The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-07-28
ZEPPELIN RUN down
SHELL TORN CLOUDS SEE GAME
OF HIDE AND SEEK
DODGES SEARCHLIGHT

British Aviator Braves Fire Of Artil-
lery and Faces Machine Guns of
Dirigible in Moonlit Aerial Com
bat, Waged in Dark Clouds Over
the German Lines.
The London Daily Mail publishes
the following description Of a chase
in the air of Zeppelin, written by
an aeroplane observer in the field
with the Royal Flying Corps:
Ills p. MA Zeppelin is re-
ported at --, travelling due west at
eleven p. m. Height estimated, o.
600"
l1.35 p. MA Zeppelin passed
- at lilo p. m, travelling n. W.
Height estimated, 9,000.'
The above message supplied me
with enough preliminary data to Or
ganize the chase. In few minutes
the varying burr of different types of
aeroplanes could be heard along most
Of the British front.
1t was pitch dark, and as we got
clear of the oerodrome only the faint
est outline of nearby forset was
discernible. There were broken
clouds about at low attitudes. AS we
climbed through these they gave US
an uncanny moistness, which bespoke
gathering rain. In few minutes
there was nothing to guide us except
the instruments and the time.
Going for height in these condi-
| tions is tedious business, for there
is nothing to do except to speculate
more or less vaguely on ones drift
and it's relation to ones course.
What relief it is when one suddenly
descries the lights of town and
gradually, with increasing height,
other towns swim into ones ken.
A cloud in front suddenly blazes
up as though by magic. 1t is an
enemy searchlight. He has informa-
ton of our quests, and casts his great
streams Of white light all over the
| upper atmosphere. The shaft disap-
pears, but a moment later finds US
with a dazzling flash. A student
dive and rapid turn clear US of its
| course.
In about twenty seconds the car
chies' begin. The whole area through
which we have just passed is filed
with shells. They burst in groups
and professions, some throwing out
a syrupy stream of "dead-dog
flames" some bursting like huge
rockets, almos:. mesmerizing with
their dazzling rays reflected from the
background of leafy cloudlets.
But the searchlight can not follow
US. He fairly scans the sky, and sud-
denly picks up with another machine.
| This time he stays on, and Archie
gets much better data for his work.
We are still going for height, tax
ing in large sweeps through which it
would be impossible for hostile air
craft to elude US. The searchlight
has lost the other machine and plays
on the base Of a gathering cloud a
thousand feet below Us.
On the eastern horizon there is a
CLEAN of new light as the moon
struggles up. But we'll below that
horizon some one is flashing out a
signal obviously meant for aircraft.
1t is the first clue of the 'Zep." We
are bearing toward it with all pos
sible speed. The other machine has
disappeared, rCbably following an
other clue.
Long before we are anywhere neag
its position the signalling ceases. We
now speculate on the probable direc-
| ton of the "Zep" In few minutes
it will be light enough to see, but
these first few minutes are invalu-
} able. We went higher and higher,
keeping well in the shadow of a
cloud. AS we cleared the top of this
great mass of vapor the sky presented
that dull, iron-gray appearance whi-h
is the prelude of brilliant moon.
For fully five minutes we anxiously
searched the skyline. Then a distinct
flash was seen far above us and sea-
ward. 1t was followed by another
flash after short interval. There
was nothing more. 1t was far, too
far. away, but we were certain it was
q "Zep." Up we went and steered
straight for the region of the flash
As the moon cam, up we got IL a
line beyond the area of the fash and
the eastern horizon, and as we clear
ed a bank of mist at great height
the outline of the Zeppelin showed up
with unmistakable clearness. Up to
this time he had not suspected attack.
for his course was regul,.- and his
nose level. But we knew he would
soon hear the noise of our engine, so
| we kept as clear as possible until we
had assumed sufficient height.
But we underestimated the ''Zep's"
ears. He heard us and began to
'searchlight'' us-a process which
gives him no qualms over his own
territory. The flicks OF light from
the great gas bag were even more
| weird than the long, searching
streams from the ground. They lit
up huge tracts of clouds, and we saw
! with some discomfort that the wealth
er was preparing for a sudden
| change.
AS we crossed his stern at fair
height he got on us with the light
and perfect fusillade of machine
gun bullets came scurrying around
US. AS we turned outward to avoid
his light and change the fire we were
suddenly enveloped in blind cloud,
through which not ray of moon
! light or trace of "visibleness" found
its way. We made what we reckoned
to be a due course for the "Zep."
The only indication of his position
was the constant clicking of his ma
chine guns as they fired off wildly in
the hope of getting US with stray
shot But even this lasted only a
few minutes. "When we thought we
were over him we 1oosed off our pro-
iectiIes in rather hopeless attempt.
Their fate we shall neve" know. The
clouds had baffled us at the last mo-
ment. 1t was one of the uncertain
ties of air warfare with which there
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