A THRILLING ACCOUNT.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 June 1917, Page 2

A THRILLING ACCOUNT.

[LONDON TIMES SERVICE—COPYRIGBt] rAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION’] of theTmedway RAID. RAIDERS CAUGHFIN GUN-FIRE. , AT LEAST 8 DESTROYED. [AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION

LONDON, June 7. Later accounts' show that half of Tuesday’s raiders have-not returned to Germany.

Two were shot down in the Medway, two betweenn Kent and Dunkirk, two off Ostend, and four others were driven off Ostend, whereof two were destroyed.

An eve-witness states the formation of the Medway raids consisted of a line of bomb throwers, with, other aeroplanes on the flanks, ready to engage the Britishers, who quickly ascended. The Germans at first were flying very high,, but they came lower than the previous raid. Not a British gun-fired until the attackers were above the town. Then the raiders suddenly "■baujliit a great ring of fire, and they seemed trapped. A shell caught a German machine and sliced off its propellor. The aeroplane dived, but the pilot recovered himself, looping the loop as he descended several times, each time making a break in his* speed of his descent. .

A patrol boat that first reached the scene' released the wounded Germans, but it was impossible to save the plane. • A German officer yesterday succumbed.

Ten minutes later another machine burst into flames*, and pitched downwards at a tremendous speed v falling in the town. A

The rest of the enemy aircraft damaged, got out of our ring of fire and fled, our machines chasing them. The worst damage was done to a clothing store. Two bombs exploded and the building collapsed. >. Fortunately a large number of workers were/ removed when the raid was* announced.

The fire brigade was able to extinguish the fire. The missiles included many aerial torpedoes, whereof tho buzzing whirr of their propellors gave a warning as they fell- ,