IN THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 August 1915, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

FAMOUS AVIATOR'S DEATH. HIS ADVENTUROUS CAREER. Received August 29, 2 p.m. London, August 28. The King sent a message of sympathy to the mother of Captain G. Mapplebeck, an aviator, who was killed at Dartford on Tuesday, on the eve of his twentytbird birthday, while testing a new machine. He was England's youngest flight commander, and was one of the first batch sent to Flanders, the first to reconnoitre the enemy's lines, and the first who dropped bombs. He reconnoitred throughout the Mons retreat, and was shot in a duel at the latter end of September, when six thousand feet in the air. He landed unconscious, and was in hospital for three months. His machine was shot down at Lille in March, during the first night raid of the war, and he hid amidst the Germans for days. He escaped with a peasant's aid, despite a proclamation offering a reward for his capture, and death to the person harboring him, and reached Holland in a peasant's disguise after three weeks. He immediately returned to the front, but latterly commanded the squadron guarding London. THRILLING AERIAL BATTLE. ATTEMPTED ATTACK ON PARIS. Received August 29, 2.10 p.m. Paris, August 28. Four German aeroplanes attempted to attack Paris this morning. French aviators pursued them, and three turned homewards. Near ComyWgne two escaped, but the third was brought down. It burst into flames and the occupants were incinerated. The fourth machine dropped live bombs on Montomercy, without doing any harm, and was then driven off. SEVERAL TOWNS VISITED. TWO NURSES KILLED. Received August 30, 12.45 a.m. IPari3, August 29. Details of the air raid show that three German machines ascended from SoLssons district and three fram compeigne. They were unable to attain their objective, but dropped a few bombs on Nogent-sur-Marne, Montmorency, Montfermeil, Ribecourt, and Compeigne. Nobody was hurt, except at Compeigne, where two nurses and a child were hilled. Immediately the aeroplanes were sighted tliey were bombarded at different points and chased by our machines. The commander of one of our squadrons pursued a German machine at a height of JBOO metres, bringing it down northward of Senilis. The pilot was incinerated and the machine was burnt.

GERMAN ADMISSION. WESTERN TOWNS ATTACKED. Received August 20, 2.20 p.m. Amsterdam, August 28. A German communique says:—Enemy airmen successfully bombed Ostend, Middlekirke, Bruges, and Mullieim (in Baden). Three civilians were killed. RAILWAY STATION BOMBED. Received August 29, 4.10 p.m. Paris, August 28. Official: Our aeroplanes last night bombed the railway station at Chatel, in Argonne.