WAR IN THE AIR.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1918, Page 2

WAR IN THE AIR.

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.! AIR SUPERIORITY. LONDON, May 22. Mr Kellaway iu a speech at Whitechapel said it is now clear that -we have reached a material personal superiority of the air. If wo can only exploit that army properly and use it ruthlessly, without limitation, except the limitation of humanity, it is believed that wo can bring tho war to a triumphant conclusion RECENT AIR RAID. THE TOTAL CASUALTIES. LONDON, May 22. The Press Bureau states that the .casualties tin tho air, ijaid districts totalled:—killed 44, injured 179. GERMANS LATEST GOTHA. A DESCRIPTIVE. r“REUTER’s” . TELEGRAM.] Received, this day at 8.45 a,m. LONDON, May 23. A correspondent at. French headquarters gives the following particulars of the new giant Gotha bombing plane, which the Germans employed in the latest night raids in France and England. It has a wing spread of forty metres, and is driven by three motors, each of 300 horse-power. It. accommodates nine passengers, but on raids the crew numbers five or six, in order to permit of the carrying of more bombs and petrol. The .plane carried about two tons of bombs, including one of about a ton in weight, containing 850 kilos of explosives. Owing to the dim., culty of landing nt nigjrt with machines of such size, there will probably he ■■ high proportion of losses through accidents. GREAT AIR ’RAIDING*. TONS OF BOMBS. fAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION & REUTER.] Received, 'tk.s day at 8.45 a.m. LONDON, May 23. ’ General Haig’s aviation report says we dropped twelve hundred bombs on various targets, including aerodromes near Ghent and Tournai, billets in the neighbourhood of Armentiefes, Bapaume and Bray. . Wc dropped over twelve tons of bombs on aerodromes used by the enemy night flyers, and two tons of bombs on a chlorine factory at Mannheim, causing three large fires, and two tons on railway stations at Thionville and Kartliaus. :

RAIDS ON LIEGE

Received, this day at 8.45 a.m.

LONDON, May 23.

General Ilaig reports at dawn on Wednesday, two formations carried out a long distance raid against an important railway triangle at Liege. They dropped twenty-two heavy bombs. The first, formation’s bombs caused three very large fires, which were still burning fiercely three quarters of an hour later when the second formation flew over Liege.

Their machines dropped twelve heavy bombs on Metz railway stations. All roturned.

A GIANT GOTHA

Received, this dav at 8.45 a.m. . NEW YORK, May 22,

Tho “ New York Times ” correspondent on the American front announces that the French brought down a giant German aeroplane. It was attacked by Lufberry, as cabled on May 20th. A bullet pierced the pilot’s armour. The machine was found to contain six machine guns, operated by two gunners.