In the Air

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 42, 25 January 1916, Page 5

In the Air

RAID ON METZ. ALLIES’ SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS. [United Press Association.] Paris, January 21. Two aviation squadrons, including twenty-four machines, bombarded the railway station and barracks at .Metz and dropped 130 bombs. The bombarding aeroplanes were escorted by two protecting squadrons, the pilots ot which fought, on the way, ten actions with Fokkers and Aviatiks. Our machines were violently bombarded throughout, but returned safely, except one, which was obliged to land south-east of Metz. THE KENT RAID. SEAPLANES’ MIDDAY ATTACK. London, January 23. Official : Two hostile seaplanes raided the same locality at midday, but were subjected to heavy fire and disappeared. Our naval and military machines pursued them, but neither inflicted casualties nor damage. MEETING THE FOKKER SCARE, London, January 23. Reuter’s correspondent has reported that owing to the Fokker scare he visited the headquarters of the Flying Corps in France and returned in a mood of buoyant reassurance. He is convinced that the British are maintaining the aerial initiative they have held since the earliest days of British flights, and it is fivefold that of Germany. The Fokker’s radius action is less than 1.50 miles, and can only be used ip defence of British recoilnaisances, Which are daily. We are establishing a principle of a convoy for the newly-invented battleplanes now to escort reconnoitring aeroplanes. Recently one of these escorters was two thousand feet above the German trenches and two Fokkers appeared. The Britisher directed a furious end-on fire’ on the leading Fokker, which dived statically eastwards. The second Fokker was then above the Britisher, whiph swiftly climbed and opened fire a hundred feeti above. Wthin thirty seconds the Fokker plunged into a ploughed field, and the victor cliriibed 10,500 feet, and met and attacked an Albatross, which fluttered down into some trees. The Britisher, satisfied with his day’s work, was returning, when he saw a third Fokker among several of our scouts. Swooping within seventy feet he pumped in a volley, and the I’okkei dived three thousand feet.