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Aviation History
1918
1918 - 0845.PDF
JULY 25, 1918. " Balkans.—In Albania our troops pushed forward advanced elements on tothe Gors Crest. On the Col de Langa Allied airmen bombarded the aerodromes of Rudove and Kanatlarci. In aerial fighting an enemy aeroplane was shot downand two others were obliged to land." Paris, July igth." During Thursday uur Air Service, in collaboration with British squadrons, continued its work on the whole battle front. Twenty German aeroplanes wereshot down or driven out of control by our pilots, and two captive balloons set on fire. On their side the British crews destroyed seven enemy machines. Ourbombing groups carried out their expeditions against the crossings of the Marue. One foot-bridge west oi Reuil was bombed and destroyed. Cantonments andassemblies of troops at Oulchy-le-Ch4teau, in the Vauxbuin Ravine at Fere-en- Tardennois, and in the region of (Euilly were attacked with machine guns andbombs, and broken up. The railway stations behind the front were pelted with projectiles. Fires broke out at the railway stations of Amifontaine and Fismes,and big explosions were observed at Pontavert. Twenty-two tons were thus utilised during the day and 21 during the following night. The British crewswhich took part in these operations dropped for their part aj tons of explosives with excellent results." Italian. *-«,. Rome, July 13th. -" Though the atmospheric conditions were not satisfactory aerial activity was yesterday very intense. Ten enemy machines were brought down. Lieut.-Aviator Silvio Scaroni has reached his 30th victory in the air. " A hostile aeroplane was brought down over Feltre." Rome, July nth." Three enemy aeroplanes were brought down during air fighting." Rome, July 15th." Six enemy machines were brought down." Romef July 16th." During the day and night our own and Allied airmen and airships of our Army and Navy were very active. Twelve enemy aeroplanes were broughtdown." Rome, July 17th." Military objectives in the enemy's front lines and rear areas were attacked by aeroplanes and airships. Two hostile aeroplanes, were brought down." Rome, July i8<A."During the night of the i6th-i7th inst. and yesterday morning airships of the Italian Royal Navy and powerful flights of bombardment planes droppedwith ascertained effectiveness $,000 kilos (8 tons) of bombs on military works in the maritime fortress of Pola. " Minor bombardment actions were carried out last night on vital centresin the enemy's lines of communication. Three hostile machines were brought down in air fighting." " A large squadron of Italian seaplanes this morning bombarded the militaryworks at Antivari and the vessels moored there. Serious material damage was observed. All the airmen returned. " The Chief of the Naval General Staff announces that the British Air Servicehas effectively contributed in the Adriatic in attacks on enemy naval bases. While the Italians were acting against Pola and Lagosta yesterday a Britishsquadron effectively bombarded military works at Cattaro. All the British airmen returned to their base." Belgian. -~ Havre, July 1st." On June 30th Sub-Lieut. Ccppens brought Sown in flames tftree enemy observation balloons." Havre, July 15th. " Sub-Lieut. Coppens set fire to a German balloon—-his 14th success." German. Berlin, July nlh." Five American aeroplanes out of a squadron of six which intended to make a raid on Coblenz fell into our hands. The crews were taken prisoner." Berlin, July 12th. "Lieut. Neckel has obtained his 20th aerial victory. The sixth aeroplane ofthe American squadron which was flying to Coblenz, as reported yesterday, has fallen into our hands after being mot down." Berlin, July 13th. " During the month of June 468 hostile aeroplanes and 62 captive balloon;were shot down on the German front. Ninety-two of these aeroplanes were brought down by our anti-aircraft guns. Of the 468 aeroplanes 217 are in ourpossession ; the rest were observed to fall beyond the enemy's positions. We have lost 153 aeroplanes and 51 captive balloons in battle." Berlin, July 14th." The weather clearing up, our bombing squadrons made night attacks against the enemy railway works on the French coast between Dunkirk-Boulogne-Abbeville, and in the region of Lillers St. Pol-Doullens, as well as in the region of Crepy-en-Valois and Villers-Cotterets." Berlin, July 15th." Lieut. Loewenhardt obtained his 35th aerial victory." Berlin, July 16th." In spite of low clouds and a high wind the aerial fighting forces were active. From a low altitude the airmen, with bombs and machine-guns, attacked in thebattle on the ground. Yesterday they brought down over the battlefield 31 enemy aeroplanes and four captive balloons. Lieuts. Loewenhardt and Meck-hoff achieved their 36th victory, and Lieut. Bolle his 21st." Berlin, July 17th." A further 36 enemy aeroplanes and two captive balloons were shot down yesterday over the battlefield. Lieut. Meckhofi obtained his 37th and 38thaerial victories, Lieut. Loewenhardt his 37th, 1st Lieut. Loerzen his 26th, Lieut. Bolle his 22nd, and Sergt. Thom his 21st." Berlin, July iSth." Twenty-three enemy aeroplanes were shot down yesterday. Lieut. Jacob obtained-his 23rd aerial victory." Berlin, July igth. " Only some material damage was done in this morning's aerial attack onthe airship establishments near Tondern Schleswig-Holstein)." " Enemy columns which were endeavouring to reach the battle-field werethe objectives of our successful battleplanes. Our chasing planes shot down 32 of the enemy's aeroplanes. Lieut. Loewenhardt obtained his 38th and 39thaerial victories, Lieut. Bolle bis 23rd and 24th, and First Lieut. Goehring his 22nd." Berlin, July 20th." Yesterday again 30 enemy aeroplanes and seven captive balloons were shot down. Lieut. Loewenhardt obtained his 40th and 41st, Lieut. Meckoff his 30th,Capt. Berthold his 38th, First Lieut. Lorzer his 27th, Lieut. Jakobs his 24th, and Lieut. Konnecke his 22nd aerial victory." AVIATION IN PARLIAMENT. The R.A.F. Uniform. MR. NEEDHAM in the House of Commons, on July 17th, asked the Under-secretary of State to the Air Ministry whether he is thoroughly satisfied from experience as to the fastness of the new colour of the uniform recently authorised,and whether he is aware that itis not as useful a colour as khaki for hard wear, and that it will much sooner present a shabby and worn appearance owing to itslesser resistance to dirt and stains ? Colonel Gibbs ; Tests applied to the cloth for the new uniform for the RoyalAir Force show that the dye stands exposure well, and that the cloth is capable of being easily cleaned. The colour was selected after full consideration as thebest distinctive colour available. Mr. Rowlands asked the Under-Secretary whether he is aware that an Orderhas been issued by the Air Minister that members of the Royal Air Force are not to wearchevrons, although qualified the same as the men in the other Services,and, if so, if he will state the reason for this Order ? Colonel Gibbs : I would refer my hon. friend to the reply given on Monday toa question by the hon. and gallant Member for Ipswich. Mr. Rowlands : May I ask whether the fact is that because dangerous flyingis done by men at home as distinguished from men abroad some distinctive mark is not to be given to those who undertake dangerous work at home ?Colonel Gibbs : Perhaps my hon. friend will put down another question. Alliance Aeroplane Works. MR. WALTER ROCH asked the Minister of Munitions if he can state the terms on which the Alliance Aeroplane Works of Messrs. Waring and Gillow have beentaken over by the Government; if he can state the statutory or other authority under which such works were taken over; and whether it is his intention to take over any other establishments in the same manner and on the same con-ditions ? % Mr. Kellaway : The terms on which these works were taken possession of arestill under consideration. Possession was taken under Regulation 8 of the Defence of the Realm Regulations. The question of taking similar action inother instances must depend on the facts of each case as it arises. Mr. Roch : Do the Government contemplate purchasing this on behalf of theGovernment ? Mr. Kellaway: I would rather make no statement while the question isunder negotiation. Mr. Roch : Is the same management to be retained ?Mr. Kellaway : That also is a point with regard to which a definite answer cannot be given at the moment.Mr. Roch : If nothing has been settled, why was it announced that they had been taken over by the Government ?Mr. Pringle : Is it not a fact that this was a controlled establishment before, and has any difference been made by the announcement made by the Ministerof Munitions ? Mr. Kellaway : A substantial difference has been made. One result is thatthe men are now at work. Mr. Pringle: Is there any difference in the management or control of thisestablishment, or was the announcement simply made for the purpose of getting the men back to work without making any alteration at all ?Mr. Kellaway : The details are under consideration, and there will certainly be a difference made in the aonditions. Mr. Pringle: When will the hon. member'be able to make a statement asto the change ? Mr. Kellaway: If my hon. friend will put down a question, I will endeavourto get the information. Aerodromes and Irish Labour. MR. WILKIE asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that, whileyoung men are being brought from Ireland to work in the building of aerodromes, older men with the necessary skill and capacity for the work are being takeninto the Army ; and whether, in view of the feeling aroused by this policy, some better co-ordinated efforts between the Departments concerned can beevolved for securing, on the one hand, the necessary men for the Army and, on the other, the requisite labour for war work ? Sir A. Geddes : My r ight hon. friend has asked me to reply. I am not awarethat young men are being brought from Ireland to work on the building of aero- dromes. On the contrary, instructions were issued on April 6th, whereby noIrishman of military age is allowed to be engaged in Ireland for work in Great Britain unless he is engaged through an Employment Exchange for work inagriculture or is a discharged sailor or soldier not liable for further military ser- vice. Further instructions were issued last week to the effect that the liabilityto military service of Irishmen between 18 and 51 years of age who come to work in Great Britain except under these conditions is to be enforced. Mr. Herbert Samuel: May I ask the right hon. gentleman whether the lastpart of his answer refers only to men who are being brought over from Ireland in the future or whether it has any retrospective effect ?Sir A. Geddes : It has no retrospective effect in the case of men who have been brought over through Government agency for work of national importance.Irishmen who have come over on their own initiative without any arrangement being made have always been liable to be called up for military service under theMilitary Service Acts. Mr. Pringle : Will not Irishmen be subject to the comb-out and the clean cutunder the same conditions as Englishmen, Scotsmen, and Welshmen ? Sir A. Geddes : I am afraid that there must be some misunderstanding withregard to the present practice, if I have understood my hon. and learned friend's question correctly. Irishmen, as such, in this country are not entitled tospecial protection. They are British subjects. Irishmen brought over on an understanding given by the Government receive the benefit of that undertaking.If it is impossible lor them to continue in this country in fairness to other men of the same age, they are sent back to Ireland, where they resume their normalstatus. Mr. Pringle: Is the right hon. gentleman going to observe an undertakingin respect of Irishmen while he destroys similar pledges and undertakings given to Englishmen, Scotsmen, and Welshmen ?Sir A. Geddes : I know of no undertaking given to Englishmen, Scotsmen and Welshmen which as been destroyed in connection with thus matter of recruit-ing, but if my hon. and learned friend has any case in point perhaps he will give me information about itNo Badge for Air Raid Victims. MR. K. MCNEILL, on July 8th, asked the Under-Secretary of State for Warwhether the Government propose to follow the example of the French Govern- ment in instituting a special decoration br badge for civilians who h*re beenmutilated or maimed by enemy action during the war, having regard to the •fact that numbers of men and women have so suffered to whom it would be agratification to have their cases differentiated from cases of misfortune by accident unconnected with the War ? Sir G. Cave: Mv right hon. friend has asked me to reply to this question.The Government do not propose to institute a special decoration or badge for civilians injured by enemy action. I understand that no badge is given topersons injured while engaged on national work, and it does not appear that persons injured by the enemy have a higher claim. The whole subject of wardecorations will no doubt receive consideration at a later stage. 843
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