WAR IN THE AIR

Hokitika Guardian, 28 September 1917, Page 3

WAR IN THE AIR

air raid losses. f AUSTRALIAN* & S.J.. CABLE ASSOUUTI >N &. REUTER. J LONDON. Sept. 25. British official.—Last night’s aerial casualties were 7 killed and 2o injured. TWO GERMAN AEROPLANES DOWNED AT FLUSHING. f •REUTEIt’s” TELEGRAM.] AMSTERDAM, Sept. 26. Two German aeroplanes, one of a big new type, was brought down at Flushing. One of them, refusing to surrender was shot down bv a Dutch torpedoer. The others descended, the occupants being interned.

\UGITST’S AIR RAID ON ENGLAND. POISON BOMBS LSLI).. LONDON, August 13. A number of iKiinhs thrown upon Southend, on Sunday, by tho German raiders did not explode, but emitted yellow vapour. They are now sudron ruled by barricades placarded—- “ Poison !” Wbole streets arc without glass. The majority of the killed wore scattered about the streets unaware. that the aeroplanes were tierman. The Mayor was warned half an hour previously hut decided that it would bo unwise to alarm the promenading crowds. Ihe finest building at Southend the Technical School was destroyed. One house was blown to atoms, leaving a blank space. The thirteen inhabitants were out.

There were some remarkable escapes. In a wrecked restaurant two were killed. The proprietor and his family of ton escaped. A father and his two daughters hurrying to a train found themselves in the midst of tailing bombs. The daughter turned to the left and were unhurt. A tramway conductor removed with bis passengers to, wards shelter, when a bomb fell and wrecked the ear.

Tt was relatively the most deadly raid vet. The Gotha machine is Germany’s 1 f)J 7 surpirse, taking the place, of the Zeppelins. It can reach reach London from Ostend in an hour. It can fly 18,000 feet high, has a wing spa: n of 24 yards, and bristles with machine guns, including one firing down a tunnel under the tail. It requites two ordinary machines to tackle it.