BRITISH AIRMEN'S RAID.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 147, 16 November 1914, Page 8

BRITISH AIRMEN'S RAID.

FLIGHTS OVER GERMANY. ZEI'PELIX SHEDS ATTACKED. British niival airmen recently niaili! a ■luring raid into German territory. The Zeppelin hangars at Dusseldorf and Cologne wen? tlic object of tlie attack, and while tlie fog saved the shed at Cologne, the Germans admit that the Dusseldorf shed suffered severe damage. The airmen operated from Belgium. On September 21 a force of cyclist carabineers and armored motor-cars proceeded east, their chief object being to clear the district of German patrols and make a safe base for the English aviators as close as possible to the German frontier. Very early in tlie morning live British aviators left, Hying east. They were made the more confident in their mission by tlie knowledge that their Allies had provided for them halfway across the German frontiers a safe supply base, the locality of which is, of course, not indicated. It was a very daring enterprisce. Flight-Lieutenant 0. 11. Collett, Hying very low, dropped throe bombs on tlie hangar at Dusseldorf. Major Gerard, in command of the Corps of Aviators, in giving details of the raid, emphasises tlie admirable cooperation of tlie Allied forces, who supplied the English aviators with an advanced base which was managed perfectly. Leaving at dawn, the corps of aviators flew without misadventure to this base. The weather was clear, and there was a little wind. At tlie base they divided into two parties, one going to attack the Zeppeli hangars at Dusseldorf, the other to attack the hangars at Cologne. As far as the River Meuse the weather continued clear and favorable, but after the Meuse fog was encountered. The party having Cologne as their objective reached tile city to iind it enveloped in a thick fog. For an hour and a-half tlie aviators circled round, afraid to discharge bombs at random for fear of wounding •ivilians or damaging houses or churches, but utterly unable to distinguish tlie Zeppelin hangars. Finally this section was obliged to turn liack, having failed in its mission, and not having discharged any bombs. The second section, having Dusseldorf as its objective, was more fortunte. Tlie town was found to be wrapped in mist, but not fog. Descending very low, one aviator was able to distinguish the Zeppelin hangar, and discharged all his bombs upon it. That some effect was obtained he was sure, but he could not be certain that the flames which broke out were quelled or not. He is afraid that owing to the low elevation at which he discharged his bombs, about 4(10 feet, some of them did not explode owing to the operation of the time safety fuse, which is intended to safeguard against explosions so premature as to

damage the aeroplane discharging thebombs. All the aviators of both sections returned to the base or near to it, those not reaching it exactly finding armored motor-cars waiting to convoy them. All reached their destination