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BOMBING A GERMAN BRIDGE

SILENT BRITISH Allt SWOOP.

A thrilling story is told of a British air attack on an important German bridge.. Along a very long stretch ol' river in Belgium, 120 miles behind tho front, tliorci was only one railway bridge across which, troops and munitions could pass. It borcauib very important to smash it. At eight o'clock on a moonlight night,, therefore, a machinj set out, mid at last, tho silvery ribbon of tho river, across, which lay tho bridge, was beforo. them.. Tho scattered lights of the town near were seen, and tlio airmen examined tho> features of tho country to mako euro' they were at the right place. There was no doubt.

They How over the t<yi'n and saw tlio bridge, and then, gliding down with silent engines, slowly drew nearer and nearer to tho objective. The town, so far behind tho lines and so long unmolested, twinkled gaily. Its cafes and. squares were probably crowded with Gtcman officers. :

Tho observer, holding his bomb handled guided~~tho pilot to tho 'right and left with red and green signal lights. The. bridge looked very small. It was an extremely difficult target to hit. He had. but a few bombs. He lay watching thebridge through the cockpit floor. Thci line of his sight crossed it, and the. luminous range bars drew nearer and. nearer to it. At last they touched the. bridge. • He pushed his hand forward once,, twice, and again, and heard the clatter of tho bombs falling out behind. With strained, eyes they looked down. Suddenly they saw a, groat flash and a cloud ot white smoke in the water, then another on/the bridge, and another, and then a. few moro beyond. The bridge lay covered in a pall of smoke, and as the smoke roso it oould. be seen that the bridge was destroyed. . At once the airmen began their long journey back, and landed at half-past 12 after a flight of 4J hours.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19180821.2.45

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 285, 21 August 1918, Page 8

Word count
Tapeke kupu
329

BOMBING A GERMAN BRIDGE Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 285, 21 August 1918, Page 8

BOMBING A GERMAN BRIDGE Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 285, 21 August 1918, Page 8

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