IN THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 May 1918, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

THE LONDON RAID. , ONE OF THE BIGGEST EVER ATTEMPTED. AMERICAN AIRMEN IN ACTION. London, May 21. Sunday's raid was one of the biggest yet attempted. A large number of enemy machines participated and attacked the capital in relays. Everywhere the barrage was magnificent. British airmen also fiercely attacked the invaders. American airmen assisted for the first time.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. AU the raiders were hotly engaged by the anti-aircraft defences. Some attempted to descend in the Thames estuary, and others proceeded eastward overland. Some were probably severely damaged in attempting to penetrate the London defences. At least three more failed to escape. Two were brought down before they crossed the coast, one of them destroyed by a British airman, a fifth fell in flames in the sea, and a sixth and seventh were reported to have been observed falling into the sea, but this is not confirmed. The casualties were 37 killed and 161 injured. Except two outbreaks of fire in larger premises, .which were soon controlled, the damage was confined to the wrecking of smaller dwelling-houses by concussion.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. DETAILS OF THE RAID. TWENTY OR THIRTY GOTHAS ENGAGED. London, May 21. The Press Bureau states that probably twenty or thirty Gothas participated in Sunday's raid. A group entered the Thames estuary at 11 p.m., skirted the north Kent coast, and were heavily shelled. British airmen encaged a Gotha at 11.30 at close range. The Gotha disappeared in the clouds and shortly afterwards burst into flames at a height of 7000 feet and fell a blazing wreck. The remainder traversed Kent, dropping bombs, hut did no damage. The other group entered Essex and reached London, where a. Gotha was brought down by gunfire. A few dozen bombs were dropped in the London district, damaging small dwelling-houses. The casualties were in nowise heavy or proportionate to the material damage.— Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. MORE GERMAN LOSSES. AEROPLANES DESTROYED IN THE NORTH SEA. Received May 22, 8 p.m. London, May 21. A Copenhagen telegram states that a steamer and a fishing boat, which arrived at Gothenburg, each saved two German airmen from two aeroplanes of a large, new tvpe, which were forced to descend in the vicinity of the Dogger Bank, owing to shortage of petrol. The Germans destroyed their aeroplanes. From this it would appear that the London air raiders suffered further losses on the route home.—Reuter. EFFECT OF NEW DEFENCES. London,-May 21. The Daily Expr«is has high authority for stating that the numher of invaders brought down wag mainly due to the latest system of concentrated gunfire of high and the efforts of British aviators, who forced tho enemy within range of the anti-aircraft batteries. High explosives can now be directed to a far greater height than formerly, while the rapidity with which the range can be adjusted is a feature of the newest guns.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Asses.