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Aviation History
1918
1918 - 1267.PDF
NOVEMBER 7, 1918 this country, and, while the question of the use of aeroplanes for both homeand foreign mails is being kept in view, I cannot at present make any general statement on the matter. R.A.F. Medical Service MAJ. H. TERRELL (by Private Notice) asked whether the Secretary of Stateor the Air Council offered or proposed to offer the appointment of Medical Administrator or Director-General of Medical Services of the Air Force to anR.A.M.C. officer on the terms that he would in the administration of the Air Force Medical Service carry out the principles recommended by the Watson-Cheyne Advisory Committee ; whether such officer has accepted or refused to accept the appointment on such terms ; and if such officer has refused to accept such appointment on such terms what action does the Secretary ofState or Air Force Council intend to take in the matter ; and will the Secre- tary of State assure the House that whoever is appointed will be requiredto carry out the said principles in the administration of Air Force Medical Service ? ; Maj. Baird : The position of medical administrator has been offered toCol. Fell, R.A.M.C., one of the conditions being that he shall be guided by the principles laid down by the Watson-Cheyne Committee. Ma). H. Terrell: Can the hon. gentleman say whether Col. Fell has acceptedor refused to adhere to those terms ? Maj. Baird : Col. Fell is at present engaged in visiting stations of the RoyalAir Force in thiscountry and abroad. We shall get his answer in due course. AIRCRAFT WORli AT THE OFFICIAL INFORMATION. FRONT, British General Headquarters, October 2W1." On October 27th our squadrons accomplished a great deal of recon- naissance and photographic work, and reported many targets to our artillery.Enemy troops were attacked from the air with bombs and machine-gun fire, and our bombing squadrons dropped 12J tons of bombs on important railwaystations and other targets. The enemy's aircraft showed considerable activity, and there was a good deal of fighting. Sixteen enemy machineswere shot down and destroyed, and 10 more were driven down out of control. Four German balloons were shot down in flames. Eleven of our machinesare missing." War Office, October 2&th." Italian Front.—The operations yesterday were greatly assisted by the work of the Royal Air Force, who, in addition to reporting the movementsof our troops, attacked hostile formations with macbine-guns from the air. Since my last report, three enemy aircraft have been destroyed and sevendriven down out of control; four balloons have been destroyed. Three of our machines are missing." Headquarters 'R.A.F., Independent Force, October 29th." On October 28th our machines carried out heavy attacks on Morhange aerodrome. Eighteen hits were observed on the aerodrome, and a fire wascaused. In the course of fighting one enemy aeroplane was shot down in Barnes and fell upon our side of the lines. Bombs were also dropped onFrescaty aerodrome. On the night 28th-20th we attacked the Badische aniline and soda factory at Mannheim, and tbe railways at Trev& and Saar-briicken, where heavy bombs were dropped. The important railway junc- tions at Longuyon, Ecouviez and Thionville were also attacked, with excellentresults. Over 10 tons of bombs were dropped during the day and night. None of our machines are missing. To-day the railway junction at Longuyonand the aerodrome at Jametz were attacked with very good results. Three of our machines are not yet located." Admiralty, October 29th." Operations of Royal Air Force contingents working with the Navy from October rgth-26th have been considerably curtailed owing to unfavourable. weather. Five tons of bombs were dropped on the enemy's railway communi- cations in the Belgian area, a train being set on fire and many casualtiescaused among the troops by low-flying machines. Anti-submarine, coastal reconnaissance, and convoy patrols have been carried out. Enemy aircraftactivity has been below normal, one machine being destroyed in combat. All our machines have returned safely." General Headquarters, October 29th." Improved weather conditions on October 28th resulted in increased aerial activity on both sides, and a large number of fights took place. Thirty-twoenemy machines were destroyed, 10 were driven down out of control, and two hostile balloons were shot down in flames. Eight of our machines are miss-ing. Important railway junctions on the enemy's lines of communication were successfully attacked by our bombing squadrons, which dropped 17tons of bombs during the day, but at night low clouds again hampered opera- tions, and only one raid was accomplished. The work of our reconnaissanceand artillery machines was continued." War Office, October 29th.' Italian Front.-.—In air fighting yesterday four enemy aeroplanes and four observation balloons were destroyed. One of our machines is missing." General Headquarters, October 30th. " On October 29th fine weather enabled flying operations to be continuedactively on the whole front. Many targets were indicated to our artillery, and the machines observing the effect of our fire reported that much damagewas caused to enemy gun positions. Reconnaissance and photographic work was continued, and our bombing machines dropped over 9J tons of bombson centres of enemy activity. Hostile aircraft showed considerable activity during the day. In air fighting 17 German machines were shot down andseven were driven down out of control. In addition, one enemy machine was shot down by our anti-aircraft guns. Eight of our machines are missing.During the night our squadron drbpped 125 tons of bombs on important railway stations and junctions on the enemy's lines of communication,obtaining many direct hits. One of our machines has not returned." War Office, October 30 th.'" Italian Front.—Our aeroplanes were engaged all the afternoon against hostile columns in dense masses retreating down the Conegliano-Sacile andConegliano-Vittorio roads. One and a quarter tons of bombs and 10,000 rounds of ammunition were expended with visibly good results. One hostileballoon was destroyed. Three of our machines are missing. General Headquarters, October 31st." On October 30th our squadrons displayed intense activity along the whole front. Over 3,000 photographs were taken, and nearly 22 tons ofbombs were dropped. A very successful attack was carried out on a German aerodrome, in which two hangars containing machines were completelydemolished by bombs dropped from a very low altitude, and two other machines standing on the aerodrome were also destroyed. Many casualtieswere caused to personnel on the aerodrome by our machine-gun fire, and horse transport in the vicinity was stampeded. The outstanding feature ofthe day was the heavy and continuous air fighting, which resulted greatly to our advantage. No fewer than 64 German machines were destroyed, 15 morewere driven down out of control, and one balloon was shot down in flames. After dark, our night-flying squadrons continued operations, dropping 5jtons of bombs on important railway junctions- One German night-flying machine which was encountered was shot down in flames. Including the twomachines destroyed on the ground, the total of 67 German aeroplanes known to have been accounted for, without considering those driven down out ofcontrol, establishes a record for one day's fighting. Moreover, this was accomplished with the proportionately small loss of 18 of our machines miss-ing, one of which failed to return from a night-bombing raid." War Office, October 31M." Italian Front.—Air reports this morning report aerodromes at Tansue and Pordeno [? Pordenone] in flames, also dumps at Sacile. A mass of hostile infantry, estimated at 10,000 men, was attacked from the air thismorning in the neighbourhood of Sacile and scattered in all directions. " The Royal Air Force has again to-day done excellent work. Over twotons of bombs have been dropped and 20,000 rounds of ammunition have been fired with good results. The Sacile-Pordonone road is littered withkilled, wounded, and debris, the result of their attacks. " Eight enemy aeroplanes which were bombed yesterday were foundto-day destroyed on Godega aerodrome. Two of our machines are missing." Headquarters R.A.F., Independent Force, October 31st."On the night of the 2oth-3oth inst., in addition to targets already re- ported as attacked, the chemical factories at Worms were bombed with goodeffect. On the afternoon of the 30th our machines attacked a hostile aero- drome. Results could not be observed. All our machines returned. Onthe night of the 3oth-3ist our machines attacked two hostile aerodromes, obtaining four direct hits on hangars, and starting a fire. The railways atBaden, the chemical factories at Karlsruhe, and the blast furnaces at Burbach were also successfully attacked. Mist and fog which have been prevalentthroughout the past week, and have made long-distance work exceptionally difficult, again prevented accurate observation of results. All our machinesreturned." Headquarters R.A.F., Independent Force, November 1st." On the 3tst ult., weather conditions were again bad for long-distance work, but, in spite of this, our machines, flying through low clouds and rain-storms, reached Bonn, and attacked the railway station in the centre of the town. Other machines attacked the railway at Trev&, and Frescaty aero-drome. Two of our squadrons attacked Biihl aerodrome, obtaining direct hits on and near hangars. All our machines returned safely." General Headquarters, November 1st. " On October 31st low clouds and mist somewhat restricted operations, butreconnaissance and photographic work was completed, and accurate observa- tion of artillery fire resulted in considerable damage being caused to enemybattery positions. Our bombing machines continued to bombard enemy railways and other targets, dropping over 6f tons-of bombs. After thesevere fighting of the previous day the enemy's machines showed very little activity. In air fighting two hostile machines were destroyed and one wasdriven down out of control. Two of our machines are missing. Owing to weather conditions no night-bombing operations were possible." War Office, November 1st. " Italian Front.—Thick fog has interfered with work in the air, and no reconnaissances have been possible." Headquarters, Britisk-Belgian Armies, November 2nd. " During the three days of fighting the Allied Air Forces have vied withone another in courage, and have maintained complete mastery of the air, bombing and machine-gunning troops and transport as well as hostile com-munications behind the front. They also attacked such patrols as endea- voured to bar their way, bringing down a number of enemy machines. Theresults obtained by the British airmen in particular were altogether remark- able." General Headquarters, November 2nd. " On November 1st our squadrons continued their work in fair but mistyweather. A good deal of reconnaissance and photographic work was accom- plished. Many targets were reported to our artillery, and our machinesobserving the result of our fire reported considerable damage caused to the enemy's gun positions. Excellent targets were presented to our low-flyingaeroplanes operating over the battle front. Full advantage was taken of these with bombs and machine-gun fire, great confusion and many casualtiesbeing caused among the enemy. Nearly 15% tons of bombs were dropped, many direct hits being observed on railway junctions and sidings. Hostileaircraft were fairly active during the day. In air fighting, 13 German machines were shot down and seven driven down out of control. Two of the enemy'sballoons were shot down In flames. Ten of our machines are missing. At night, in spite of very unfavourable weather conditions, our machines suc-ceeded in dropping 2% tons of bombs on enemy railways and billets. AH these machines returned." General Headquarters, NovemOer 3rd. " On November 2nd low clouds and rain considerably interfered with flyingoperations, but some valuable reconnaissance and photographic work was accomplished. Our machines, working in conjunction with our artillery,reportecTluany targets to them, of which they took full advantage, and under the accurate observation thus afforded caused considerable damage to hostilegun positions, active batteries, transport and troops. The confusion caused was materially added to by our aeroplanes with bombs and machine-gunfire. Five and three-quarter tons of bombs were dropped during the day, chiefly in the enemy's forward areas. There was very little activity onthe part of the enemy's aircraft. One German machine was destroyed in air fighting, and one was shot "down by our—anti-aircraft guns. Three ofour machines are missing. No operations could be carried out at night on account of weather conditions." War Office, November yd." Italian Front.—The Royal Air Force has continued its operations against the retreating columns, but these are not so congested as they have been upto to-day. The 48th (British) Division, operating on the Asiago Plateau have captured 470 prisoners and 13 guns. One enemy kite balloon destroyed.Four of our machines are missing." Headquarters R.A.F., Independent Force, November 3rd. " Our machines to-day carried out heavy attacks on the railways in andaround Saarburg. Several bursts were seen on railway lines, but owing to unfavourable weather, results were most difficult to observe. One squadronattacked Buhl with good results, hits being obtained on and near the hangars. All our machines returned." General Headquarters, November 4th." On November 3rd, low clouds and rain greatly restricted flying opera- tions, but some reconnaissance and artillery observation work was successfuland nearly if tons of light bombs w ere dropped on enemy camps, transport, 1268
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