Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-02-24
anti AIR CRAFT
GUNS OF FRENCH
REACH ZEPPELIN

EYE WITNESS DESCRIBES THRILL
ING BATTLE IN WHICH GER
MAN SHIP FELL.
Paris, Feb. 23.-An eye witness Of
the destruction of Zeppelin LIT by
French gunners on Monday neaS Rev
igny, a town nine miles northwest of
Barbecue, thus describes the exploit:
1.-TWO Zeppelins were signalled at
1925 o'clock at night by an artillery
officer in listening post in the first
line trenches of the Argonne., The
night was clear and the wind mod
crate. The oficer could not see the
airships but he heard the noise Of
their engines and telephoned to the
battery base, whence the news was
forwarded to tho army corps headquar-
ters. All the batteries of the district
were at once on. the alert and within
five minutes searchlights were sweep
ing the heavens in all directions.
"The Zeppelins were first sighted
by An officer commanding a battery of
rs millimeter guns. The nearest was
then about two miles off, flying at an
altitude Of about 5000 feet and rising
rapidly. The second Zeppelin was
some three miles behind the first. The
officer was unable to get the elevation
necessary to hit the airship, but he
gave the exact position to the search
light operators. From that moment
until it was destroyed the first dirig-
ible was never lost to view and the
searchlights never left it. AS it was
moving against the wind it's progress
was relatively slow.
LAS soon as the warning reached
Revigny, five automobiles, with search
lights and with special anti-aircraft
guns manned by naval gunners, start
ed in pursuit. These guns throw a
shell which is expressly designed to
explode on contact with the alumni
um painted covering of the Zeppelins
and to burst into flames once it Is in
side. AS the car rushes along the road
officer standing in the back of the car
gives the range and directs the fire Of
the gun by the members Of the crew,
who works the gun lying on the fat of
their backs. =.,ss-s nj,
"The guns on the moving automo-
biles opened fire as soon as they came
within range. A shell burst just be-
hind the Zeppelin, throwing 1t into
strong relief and Immediately the
gunners seized their opportunity. An
other shell passed over the target, but
the next, of the infiammable type, hit
the mark squarely a bout seventy -hve
feet from the stern. There was a
shout Of triumph from the Frenchmen
as the shell appeared to go through
the body of the airship and to adhere
to the right side of the framework,
which it set af1re. A few seconds lat
er two other shells went through the
rear of the car, badly damaging the
steering and elevating mechanism.
For an instant nothing seemed to
have happened and then thin red line
crept along the side Of the airship,
which shone with bright ruddy glow.
Then the flames spread and moved up
ward. No explosion was heard as the
Zeppelin began to fall The great
mass, now blazing more and more
fiercely, descended slowly, while burn.
ing fragments of the cover f1uttered
away In the wind and all the onlookers
expressed surprise that the airship
took so long to come down.
"The cargo of bombs, which there Is
reason to believe were to have been
dropped on the inhabitants Of Paris,
exploded with terrific roar as the
Zeppelin struck the ground. Frag-
ments Of it's car were hurled over 1000
feet away and the remainder of the
huge framework collapsed in heap,
the fire continuing to burn for several
hours. -e .-
"The second Zeppelin, which had
witnessed the disaster to its compan-
ion, turned tail and hurried back to
the German lines.
1T is believed that the Zeppelins
belonged to the crown princes army.
The commanders had hoped to steal
across the French lines unperceived,
all lights in the gondolas having been
extinguished, but the head wind prov.
ed an obstacle to the speed which is
so essential to the success of an under
taking Of the kind and gave the de-
tense time to bring up it's guns
The gun crew which fired the shot
that proved fatal to the Zeppelin will
receive prizes amounting to $4,000
francs, 10000 francs being awarded
by leading Paris newspaper and
5000 by Marquis Ornano. Checks for
these sums have already been sent to
the minister Of war for distribution.
RIVERS AND HARBORS