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Aviation History
1918
1918 - 0959.PDF
AUGUST 29, 1918. satisfaction that the Kaiser himself should have thus subscribed to the doctrine that open towns should be sacred from attack. It is one that was universally accepted here before the Hun made it clear that he was not troubled with any qualms of conscience or that merely sentimental considerations were not to be allowed to weigh against any policy that seemed likely to assist in beating the Allies. For long enough after that became quite clear we refrained from repay- ment in kind, but at last we were driven to a policy of reprisals which is now working very well indeed and may be expected to do even better before long. We agree that it is a pity that open towns should be singled out for attack, but in all the circumstances we cannot see how it is to be avoided now. Supposing we were to reverse our policy now and call off all air raids on the Rhineland towns. What would be the immediate result ? Undoubtedly that there would be a strong recrudescence of air raids on London and other of our towns and cities, because of the re- lease of the Hun machines which, in deference to the popular clamour, have been detached for the defence of the Rhine cities. We may be very certain indeed that, were we to do so and state that we were acting from conviction that the bombing of towns behind the lines was dirty business, the Hun would simply laugh at us for fools who do not know a good thing when we have it and would immediately betake himself to his old practices. We have always, since we became converted to the policy of reprisal raids, argued that the best defence of London and the rest of our cities was in attacking the Hun at home. How correct that argument is may be seen in almost complete immunity from raids we have enjoyed since our bombing squadrons be- came really busy among the Rhine cities. We are not so foolish as to lay it down that we have done with German raids on London, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating thereof and we have seen that, thanks to our greatly improved methods of defence and particularly to that best of defences, a continuous offensive, we have been left alone for months. We shall be visited again by the unwelcome raiders of the night, but the main bottom has certainly been knocked out of the Huns' aerial offensive against these islands. - _ o The Army Council has just announced of w?8 that for the future the D-S-0- the M&i- Decorations. tarv Cross, and the D.C.M. will be awarded for " services in action " only. The term " services in action " is defined as follows :— (i) Service under fire. (ii) Distinguished individual services in connection with air raids, bombardments, or other enemy action, which at the time produces conditions equivalent to services in actual combat, and demands the same personal elements of com- mand, initiative, or control on the part of individuals and, in a lesser degree only, possibly entails the same risks. In no circumstances will any exception to this rule be allowed. Undoubtedly the action of the Army Council, which, by the way, concerns Army awards alone, will meet with general approval from the Army itself as well as with that of the public at large. So far as concerns the M.C. and the D.C.M. it has always been clear that these were in the nature of rewards for personal gallantry and it is but right and proper that they should be given in accordance with the terms of their constitution. The D.S.O. is, however, in a somewhat different category. It is an Order in- stituted to reward " distinguished service," as its name fully indicates, and it is quite possible—indeed, it often happens—that distinguished service may be rendered a long way behind the firing line. We do not for a moment question the propriety of the Army Council's ruling in the matter. On the contrary, we entirely agree with it, but at the same time we venture to point out that it causes a hiatus, in that officers whose distinguished service is not actually rendered in the face of the enemy will be deprived of their just reward and distinction. To reward such services as we have in mind with the O.B.E. is possible, but we would much prefer to see that justly abused Order kept for purely civilian services. In order to make "'::;" Ministry of Information. THE KING'S VISIT TO THE WESTERN FRONT.—His Majesty inspecting some C.Os. of our squadrons at the Front. 957 .?'•••--:.•• •-• •: - -
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