THE AIR RAID ON THE MEDWAY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3106, 9 June 1917, Page 7

THE AIR RAID ON THE MEDWAY

LATEST ACCOUNTS

TAUBES TRAPPED IN A RING OP FIRE

London, June 7. The latest accounts show that half thenumber of German aeroplanes which took part in the raid on Tuesday did not return to Germany. Two were shot down in the Jledway, two between the coast of Kent and Dunkirk, and two more ofE Osteud. Pour others were driven' down off Osteud, and two of these wero destroyed. Eye-witnesses state that the formation of the Medway raiders consisted of a lino of bomb-throwers, with other aeroplanes on the flanks ready to engage the British machines,'which quickly ascended. The Germans, at first flying very high, came lower than in previous rniils. Jiot a British gun was fired unf.il the attackers were above the town; and then the raiders were suddenly, caught in a great ring of fire, and- seemed : to bo trapped. A shell caught one of the German machines and sliced off its.propeller. The aeroplane dived, but the pilot recovered himself, looping the loop several times as he descended, each time breaking the' speed of his descent. A patrol boat first reached the scene, and released the wounded Germans; but it was impossible to salve the aeroplane. Tho German officer died yesterday.' Ten. minutes later, another machine burst into flame, and pitched downwards •at tremendous speed, falling in the town. The Test of the enemy's aircraft-man-aged to get out of the'ring of fire, a'nd. Hed. with our machines chasing them. The worst damage was done to a clothing store. Two bombs exploded in.it, and the building collapsed. Fortunately, a large number of women workers were removed when the raid was announwd, and the fire hrieade was able to extinguish the resulting fire. . The missiles dropped included mnny aerial torpedoes, and the .buzzing of their propellers gave warning as they fell.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. BRITISH ATTACK ON A GERMAN • AERODROME The High Commissioner reports:—

London, June 7, 1.20 p.m. The Admiralty reports: "A squadron of navftl. aeroplanes attacked an enemy aerodrome yesterday at Niouvmunster (three miles from Blankenberghe, in Flanders). A. number of bombs were dropped. One big shed was hit, and several bombs fell close to two machines in the aerodrome. WTicn returning, our bombing machines were attacked by four hostile aeroplanes, but onr machines arrived safely.