AIR RAID REPRISALS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1917, Page 3

AIR RAID REPRISALS

CONSIDERING SCHEMES

TO BE ON A BIG SCALE

fAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION']

(Received This Dny at 10.15. a.m.) LONDON, October 4.

The Central News states Hon. Lloyd George and General Smuts are eon sidering schemes of reprisals. A high authority explains that the difficulty in the past has been the insufficiency of aeroplanes to carry out raids on an extonsive scale, it being obviously useless to send one or two machines to drop « few. - liombs. When we send aivoplancs they will go in very large numbers and attain far greater results in a; single raid than the Gormans havo attained in several raids. Thus far all tile ntoroplnes have been needed for bombing hangars, hutments ami the essential work on the fighting fronts. We have definite military objectives which must be attained, before the winter seta in.^ The British output of powerful machines has also been greatly accelerated. It is a mistake to bolieve that Germany’s aeroplanes are more powerful than ours. BRITISH REPRISALS. APPROVED BY PUBLIC. ALSO ITALY AND FRANCE.

f AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION]

Received, this day at 8.45 a.m. LONDON, Oct 4

The newspapers applaud the Government's decision to raid German towns, but ask: How soon will they begin r

Italian and French newspapers are delighted at the British decision, esprcinlly as America always favoured hitting Germany back. It is understood Britain won’t be '•ontent with small attacks, such as the French carry out, after undefendi.l towns are bombed, but contemplates a vigorous system ot air raids :iicing at destroying German morale, ~.a d the upsetting of communications, this drastic system alone will satisfy public opinion in England.

GERMANS PR EPARTNG

FOR COMING RAIDS

fAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION']

Received, fhis day at 8.45 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, Oct. 4. Wiilhelmshaven and Essen are preparing to meet British air raids. All ports and many other important towns are plunged into darkness at eight- in the evening, when the theatre and cafes are closed. The air defences are being doubled and trebled at many important centres. FRENCH AIR RAID. LONDON, October 3. A French Official report states: Aviators dropped 7000 Kilogrammes of projectiles (about 7 tons) on Freibourg railway station, Volklingen nnd Hoffonbaeh factories, Grisselles Longwv, Metz, Waippy, Arnaville, Mezieres les M e tz, Thionville. and Sarrsbourg. In reprisal for the bombardment oi Bar le Due we bombed Baden town.