AERIAL RAID ON CUXHAVEN.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 22, 19 March 1915, Page 1 (Supplement)

AERIAL RAID ON CUXHAVEN.

DARING DASH INTO GERMAN

STRONGHOLD

AIRSHIP HIT

USELESS ZEPPELINS

On Christmas Eve the British squadrons set out with a rendezvous at sea. Mother-ships carried the seaplanes. In the first lighting line were the new light cruisers Arethusa and Undaunted. Behind them were the destroyers and submarines.

Steaming through a calm sea in a dawn as bright as Summer, the fleet drew near to Cuxhaven, at the mouth of the Elbe, and ran into a baffling bank, of fog. Seven waterplanes flew up and dropped bombs over the known positions of the German fleet and over the town. They could see nothing but a swimming mist, but they took their chances. The noise of their explosions brought out the German air fleet in a hurry. Two Zeppelins floated out and three or four waterplanes. They came very fast, then dropped bombs at a desperate rate.

"One of the Zeppelins came right over us," says a member of the ship's company of a British cruiser. "She looked like a great big grey whale, far bigger than us. She dropped bombs all round us, but we had the good luck to dodge them." The battle was fought on three planes —between the whirling sea craft above the sea, between the cruisers on its surface, and between the secretive submarines beneath it. The fog bothered both sides. A Zeppelin chased a British destroyer, found her in a rift between the fog banks, and pelted her industriously with bombs. They fell like hail around her, some so close to her beam as twenty-five yards; but by a happy chance not one hit her, and by rat-like dashes he escaped into the refuge of another bank of fog. Meanwhile a battle in the fog, rather like a snowball match in an extensive dark field, was raging between the "Saucy Arethusa" and the enemy. Torpedoers wore fired at the Arethusa by German submarines and could be seen. Xot one hit its mark.

Whenever they could sight a Zeppelin the British cruisers fired at her with their 6in. guns at high angles and with shrapnel. Good firing was difficult owing to the deceptive light, but it is believed that one of the Zeppelins was hit in the cradle —a German airship dashing through the fog bank into the open air — that was the end pf the engagement. Tlfe Germans turned tail and made off for home. For three hours British destroyers steamed at a high rate around the fleet to prevent any attack by a German submarine. Then, strictly according to orders, the British submarines waited for the return of the wateiplanes at s prearranged rendezvous. Of the seven British flying men who went up, three returned without trouble or danger. Three more were found floating on the water. A few hours afterwards they were taken on board and their machines were sunk by the British to prevent any possibility of ihem falling into the hands of the enemy. Later the only British pilot missing, Eliuht-Commander Hewlett, was rescued by a Dutch steamer. SEAMAN'S STORY. A Tynesider, one of the crew of a vessel engaged in the raid, described what happened as follows: — "We arrived in port to-day, having spent Christinas Day off the German coast. We were very lucky once out there. On Christmas morning the flotillas were attacked by airships and aeroplanes, but nothing at all did they accomplish. "It was a funny thing that the first bombs that were dropped were at the followed us up. Two of their bombs came pretty near. Our fellows treated it like a football match, and kept banging away at him with rifles, but he was far too high to hit. " The Zeppelins are practically useless against our ships. Two followed us, but kept well away out of gun-fire, and when we had done what we had set But to do, and turned to chase them, but could not catch them. We never saw one German warship." ZEPPELIN " WINGED." The raid was kept a close secret in Germany until the following day, when the news spread suddenly in Hamburg and other towns. Mainly in Hamburg serious rumours were circulated, spreading alarm and uneasiness. The Germans' unpreparedness for the raid compelled them to make use of tintwo Zeppelins, which again, as in former cases, proved only their unfitness for active war service, while one was immediately struck by hostile fire.