IN THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 January 1916, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

ANOTHER RAID. ■ V<- *l COAST VISITED, FEW CASUALTIES. London. Jan. 23, The War Office announces that an aeroplane was seen above tlie east coa>t of Kent at one o'clock in the morning. It dropped nine bombs and then flew seaward. Some of the bombs were incendiary, and did damage to private property. The casualties were one man killed and three adults and three children wounded. RAID REPEATED. ' Received Jan. 24, 5.5 p.m. London, Jan. 23. Official: Two 'hostile seaplanes raidi,' the same locality at midday, hut we: i subjected to heavy lire and disappeared. Our naval and military machines pursued them, but neither inflicted casualties nor damage. , A RAID ON METZ. - FIGHTS EN ROUTE . x ' ' Received Jan. 24, 10.10 p.m. Paris, Jan. 24. Two aviation squadrons, including twenty-four machines, bombnrded the railway station and barracks at Mctz and dropped J.'lo bambs. The bombarding aeroplanes were escorted by two protecting squadrons, the pilots of 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.

BRITISH SUPRFWV THE MUCF-VAUXTED FOKKERS. AX AVIATOR'S DAY'S YVUKK. Received Jan. 24, 0.5 p.m. London, Jan. 1". Renter's correspondent has reported that owing to the Fokker scare he visited the headquarters of the Flying Corps in France sml 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 Fokkcrs radius action is less than 150 mile=, and can only lie used in dofence of British reconnaisanccs, which are daily.

We itre 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 trendies and two Fokkers appeared. The Britisher directed a furious end-on fire on the leading Fokker, which dived eratically earthwards. The second Fokker was then above the Britisher, which swiftly climbed and opened fire a hundred feet ahove.

Within thirty seconds the Fokker plunged into a ploughed field, and the victor climbed IO.MO feet, and met and attacked an Albatross, which fluttered down into some trees. The Britisher satisfied with his day's work, was returning, when ho saw a third Fokker among several of our scouts. Swooping within seventy feet he pumped in a volley ,and the Fokker dived three thousand feet. . ~„