Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-02-24
Of
ZEPPELIN WAS A
VIVID PICTURE
Eye Witness Tells How French
Troops Brought Down Big
Dirigible.
1NCEND1ARY BOMBS
SET ZEPPELIN AF1RE
Lookout Heard Sound Of Propel.
lers and Sounded a General
Alarm.
INCENDIARY BOMBS
SET ZEPPELIN AFIRE

Z Paris, FeD. 23.-An eyewitness OF
the destruction of Zeppelin L-277 by
French gunners on Monday near
Revigny, a town nine miles north
west of Bar-le-Luc, thus describes
the exploit:
1.-TWO Zeppelins were signalled at
1925 o'clock at night by an artil-
lery officer in a listening post in the
first line trenches of the Argonne.
The night was clear and the wind
moderate. The officer 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 the army corps
headquarters. All the batteries Of
the district were at once on the alert
and within five minutes searchlights
were sweeping the heavens in all di-
rections.
''The Zeppelins were first sighted
by an officer commanding a battery
of Is millimetre 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 set
the elevation necessary to hit the air.
ship, but he managed to give the ex-
act position to the searchlight oper-
ators. From that moment until it
was destroyed the first dirigible was
never lost to view and the search.
lights never left it. las it was NOV
ing against the wind it's progress
was relatively slow.
Incendiary Shells.
"As soon as the warning reached
Revigny, five automobiles, with
searchlights and with special anti
aircraft guns manned by naval gun.
ners, started in pursuit. These guns
throw shell which is expressly de-
signed to explode on contact with
the plated covering of the
Zeppelins and to burst into flames
once it is inside. AS the car rushes
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 ly.
ing on the flat of their backs. 'a
"The guns on the moving automo.
bills opened fire as soon as they
come within range. A shell burst
just behind the Zeppelin, throwing
it into strong relief, and Immediately
the gunners seized their opportunity.
Another shell passed over the target,
but the next of the inflammable type
hit the mark squarely about IS feet
from the stern.
"There was shout of triumph
from the Frenchmen as the shell ap-
peared to go through the body of the
airship and to adhere to the right
side of the framework, which it set
afre. A few seconds later two 9th
er shells went through the rear of
the car, badly damaged the steering
gear and elevating mechanism.
Ship Takes Fire.
For an instant nothing seemed to
happen and then thin red line
crept along the side of the airship,
which shone with bright, ruddy
glow as the flames spread and NOV
ed upwards. No explosion was heard
as the Zeppelin began to fall. The
great mass, now blazing more and
more fercely, descended slowly,
while burning fragments of the COW
er futtered away in the wind, and
all the onlookers expressed surprise
that the airship took so long to come
down. i'iG
"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.
Fragments of it's car were hurled
over 1900 feet away and the remain
der of the huge framework collapsed
in 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 that the Zeppelin
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
proved an obstacle to the speed
which is so essential to the success
CONTINUED on Page TWo)