AEROPLANES AND INFANTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1614, 23 September 1916, Page 4

AEROPLANES AND INFANTRY.

Tlu* reference made l).v Sir Dougins Haig lo armoured cars, and aeroplanes assisting in tin* la lost British advance shows ilia novel means (hat are being' utilised by the allied commanders lo break through the enemy's defences. This is not the first lime aeroplanes have assisted an infantry attack. The French used them from the very commencement of their Somme offensive. A (leel of aeroplanes,.flying low, went forward with the infantry, marking their every movement and fdgnalling- it to the rear. As a ride aviator and infantryman move in widely sundered worlds, separated by thousands of feel of air. The infantryman on Abe ground below watches the duel of ■French and Herman airmen very far away. In the grim I offensive for the lirsl lime aviators and infantry went into the battle elose together, and each infantryman felt that be was in immediate communiealion with the aeroplane above bis bead. Many a soldier, as lie paused for a breathing spare, waved bis band approvingly jo tin* avialor, who was watching him from above. The aeroplanes were only bOOfl. or (iOOft. up, and it was their doty to warn the French batteries behind as to the progress made, so that the men should nut suffer from the lire of their own gnus. The progress ol emdi unit was announced to (be aviator above by signals, 'fbe kite balloons that were watching the battle from the rear were often at a loss as lo the position of (he fldvtUteing lines, but the airmen never made a mistake. To (be inexpressible joy of the infantry the French shells fell exactly where they were needed, just ahead of their lines, and moved steadily forward with their progress. The aeroplanes received plenty of bullets and shrapnel in their planes, but not a single one was 'brought down.