THE DAY OF THE BRITISH AIRMAN.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 22, 19 March 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE DAY OF THE BRITISH AIRMAN.

REASONS FOR HIS SUPERIORITY

OVER GERMANS

THE TRIUMPH OF RACE

SPORTING - ' FEELING DOMINANT.

The extraordinarily daring aerial raid made os the Belgian coastal towns of Bruges, Zeebrugge, and Ostend recenlly by 34 British aeroplanes, with the object' of destroying the German submarine bases there, adds another chapter to the brilliant history of the British Aerial Service in this great world war. Away back in September the wonderful reconnaissance work of the British airman moved " Silent" French to eulogy. In one of his despatches the British Commander-in-Chief wrote: "The British Flying Corps has succeeded in establishing an individual ascendancy, which is as serviceable to us as it is damaging to the enemy . . . -The enemy have been much Jess enterprising in their flights. Something in the direction of a mastery of the air has already been gained."

It "was indeed a to-se summary, but packed with fact: as lias been borne nut on more than one occasion since.

Tn order to find out the reason why the British airmen have gained the "individual ascendancy" General French referred to, it is necessary to draw a comparison between our men and their German rivals. At the same time we must hark hack to the beginning of the war, when •every report was full i f Tauhes and the excellent work of their German pilots. For a time the Tauhes seemed to have it all their own way: their pilots, too, seemed to dominate the air. They were speedy, clever, efficient, they handled their guns well, and, what is more, they rarolv came to grief. Friend and foe alike had nothing but admiration for them. Even the Tommy iu the trenches reluctantly admitted that the German airmen were " the

goods," an admission tinged with regret because he couldn't firing the beggars down.

And then (he tide of battle, as far as the air v.as concerned, suddenly turned, the German aviator seemed to lose nis magic. Reports of his daring reconnaissances grew loss, until finally they dwindled a way to occasional records of individual raids, most of which had no military significance.

BRITISH GAIN MASTERY OF THI AIR WITHOUT BLOODSHED.

Win ? Because the British airman had appeared in the Held to wrest from the enemy the laurels they had temporarily piled up: and it wasn't at the price of blood that the British won either, for while a few of the enemy airmen were caught and brought down, tie l bulk of them escaped. No, the British pilot didn't settle the German altogether, for the simple reason that he couldn't catch him. And yet he gained an " individual ascendancy." Again why 0 The German flier is the most scientifically trained pilot in the realm of the air. He has had all the forces and resources of his Government behind him: he has had money lavished on him; he is a link in an amazingly perfect and thorough chain. Ho has the best machine in the world—fast, safe, and easily controlled, in which he has won the. greatest number of "practical" records —those of long-distance flying, for ex-