The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-23
Eye Witness Tells How Air
Duel Was Waged.
French Shoot Down Dirigible,
5000 Feet in Air.
MODERN WAR WEAPONS VIE
Five Autos With SearchIights
and Guns Pursue.
Raiders Bombs Explode, KILL
ing Crew of % Men.

Paris. Feb 23.-An eyewitness of
the destruction of Zeppelin L. Il. II
by French gunners on Monday near
Rcvigny "A town nine miles north
west of Barbecue. gives a vivid de-
scription of the daring exploit:
Two Zeppclins We're signalled at
1920 o'clock at night by an artillery
officer in "A listening post in the first
line trenches of the Argonne. The
night was clear and The wind mod
crate The officer could not see the
airships but he heard the noise Of
their engines and telephoned to the
battery base, when the news was for
WardCd to the army corps headquar-
ters- All the batteries of the district
were at once on the alert and within
five minutes searchliEhts were sweep
ing the heavens in all directions.
'The Zcppelins We're first sighted
by an officer commanding a battery
of - miliimetre 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 ele-
walton ne ccGsary % hit ne airShtp but
ne managed TO give the exact position
TO tho scarchlight officers. From that
moment until it was destroyed the
dirigible WIS never lost to view and
the searchlights never left it. As it
was moving against the wind its pro-
Five Autos in Pursuit.
AS soon as the warning reached
Revigny. five automobiles with
searchlights and with special anti-air-
craft guns manned 10y naval gunners
started in pursuit. These guns throw
"a shell which is expressly designed to
explode on contact with the aluminium
painted covering of the Zeppelins and
to burst into flames once it is eX-
plOded- As the car PUSHES along the
road the officer standing in the back
Of the car gives the range and directs
the fire of the gun by the crew which
work the gun lying on the flat OF
their backs
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 it into
strong -elief and Immediately the
gunners seized their opportunity. An
other shell passed over the target but
The next Of the inflammable type hit
the mark squarely about rs feet from
the stern. There was n shout Of triumph
from the Freedmen as the shell ap-
reared to go through the body of the
airship and to adhere to the right side
OF the fra network which it set atlre.
\ few seconds later two other smells
went through the rear of the car,
damaging the steering and elevating
mechanism
Fragments Hurled 1000 Feet.
happen and then a thin red line
e.reDt along the side of the airship
which shone with bright, rudy glow
as the flames spread and moved up
wards No explosion was heard as the
zeppelin began to fall. The great
mass. now blazing more and more
fiercely. descended slowly while the
burning fragments Of the cover flut-
tered away in the wind and all the on
lockers 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 a terrific roar as the
Zeppelin struck the ground. Frag-
ments of the car We're hurled over
1000 feet away and the remainder of
the huge framework collapsed in d
heap. the fire continuing to burn for
several hours.
THE second Zeppelin. which had
witnessed the disaster to its compan-
ion. turned tail and hurried back to
the German lines.
1T is believed the Zeppelins be-
longed 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 I'M
dertaking of this kind and gave the
defense time to bring up its guns. The
German crew of p men was annihilat-
ed by the gas flames and bomb ex-
plosion.
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 a leading Paris newspaper and
5000 by Marquis Ornqno. Checks for
these sums have already been sent 10
the minister OF war for distribution.