the Committee, with a view to establishing this service as soon as possible ? Major Baird : It is receiving very careful consideration. Aircraft Construction in Ireland.MR. BYRNE on January 31st asked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry.whether his attention has been drawn to the request of the Dublinbranch, Society of Coachmakers, in which they ask the Government to adopt a scheme. by .which construction of aircraft could be immediately proceededwith on Irish railways, where other work is suspended, and also other coach- building factories where up-to-date machinery exists ; and if he will considerthe request ? . . •.' .' . Sir W. Evans : The request has been carefully considered. For the presentit is not possible to make use of the facilities referred to in my hon. friend's question, as arrangements have already been made which are more thansufficient to meet all our present demands for woodwork in connection with the manufacture of aircraft. I hope it may be possible later on to make use of Irishcoachbuilding factories for work of this nature. Leaflets from Aeroplanes.MR. ANDERSON asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has now received a Report as to the circumstances in which aeroplanes circled overCoventry and dropped leaflets containing an article which had appeared in a London newspaper; who authorised these proceedings and who paid for theleaflets ; and whether the use of Government aeroplanes for this purpose was sanctioned by the War Office ?Mr. Macpherson : The distribution of these leaflets from aeroplanes was made at the suggestion in his private capacity of an officer serving in London who isalso member of this House. He paid for the leaflets at his sole expense, the newspaper making no contribution to the cost. The use of Government aero-planes was authorised by the authorities of the R.F.C., but special flights were not made for the purpose. They were distributed during a testing trip. AIRCRAFT WORK AT THE FRONT, OFFICIAL INFORMATION. British* General Headquarters, January 2qth." Our aeroplanes took advantage of the good visibility prevailing on Monday to carry out a large amount of work in conjunction with our artillery and tophotograph the enemy's distant aerodromes and lines of defence. During the day they dropped 400 bombs on various objectives, including Roulers, Meninand an aerodrome near Tournai. Several thousands of rounds were fired from our machines at enemy troops in the trenches and on roads in the back areas.Air fighting was continuous throughout the day, and resulted in two hostile machines being shot down and six others being driven down out of control.Three of our machines are missing. During the night of Monday-Tuesday our aeroplanes were unable to leave their aerodromes until 2 a.m. owing to a heavymist. Nevertheless, over 6J tons of bombs were dropped on the enemy's billets, railway stations, and trains, and two night-flying aerodromes near Ghent andTournai. All our machines returned from these bombing raids." Admiralty, January 29th." During January 28th a bombing raid was carried out by naval aircraft on the enemy aerodromes at Aertrycke and Engel. Many bombs were dropped onobjectives. During the usual fighter patrols, two enemy machines were brought down out of control. All our machines returned safely." Admiralty, January 30th." Soon after mid-day on January 29th, naval aircraft raided Coolkerke aero- drome. Many bombs were dropped over the objective. The sheds and hangarswere well straddled, and a fire was observed to break out among buildings at the north-west corner of the aerodrome. In the course of the usual fighterpatrols, one enemy aircraft was destroyed and one shot down out of control. Many indecisive combats took place. All our machines returned safely." General Headquarters, January 30th." On the 29th instant, fine weather continued, although visibility was not so good as on the previous day. Several reconnaissances of the enemy's backareas were carried out, a great many photographs were taken and much work was accomplished in conjunction with our artillery. Bombing attacks against theenemy's billets, ammunition dumps, and aerodromes were continued by our aeroplanes with the utmost vigour all day, while our low-flying machines engagedthe enemy's troops with machine-gun fire. The enemy's scouts were active east of the lines, and made many attacks upon our bombing, reconnaissance, andphotographing machines. Eight hostile aeroplanes were brought down in air fighting, and four others were driven down out of control. A German obser-vation balloon was brought down in flames. Three of our aeroplanes are missing. Throughout the night of the 29th-3oth instant the enemy dropped bombs on ourforward areas. Our own machines actively attacked hostile billets and com- munications." General Headquarters, January 31st."Another ftno day on th^ 30th instant enabled aerial activity to be main- tained, but there was more mist than on the preceding day, and observationfor artillery was difficult. " Several long-distance reconnaissances were carried out by our aeroplanes,in the course of which many photographs were taken. " A hostile aerodrome south of Ghent, a large ammunition dump east ofRoulers, and the railway sidings at Courtrai, were heavily bombed by us, and the enemy's troops, transport, and batteries in action were fired at from theair. " In air fighting four hostile machines were brought down, and four othersdriven down out of control; another hostile machine was shot down by anti- aircraft gun fire. None of our aeroplanes are missing." During the night of the 3oth-3ist instant, a few bombs were dropped by the enemy in our forward areas. Our own machines continued the bombing ofthe enemy's billets, ammunition dumps, and railway stations." War Office, January 31 st." Mesopotamia.—-On the night of January 24th-25th hostile aeroplanes dropped bombs near Baghdad, causing some casualties in one of our hospitals.On the following night our aeroplanes made successful attacks on Turkish head quarter units and aerodromes." Admiralty, February xst." D'iring January 31st a bombing raid was carried out by naval aircraft on Engel aerodrome and dump. Direct hits were made and fires started. Allmachines returned safely. " A bombing raid on Oostcamp aerodrome was carried out by naval aircraftat noon on January 30th. Many bombs were dropped on the three groups of sheds and hangars. A direct hit was observed on a hangar in the south group,from which a fire and a dense cloud of smoke arose. Two direct hits on the sheds north-west of Oostcamp village caused a fire in each case. Several engagementswith enemy aircraft took place, in which one was shot down out of control. In the course of the usual patrols one enemy machine was destroyed and twowere shot down out of control. One of our machines failed to return." War Office, February 1st." Salonica.—Qux aircraft co-operated with the infantry, dropping bombs on the enemy's batteries near Nikelich (two miles north of the lake). One enemymachine was forced to land between the lines, where it was wrecked by our artillery fire. Another hostile aeroplane was destroyed near Seres on January31st. Among other objectives, Kustendil (40 miles south-west of Sofia) has been bombed by our machines." General Headquarters, February 1st.' Thick mist prevented flying [? on January 31st] except during two or three hours in the early morning. In this period some work was carried out by ouraeroplanes in conjunction with the artillery, and bombs were dropped on a hostile aerodrome north of Thielt [north-east"of Roulers], and on an ammunitiondump north-east of Courtrai. No fighting took place." General Headquarters, February 3rd. " On the 2nd inst. the weather was fine, though with some mist and haze.Several successful reconnaissances were carried out by our aeroplanes, and many hostile batteries were effectively engaged by our artillery with observationfrom the air. Nearly four tons of bombs were dropped by us during the day on various targets, including the railway station and sidings at Valenciennes.Several thousand rounds were fired at parties of the enemy in their trenches and in back areas. Five hostile machines were brought down in air fighting, andfive others were driven down out of control. One of our aeroplanes is missing. On the night of the 2nd-3rd inst. the enemy's aerodromes and billets were bombedby our machines." Admiralty, February 3rd. " Naval aircraft bombed the Varssenaere aerodrome on the morning of Feb-ruary 2nd. A fire was observed as the result of a direct hit. An enemy machine engaged on a photographic reconnaissance was attacked nad destroyed by ourpatrol machines. All our machines returned safely." War Office, February 3rd. "Palestine Front.—During the month of January 12 enemy aeroplanes were destroyed in aerial combats." "Italian Front.—There has been considerable aerial activity, in which four enemy machines have been shot down during the last week, while hostilebombing of our back areas has been frequent on suitable nights." French. Paris, January 29th. " On January 27th a German aeroplane was brought down and three others fell damaged in their lines. On the same day our squadrons dropped 6,000 kilogrammes [about six tons] of explosives on the railway stations of Conflans[west of Metz], the factories in the region of St. Privat [north-west of Metz], and various aviation grounds in the enemy zone." Paris, January 30th. " During the 29th two German aeroplanes were brought down by our pilotSi and three fell in their own lines badly damaged, after fights in the air." ' 1 Paris, January 31s*. " On January 29th in the day-time one of our aeroplanes, manned by Capt.Vuillemin and Sub-Lieut. Lecreux, bombarded from a very low altitude the station of Thiaucourt, where a great fire broke out. During the 30th a Germanaeroplane was brought down by our pilots, and three others fell in theirlines after encounters. It is confirmed that three enemy machines which.werereported to have been badly damaged on January 9th and 25th were, in reality brought down." " Salonica.—An enemy aeroplane was brought down in the same region.,' " Salor.ica.—On the right bank of the Tcherna the firing of the Serbian artillerycaused a conflagration in an enemy ammunition depot. An enemy biplane was brought down by British airmen." ' j Italian. Rome, January xqth." Our flight dominated the air everywhere. Numerous hostile machines were attacked and repulsed, while ro of them were brought down by our airmen andtwo by the French." Rome, January 30th. "Enemy aircraft attempted many reconnoitring and offensive actions, butwas effectively met by our machines and the anti-aircraft fire, which during the two days accounted for 17 enemy machines." Rome, January 31s*. " Our airman and those of our Allies have attained fresh brilliant victoriesbringing down seven enemy aeroplanes in all. " During an effective bombardment of the principal enemy lines of com-munication to the Plateau of Asiago our machines brought down one aeroplane which attempted to attack them. Our chasing squadrons brought down twomachines between Costalunga and Monte Melago. English airmen brought down four machines between Ormelle, on the left bank of the Piave, and Oderzo. Rome, February 1st. " Last night enemy aircraft dropped some bombs on Bassano, causing a few wounded and little damage." Rome, February ind. " Along the whole front fighting activity was limited yesterday to artilleryactions, which were more intense in the eastern sector of the Asiago Plateau, with lively reciprocal rifle firing on the part of the advanced posts. The activityof our air squadrons during their scouting expeditions led to several aerial fights, in the course of which two enemy machines were brought down near Turcio(south of Asiago) and in the Brenta Valley. Yesterday towards nightfall enemy aircraft bombarded Treviso and various localities in the region between theBrenta and the Piave. A few men were wounded, and damages of little im- portance to some buildings are reported." German. Berlin, January 29th. " Lively flying activity led to numerous duels in the air. We brought downyesterday 13 enemy aeroplanes and one captive balloon. "French airmen continue their attacks on our hospitals. Several timesduring the month of December they dropped bombs on the hospital buildings of Bethel [?], ad during the last few days they have attacked the buildingsof Labry (east of Conflans)." " Italian Front.—One of our bombing squadrons during the night of January26th-a7th dropped 21,000 kilogrammes (about 21 tons) of bombs on Castel- franco, Treviso, and Mestre with good effect. Big fires were seen from a longdistance." Berlin, January 30th. " Eight enemy aeroplanes and two captive balloons were brought down in all fighting yesterday."
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