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Aviation History
1918
1918 - 0927.PDF
AUGUST 15. 1918. products are quite equal to the average deliveries from other firms. It is possible that over a period of a few days'rejecttons might have been as high as 80 percent., but the rejections over a reasonable period have not exceeded those usual in the trade. No compensation from public funds in respect of bad material has been made. The steel was correct to the analysis required at the particular stage of manufacture. The chief steel maker to the firm left in March, 1918, and not in 1917. He WAS i'liijilij by an ex >;rt from another Sueffeld firm. An officer with steelmaking experience has been watching operations on behalf of the Ministry and for purposes of advice. It is true that the allocation of orders for this particular steal to M ;;srs. Jonas and Colveris the largest in Sheffield, but I may paint out thit thsse allocations are made on the advice of a committee com- posed of representatives of the leading firms of steel makers in Sheffield. AIRCRAFT WORK AT THE FRONT. OFFICIAL INFORMATION. British. War Office, Aug. 4M. " Italian Front.—During the past %veek the R.A.F. have destroyed 14 enemy aeroplanes and one observation balloon, without loss to themselves." General Headquarters, Aug. 6th. "On Aug. 5th our aeroplanes carried out reconnaissances and observaticn for our artillery. Very few enemy machines were sighted, and there were no combats. In addition to the German aeroplanes destroyed on Aug. 3rd in air- fighting,another was shot down on that day by machine-gun fire from the ground." General Headquarters, Aug. 7th. "Four German machines were shot down during the day of Aug. 6th, and one was brought down in flames on the following night. During the 24 hours, 24 tons of bombs were dropped by us on railways, aerodromes, and billets and several direct hits were observed. All our machines returned salely." General Headquarters, Aug. &th. " On Aug. 7th observation was rendered difficult by ground mist. A consider- able amount of reconnaissance and photography was, however, carried out. Over 17 tons of bombs were dropped during the day with good effect, and a large number of combats took place. Fifteen hostile machines were brought down and seven driven down out of control. Two of our machines are missing. A ton of bombs was dropped during the night, operations being hampered by bad waather. Oae of our night-flying machines is missing." A ir Ministry, A ugusl 8tt. " On the morning of August 8th our machines carried out a successful attack on the explosive factories at Rombach. Good results were obtained. All our machines returned" Admiralty, August gth. " A large amount of work has been done by Royal Air Force contingents working with the Navy during the period August 1st to 7th. On Monday last as previouslyreported, our aircraft successfully attacked hostile Zeppelins, one of which was destroyed and another damaged. On another occasion a forma- tion of our large seaplanes in the North Sea sighted a Zeppelin at about 4,000 ft. They climbed to attack, and were apparently not at first seen by the enemy. Later the crew of the Zeppelin evidently sighted our machines, for all bombs were dropped, water ballast released, and the nose of the Zeppelin put up into practically a vertical position. By these tactics the Zeppelin was able to escape into the heavy clouds and was lost to sight. One of our machines was forced to land in Dutch waters. The machine was destroyed and the crew interned. Convoy and anti-submarine patrols have been maintained. Enemy destroyers and submarines have been attacked and direct hits registered. Bad visibility has interfered with bombing operations over Ostend and Zeebrugge, but many tons of explosives have been dropped with good results. During engagements that have taken place three enemy machines have been shot down in flames and six driven down out of control. All our machines have returned safely." General Headquarters, August gth. " On August 8th our aeroplane squadrons cooperated with the other arms on the battle front throughout the day. The line reached by our attacking infantry was reported by our contact aeroplanes. The positions of the hostile artillery in action and columns of German infantry and transport on the march weresignalled to our guns by our artillery machines. Other machines supplied our advanced troops with ammunition from the air. Co-operation with Tanks was carried out systematically. Our machines assisted the Tank crews with information, attacked strong points and other opposition with bombs and machine-gun fire, and, by dropping smoke bombs along the line of their advance, assisted to conceal the approach of the Tanks from the enemy. Our contact machines working with the cavalry rendered valuable service. Flying low in front of our advancing line, our fighting squadrons shot at and bombed the enemy in his retreat, causing havoc among masses of hostile troops and trans- port on roads congested with traffic. Our bombing squadrons, flying a few hundred feet from the ground, attacked trains, railway junctions, and bridges. Forty-eight hostile machines are recorded as destroyed by our aeroplanes, and 17 othere were driven down out of control. Five hostile balloons were shot down in flames. Fifty of our own machines are missing, most of these casualties being due to fire on the ground. One of our night-flying machines also failed to return." " On August 9th our airmen continued the work of co-operation with British infantry, artillery, cavalry, and Tanks on the battle front. German troops and transport were again attacked with bombs and machine-gun fire from a low height whenever a suitable target offered. The Somme bridges were heavily bombed both by day and night. Elsewhere along the British front activity in the air has been slight, but the ordinary work of photography, reconnaissance, and observation has been carried on." War Office, August gth. "Italian Front.—Since my last communique the Royal Air Force have destroyed 11 hostile aeroplanes and one observation balloon. One of our machines is missing." Admiralty, August 10th. " Reconnaissance carried out yesterday, August 9th, by Royal Air Force contingents working under the Navy observed a German destroyer sunk 8 miles north-west of Zeebrugge. This destroyer was in all probability sunk by a British mine. Enemy mine-sweepers operating yesterday off Zeebrugge were heavily bombed by British aircraft." General Headquarters, August roth. " In air fighting on August 9th we destroyed 39 enemy machines and drove down 22 out of control. Twenty-three of our machines are missing. One of those reported missing on the 8th inst. has since returned safely. Thirty-eight and a half tons of bombs were dropped by us during the day on different targets and 18i tons in the course of the following night. On August 10th the work of our airmen in the battle area continued without intermission, and many combats with German aeroplanes took place. Our balloons followed up close behind the line and carried out valuable observation throughout the day." Headquarters R.A.F., Independent Force, August nth. " On the morning of the nth inst. our squadrons attacked the railway station »t Karlsruhe and a hostile aerodrome. Clouds hindered observation, but one m^e .'50In') was seen to hit the station at Karlsruhe, causing an explosion. Fighting took place during most of the outward and return journeys, as a result of which one of our machines was driven down under control and three hostile machines were driven down out of control." M General Headquarters, August nth.On August loth there was intense fighting in the air, mainly over the battle area. Forty-one enemy machines were destroyed during the day and 20 were driven down out of control. Twelve of our aeroplanes are missing. Twenty- three and a half tons of bombs were dropped by our airmen in the course of the day, and 31 toas, principally upon bridges and stations in the Somme Valley, during the following night. The work of reconnaissance and observation for artillery fire was actively carried on. along the whole front, while co-operation with the other arms in the battle has been actively continued. The amount of small arms ammunition fired from the air upon retreating enemy troops and transport has broken all recent records. On the night of August ioth-11 th two hostile night-bombing machines were"brought down by us. The first was a giant German machine with five engines and a heavy load of bombs. Anti-aircraft fire has also shot down two other enemy machines during the last two days." Headquarters R.A.F., Independent Force, August 12th. " On the afternoon of the irth instant, in addition to bombing already reported a few bombs were dropped on the triangle of railways at Metz. On the night of nth-i2th instant, our machines attacked two hostile aerodromes and various ground targets with bombs and machine-gun fire. On the day of the 12th inst. one of our squadrons, despite unfavourable weather conditions, successfully attacked the aeroplane and chemical works at Frankfurt. Bursts were observed well in the centre of the objective, and large numbers of enemy aeroplanes attacked and kept up a running fight for about 30 miles. Two enemy aeroplanes were destroyed. All our machines returned safely. Another of our squadrons attacked the hostile aerodrome at Hagenau with excellent results. This squadron just after crossing the lines met large numbers of enemy aeroplanes and at once decided to give battle. As the result of severe fighting four enemy aeroplanes were destroyed and one other was driven down out of control. Two of our machines are missing. The squadron re-formed after this fight and proceeded to bomb its objective. A direct hit was obtained on a large hut on the aerodrome, and a bomb fell on four enemy machines on the ground and destroyed them.' ' General Headquarters, August 12th. " Fifty tons of bombs were dropped by our airmen on August nth and the following night. The two chief objectives both by day and by night were the Somme crossings and certain railway juctions of military importance. Courtrai station and sidings were heavily bombed by some of our squadrons in broad daylight from a low height without loss to us. Many direct hits were observed. At night Peronne and Cambrai stations were severely attacked with good effect. All our night bombing machines safely returned. Enemy aircraft flying in large formations were active on the battle front. Twenty-nine hostile machines were destroyed in air fighting during the day and 24 more were driven down out of control. Four hostile balloons were shot down in flames. Five of our machines are missing. The observation work of our artillery aeroplanes and balloons was steadily carried on. On the night of August loth-nth a Gotha machine was brought down by anti-aircraft fire in addition to those already reported." French. Paris, August 6th. " British airmen brought down one enemy aeroplane and bombar'ded the enemy's depots in the Struma Valley." 1 Paris, Angus Sth. , "During the month of July, 184 enemy aeroplanes were brought down, 30 by anti-aircraft guns; 154 enemy aeroplanes were seen falling out of control in their lines, 15 of them hit by the fire of our anti-aircraft guns. In addition to this total of 338 enemy machines, which have been destroyed or seriously damaged, our aeroplanes have also set fire to 49 hostile captive balloons. "During the same month our day bombarding squadrons dropped 194 tons of bombs, and our night squadrons 356 tons, or more than 550 tons, on the bridges in the Marne Valley, enemy troops which had advanced south of the Aisne, and the railway stations in the region of Laon, Hirsin, and Rethel." Paris, August 10th. " The French Air Service took part in the battle in intimate touch with the infantry, marking the advance realised by our infantry, and harassing the enemy with bombs and machine-guns. Despite rather unfavourable atmospheric con- ditions, our squadrons engaged in numerous combats, in the course of which'H German machines were brought down or fell'out of control. Nine captive balloons were set on fire. Our day-bombarding formations dropped over Z3 tons of bombs on troops and concentrations in the valley of the Avre and in the battle zone, as well as on the stations behind the front. Our night bombarding air service also dropped nearly 17 tons of bombs on the stations of Ham, Tergnier, Nesle, Hombleux, and on numerous bivouacs, causing fires and explosions." " Balkans.—French airmen have bombed enemy encampments in the region of Pogradec, and British airmen the railways in the region of Seres." Paris, August 12th. " During the day of August nth, notwithstanding the enemy aircraft which attempted to oppose the passage of our aerial forces, our bombing squadrons carried out successful expeditions over the enemy's lines. Concentration centres, important junctions, bridges, cross-roads, and railways were copiously drenched with bombs, and columns on the march were machine-gunned. Seventeen tons of bombs were dropped on the important centre of communications of Porquericourt in broad daylight, and numerous convoys were blocked. A total of 57 tons of projectiles were dropped, including 22 tons during the night time in the districts of Ham, Noyon, Guiscard, Tergnier, &c. The same day 15 enemy machines and four captive balloons were brought down, whilst 21 were put out of action by our pilots in conjunction with American crews." Italian! Rome Aug. 6th. "Atmospheric conditions favoured the aerial operations of airships of our and Allied airmen. Six hostile machines and a captive balloon were brought down." Rome, Aug. 7th. " In air combats six hostile planes were brought down." " On the night of Aug. 2nd our naval airmen bombarded the military worBs and harbour of Durarao, dropping more than 600 kilogrammes of explosives. This morning they dropped an additional 1,500 kilogrammes with visibly good results. All our airmen returned without mishap to their base." Rome, August gth. " Army and Royal Navy airships bombed military establishments at Pola, inthe Venetian Plains, and near Trent. Two hostile machines were brought down in air fighting. " To-day a patrol of eight aeroplanes, a biplane, and seven monoplanes, com- manded by Major d'Annunzio, made a brilliant raid on Vienna. The squadron covered a distance of about 620 miles, 500 miles over enemy territory. Our machines left at 5.50 a.m., and in spite of no small atmospheric difficulties reached Vienna at 9.20. They flew over the city at an altitude of less than 800 yards dropping several thousands of leaflets. The crowds in the streets could be 925
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