BRITAIN'S AIR EFFORT.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 July 1919, Page 8

BRITAIN'S AIR EFFORT.

GROWTH OF FLYING FRONT. It would hj? difficult to imagine a document of more vivid interest than the synopsis of British aerial activities, just issued by the Air Ministry. Its 18 pages contain no word-painting and a whole campaign is frequently stripped of its incidents and squeezed into a single sentence; but a wonderful impression is conveyed of #ie tremendous development which the aerial arm lias undergone, its vital contribution to the winning of the war, and to the vast work and organisation of which, its present strength is the outward sign. Statistics entirely fail to do justice to such a theme as the war in the air, but tome of the figures quoted are amazing, especially if regard be paid to what they really mean On August 5, 1914,_the entire British Air Service, consisting of a naval wing —the R.N.A.S.—and a military wing—the R.F.C.—boasted a grand total of 272 machines, 197 officers, and 1647 men. In October, 1918, the Royal AirTorce consisted of 27,906 officers, 283,842 other ranks, a total of 22,171 machines, and 37,702 engines. It is unfortunate that no exact records exist of the early work carried out in the air, but the figures relating to the period July, 191G, to .November, [ 191S, tell their own tale of what was ! done on the western front.

Enemy machines brought down or driven down, C 904. Our own machines missing, 2484. Bombs dropped, 6402 tons. Hours flown, 289,526. Bounds fired at ground targets, 10,238,182. Photographs taken, 401,373. Enemy balloons brought down; 258. Th« figures given above do not include thi activities of ,the Independent Air Force, which came into being in June, 1918, under the leadership of General Trenehard. The effect of its raids over Gerjnan teritory during the summer of last year can, as the report says, hadly be over-estimated, for it cot only weakened the German aerial offensive, but demoralised a good fraction of their population. It is interesting to note that by May, 1919, the I.A.F. would have numbered 48 squadrons. Airships have not been developed to quite the same extent as aeroplanes, but enormously important work has been performed. Three airships, with a total personnej of 1998, at the outbreak of war, have grown to 103 ships and a personnel of over 7000 men. At the armistice there were no fewer than 83 kite ballon sections of the R.AF. working on land and sea.