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Aviation History
1918
1918 - 0496.PDF
MAY 2, 1918. different: the types of pilots they require are different, and the types of training are different. If we could look to one head in this House of the three particular Services, as we could do, if General Trenchard were in supreme command of the military branch, respinsible directly only to the Minister ; if a naval officer with adequate nautical experience were found to be placed in supreme command of the naval branch ; and if another officer were found to be put in supreme command of the third, and in many ways the most important branch, I think you would abolish once and for all the friction, the intrigue, and the wilful waste of material and personnel which is going on to-day. Major Baird : The subject under discussion is the Vote for the Secretary of State, who was only app .inted yesterday. Of course, this discussion was arranged when the previous Secretary of State was holding office, and the particular point arising out of his action in accepting General Trenchard's resignation has been very widely discussed. I would like, if I may, in a very few words, to draw attention to what the Air Force has done since.the last occasion when I had the honour of bringing the matter before the House. I can do it very concisely. I think the House will appreciate a letter which General Salmond, the officer in command, wrote to General Trenchard on the otn April, after the German offensive had been continued for a fortnight. These are General SaJmond's words : I wish you would express to the President, members of the Air Council, and all concerned, my thanks, and those of all serving with me, for the wonderful promptness with which all our heavy demands have been met to the full. It has helped us to keep going, and the knowledge that we are so strongly backed from home gives us the utmost confidence in the future." There is another point to which I would like to invite the attention of the Committee, and it is this, that this work has been carried out by the officers and officials of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service at the Hotel Cecil at a time wheii the amalgamation of the organisation of the two forces was proceeding. They have not only-been able to meet the tremendous demands that were sent from the front, but they have been able to carry out the amalgamation of the two Services with the minimum amount of friction. Of course, it is not perfect, but they have done these things in such a manner that the hope I ventured to express when the Estimates were before the House that the amalgamation might be brought about early in the financial year has been more than realised, as it became actually effective on the first day of the year. That ought to be borne in mind, because, in speaking as we do rightly and naturally of the great gallantry of the officers and men at the front, do not let us forget that their efforts would be of no avail were it not for the manner in which they have been supported by the officers and officials working in the different departments at the Hotel Cecil. There is another matter I must touch upon. The quality of the pilots has steadily increased. The number has, of course, increased, and we hive met all their demands. General Salmond told figures which show, I think, in the most conclusive manner the growth in our superiority over the enemy. Our losses in the air during the month of March last—losses of all kinds, killed, wounded, missing and prisoners—were almost the same as the losses we suffered in the month of April last year from the same causes. Hon. Members will remember that in April last year we were engaged in winning supremacy in the air in the Battle of the Sornme. In March this yed— .„ „ crashed—is three and a half times as large as the total for last year." I think these two points are quite enough to convince hon. Members or the value of the work done. The new Secretary of State has taken over a very difficult charge. He has the complete confidence of every man and woman connected with the Air Force, and I beg hon. Members also to give him the same full and complete confidence, and thus afford him a chance of justifying the appointment. There is only one other point on which I wish to touch. General Salmond tells me that never during the whole of these operations which have been in progress, on any single morning, has the Royal Air Force been short of more than three machines, and when hon. Members consider what that means, what organisation is involved in getting the machines out and securing pilots to take them out, they will realise that it it really a gigantic and colossal undertaking. Of course, I cannot give the figures, or the Committee would more fully appreciate the extent of that undertaking. I have mentioned these facts in order to endeavour to impress on the Committee that, though everything may not be perfect—indeed, nothing can be perfect—there is every ground for the belief that the Air Force is progressing on sound lines. It has complete and absolute confidence in its Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State has asked me to say that, although he is not a Member of this House, he hopes that, when he has got into the saddle, hon. Members will give him an opportunity of meeting them in a Committee Room, when he will be able to explain his position and policy. Question put, " That a sum, not exceeding £900, be granted to His Majesty for the said Service." The Committee divided •: Ayes, 37 ; Noes, 127. The main question was then put and agreed, as were the other token resolutionsfor the Air Force. AIRCRAFT WORK AT THE FRONT. OFFICIAL INFORMATION. British. General Headquarters, April z^nl. " On the 22nd inst. another useful day's work was done by our aeroplanes. Several long-distance reconnaissances were carried out and many photographs were taken. Our bombing machines were very active and dropped 19 tons of bombs on numerous targets, including Thourout railway station, Engel ammuni- tion dump, Warneton, Armentieres, and Roulers. The fighting in the air was not heavy considering the fine weather and the amount of work done by our artillery, reconnaissance, and bombing machines. Seven hostile aeroplanes were brought down and six others driven down out of control. In addition, one German machine was shot down in our lines by our anti-aircraft fire, and two hostile balloons were destroyed by our aeroplanes. Three of our machines are missing." General Headquarters, April 24th. " On the 23rd inst. the weather was not very favourable tor flying until 5 p.m., after which hour some sharp fighting took place in the air. Low reconnaissances and artillery work were carried out throughout the day, and Merville, Estaires, Steenwerck, La Gorgue, Chaulnes railway junction, and the docks at Ostend were heavily bombed. Fourteen hostile machines were brought down and two others driven down out of control. Another German machine was brought down in our lines by our anti-aircraft fire. One of our aeroplanes is missing. " Dm ing trie night flying squadrons dropped over 20 tons of bombs on different targets, including Roulers, Merville, Armentieres, Bapaume, the railway station ait Chaulues, Thourout, Tournai, Courtrai, and the docks at Zeebrugge. Direct hits were obtained on all these targets ; in several cases fires were started. All our machines returned." General Headquarters, April 25th. " On the 24th inst. mist again hampered work in the air. Our aeroplanes on the southern part of the British front carried out several low reconnaissances, and engaged the enemy's attacking troops in the neighbourhood of Villers- Bretonneux with bombs and machine-gun fire from a very low height. Two hostile machines were brought down in combat and another was shot down in our lines by our infantry. Two of our machines are missing. " During the night the southern portion of the front was covered in mist, and our machines were unable to leave the ground. In the nocC, however, 5 i tons of bombs were dropped by us on Estaires, Armentieres, Roulers, and the railway stations at Courtrai and Thourout. All our machines returned." General Headquarters, April 26th. " On the 25th inst. mist during the morning and thunderstorms later in the day prevented much flying being accomplished until the evening. In the northern area, however, the enemy's positions in the neighbourhood of Kemmel were reconnoitred by our machines, our pilots being compelled to fly within a few feet of the ground in order to make observation possible. Six hundred and fifty bombs were dropped by us on Menin, Roulers, Armentiferes, and on the enemy's billets. Ten hostile machines were brought down in air fighting and two others were driven down out of control. Four other German machines were shot down by anti-aircraft gunfire and one by fire from our infantry. Two of our machines are missing." War Office, April 27th. " Salonica.—On April 2tst a hostile aeroplane was driven down out of control near Barakli-Druma (south-west of Demir-Hissar).11 Mesopotamia.—On April 21st one of our aeroplanes brought down a hostile machine; the occupants, both of whom were German, were killed." General Heiipmrters, April 27th. " On the 26th inst., except for low reconnaissances of the battle front, little flying was possible owing to thick mist. Two low-flying German aeroplanes were brought down by our infantry. None of our machines is missing." Admiralty, April 27th. " On April 33rd, Durazzo was attacked by British air forces. The only man- of-war in the harbour was one gunboat. Our machines attacked the seaplane base, dropping nearly a ton ot bombs, with apparently successful results. All our machines returned safely to their base." General Headquarters, April 28th. "On the 27th inst. thick fog again prevented flying except for a few low reconnaissances of the batle front. Only two flights took place, in one of which a hostile machine was brought down. None of our machines is missing." General Headquarters, April 29th. " Bayond carrying out one or two low-flying reconnaissances and dropping a few bo.nb; on various targets, our aeroplanes were unable to do any flying on ths 23th inst. on account of low clouds, mist, and rain." French. Paris, April 25th. " During April 22nd and 23rd seven German aeroplanes and a captive balloon were brought down by our pilots. Ten other machines fell in their lines severely damaged as the result of combats. It is confirmed that two enemy aeroplanes reported as driven down out of control on the 20th were really brought down. Five other German machines and a captive balloon were also destroyed on the 2ist, in addition to those already indicated in the communique of that date. " On April 23rd, and during the night of April 23rd-24th, 5,000 kilogrammes of projectiles were dropped by our bombers on the stations of Nesle, Roy, and Chaulnes. Our aeroplanes further carried out numerous attacks with machine guns on gatherings of enemy troops." Paris, April 26th. " Szhnicz.—-Two ensoiy aeroplanes have b?en brought down." Paris, April 29th. Two German aeroplanes were brought down by our pilots during April 27th. On ths same day our bombarding machines dropped 6 tons of bombs on establishments in the enemy zone." Belgian. , : " Havre, April 27th. " In Che course of a n?ht, three of our airmen attacked four German aeroplanes forming part of a squadron of more than 20 machines and brought down one, waich fell in flamss in our lines." Italian. Rome, April 24th. * British airmen shot down two enemy aeroplanes over Levoco, and twp more near Mt. Lisser. A fifth was hit by our own airmen and fell in the vicinity of Vidor. " During the day of April 22nd, in spite of unfavourable weather conditions, our hydro-aeroplanes were active in the Upper Adriatic. Reconnoitring machines having observed in the neighbourhood of Pola and Rovigni move- ments of enemy torpedo craft and small cargo ships, one of our bombing squadrons made an attack during the morning and succeeded in getting two direct hits on a torpedo boat. In the afternoon a surprise attack was made on a warship in the Fasana Canal, wtiich was protected by torpedo boats and hydro- aeroplanes. One hydro-aeroplane was brought down by our machines and fell into the sea in pieces. The warship and the torpedo craft were heavily bombed. One of our machines was damaged and forced to land in the sea very near the enemy coast, but the other machines, in spite of the heavy sea, > succeeded in descending and saving the pilot, whom they brought back safely to the base. Our machines were the object of intense anti-aircraft fire and attacks from enemy machines." Rome, April 26th. " In air combats over Conegliano our aviators brought down two enemymachines." German. Berlin, April 23rd. " During thelast two days 30 enemy aeroplanes were brought down. Lieut Buckler achieved his 32nd victory and Lieut. Monckhoff his 25th." Berlin, April 24M. " Cavalry Captain Baron von Richthofen has not returned from his pursuit of an enemy across the Somme battlefield. According to an English report he has fallen." Turkish. Constantinople, April 23rd. " On the Palestine front one of our aeroplanes brought down in aerial combat an enemy machine behind our lines." Constantinople, April 27th. " One enemy aeroplane was brought down in the neighbourhood of Nablus. The observer was killed. The pilot was wounded and taken prisoner." 494
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