The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-10-06
GERMAN AVIATOR DESCRIBES BATTLE
IN The AIR OVER HOSTILE ARMY

For hours, it seemed to him. the
conflict continued until he saw the
German army in the distance. He
then sent his car rapidly downward
and descended beside his army. The
Bristol and the Bleriot retired hastily.
The battle had covered seventy-fve
miles
On descending Werner found his
plane riddled with bullets, but he
patched up the punctures and later
witnessed the battle of LIE Cateau over
the position that he had discovered.
Here again the English, after plucky
resistance, were driven back. The
Germans attacked with two thanking
movements and storming advance
against the middle of the English po-
sition, and through main strength and
the extraordinary spirit of the attack,
forced the enemy back. The army of
100000 had in a few days been re-
duced to 10000
Drops Bombs on Paris.
Later on Werner was instructed to
fly over Paris. Here lie dropped sew
eral bombs, some with good effect
though others did not explode. He
carried two kinds of bombs, one
round shell about the size of a base
ball and weighing IL pounds, the 9th
er shaped like small artillery shell
and weighing ~ pounds. These lat
ter, when they exploded, were power
full enough to tear up paved streets
and wreck houses Werner also
told of dropping notes into Paris, call
ing the French such hated names as
"cochon."
The flyers are the only men who
really are seeing this war They have
the enemy's position under them and
can study it to their hearts content
Only lucky shot can dislodge them,
and their chief danger is from the at
lacking aviators. The German scouts
usually fly at height of 1 ZOO yards
On dark days they fly at the edge of
the clouds and slip in and out for OBJ
servation from this excellent screen
Accurate Aim at 1000 Yards.
Extraordinary stories about Zeppel-
ms are to be heard in Germany, some
of which are almost incredible. One
account is of the method used by Zep-
pelins in throwing bombs. recent
invention, | am told, permits a Yep
pelin, when. there are clouds, to fly
high and unseen from the ground and
to let down a basket containing a man,
who then, by telephone, signals the
airship what position to take
In cloudless times the bombs are
dropped from an apparatus hung di-
rectly below the airship, the bombs
being hung on two fingers. When the
position of the target is determined,
the fingers open and the bomb falls
These bombs are said to be twelve
inches in diameter and two feet long,
The damage they can do is terrific.
plosion collapse as though made of
cards, and they can tear up r-reets for
a distance Of scores of yards.
Zeppeiins to Attack Fleet.
I am told that practically all Yep
pelins have retired from active assis-
lance in taking Notifications and are
centered around the North sea, where
they are to assist in an attack on the
British fleet. The outcome of such
battle will be highly important, for it
will determine whether dirigible can
measure up against warship. If it
can, the German fleet will not be badly
outnumbered in the conflict about to
take place, for the British fleet is in
sufficiently supplied with balloon guns,
as only few Of these are in existence.
We hear too, remarkable stories
about the number of Zeppelins. AT the
outbreak Of the war there were TWEEN
ty-two on record, Today the report
of their number varies from fifty-six
to ninety Material for Zeppelins is
said to have been stored at points
throughout the empire, where it could
be put together in few days, and
this scheme has added Zeppelins to
the air fleet at the rate of two week
This story is improbable, for the
German army does not possess a sufh-
cient number of men trained in oper-
ating dirigibles.
Differ on Bomb-HurIing Ethics.
The German aeroplanes have done
excellent service There are several
hundred machines in operation, and
comparatively few have been shot
down.
l know of one young man, son of
one of Germany's most prominent men,
who flew to Paris early in the war. He
was fired on repeatedly, and each time
descended gradually to a prearranged
depot, whence, after the enemy be-
lieved him to have been killed, he con-
tinued his trip.
When asked If he had thrown bombs
on Paris, he answered simply: mo. /
don't carry bombs" This would indi-
cate that there may be difference of
opinion in the army itself as to the
ethics Of bomb throwing
The astounding advance of the Ger
mans has been analysed by military
expert, who says that it is due to
four points; heavy artillery aviators,
field kitchens and pedestrian feats Of
large troop groups. The first two
points are now generally recognized