BOMB-DROPPING.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 25 July 1917, Page 2

BOMB-DROPPING.

THE VISIT TO ESSEN.

AVIATOR’S GRAPHIC STORY. ATTACKED WHERE BLAZE WAS BRIGHTEST. LONDON, July 10. Reuter’s correspondent at French Headquarters sends a story of the bombardment of Krupp’s muntion works, and the town of Essen, by Ser-geant-Aviator Gallois, on Friday. Gallois J s machine was one of a fleet of 84, which started simultaneously for various objectives behind the enemy front All of them carried out their missions, and returned to the starting point, with the exception of two, within six hours from the time of . departure. Gallois says: “We started at 9.20 in the evening, four of us steering for Essen. The night was dark, and I soon lost sight of the others. The course lay over Metz, Thionvillc and down the Moselle, towards Coblenz. The French batteries fired at me when I was traversing the line. At Metz the searchlights were playing but I escaped without being detected. I continued steering by the compass towards Treves, where I heard my comrades bombing the town, and I knew I was keeping my direction. HP THE RHINE, “By-and-bye I picked up the Rhine, The moon was shining on the river. I flerv up-stream, past Bonn arid Colagnc towards Dusseldorf. Looking down on , the German towns was like looking down on a sea of electric light. I saw several times fired at by anti-craft guns, especially at Cologne where the shooting was uncommonly good. As I approached Essen there was a broad band of light on the horizon. It seemed to be several mires long, and southward of the town. There was another great belt of light from the iron and steel foundries. I arrived at Essen at a height of 6600 feet, and chose a spot where the blaze of light from the factories seemed brightest. There I threw my cargo of bombs, counting ten between each throw. Then I turned homeward, travelling safely the same route, though frequently fired at.’ ’ Eighty-four machines participated in the operations. They distributed nearly seven tons of high explosive. Eleven of them dropped 24 tons on Treves. DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT £40,000. Reuter’s correspondent at Amsterdam forwards a Maastricht telegram to the effect that the Dutch paper Les Nouvelles- announces that Dutch workmen employed at Krupps’ were paid off on account of the destruction of buildings. It adds: “It is confirmed that in the atack by Allied aeroplanes on Friday night between 40 and 50 machines participated. Bombs were dropped with such sucess that in one quarter 100 were killed and several hundreds injured, Material damage to the extent of £40,000. was done.

THE SKY ABLAZE

“Eye-witnesses say that the defence guns made a terifie din. The sky was afire. Workshops wore closed at the beginning of the bombardment, and troops endeavoured to prevent a panic. Women and children fled to the country. Among the victims were French prisoners, five of whom were killed and forty injured. ” Another Amsterdam message says that according to the reports which are trickling through the German censorship, concerning the raid, the first bombs fell at 2 o’clock in the morning, near Alternrath, in the vicinity of Cologne,, wrecking some houses, The inhabitants rushed for shelter, Shortly afterwards a storm of fire broke out from the anti-aircraft guns at Dusscldof, Oberhausen, Essen, itulhcim, and elsewhere, while searchlights swept the the sky in all directions. The greatest secrecy is observed concerning the .damage done, but travellers speak of the perturbation of the local residents in consequence of the .raid.