PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. FRIDAY, JULY 14, 1916 THE COMMAND OF THE AIR.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 191, 14 July 1916, Page 2

PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

FRIDAY, JULY 14, 1916 THE COMMAND OF THE AIR.

"We nothing extenuate, nor tel dovm auaht in malice.. 1 '

Ax outstanding feature of the successful Allied offensive on the Westem front has been the valuable and effective work of the British and French aeroplanes. The cabled reports indicate that although our air fleets have not come through th" ordeal uuscathed, they Lavo certainly established their superiority over the enemy aircraft. As a military writer puts it, it is Dot to • he actual number of machines lost bv the respective belligerents that we should look before arriving at conclusions in this respect, but in tte nature ot the rasults achieved. A comparison ol the los?es would probably show a slight balance in favour 9i the enemy, but this is only what we might expect, when it is considered that, in order to establish command of the air along the line of advance, our aeroplHiictS

are also on the offensive. They had to push on over the enemy's line*, and meet not only the attacks rf the opposing air fleet?, bat also the hre from the German anti-aircraft gurs below. It is a distinct military advantage if, daring the bomardmeit prior to the iffensive, the aeroplanes ot th 3 attacking forces are able to prevent enemy aircraft torn interfering with the vfurk cl tbe artillery Hostile machines over the lines of an army delivering an attack are able tc render great assistance to their own aitillery by "spotting," aa well as by collecting valuable information as to the methods adopted by the attackers in bringing up fresh reserves, m order to continue the advance. It was, therefore, mest desirable that the prying ejes of ih: German armies betwet-n Arras and Hove should be blindfolded both before and during the course of the present offensive. Ibis the British and French airmen succeeded in doing, as a recent French communique stated:—"Our aeroplanes have been masters throughout. Only nine of tbe enemy have been seen; none has crossed cur lines," while G;n ral Sir Dcuglas Haig's report said. . . . "Tne German

aircraft have made several attempts to take the offensive, but were all drives back. Subsequently the aircraft were held far behind tbe German lines." These statements l;ave no doubt aa to who held command of the air during tbe important fiist stage of the Battle ot Somme. The efficiency of our aeroplanes and pilots should have a reassuring effect upon those who feared that the Fckker and other German machir.es were superior to the British type, that our airmen have be n able to rJisiipate any doubts which have been entertained on thu subject is all tte more laudable when we remember tbe initial difficuties against which our air strvica had to contend.