The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-07-14
IN DAY
BRING DOWN 80
FLIERS IN WEST
Fourteen German Airplanes
Wrecked and 16 Shot
Out of Control.
GREAT EXPLOIT OF WAR
Allied Naval AviatOrs Drop
Bombs on Eight Teuton OBJ
jectives and Escape.

LONDON, July 13.--British airmen have
been victorious in the most severe aerial
fighting since the beginning OF the war.
On the front in France on Thursday
fourteen German alrplanes were brought
down and sixteen driven down out OF
control. says the official statement from
British headquarters In France tonight.
Nine British machines are reported to
have been lost in the fighting. The
statement reads:
Enemy detachments which en-
deavored 10 approach our lines early
this morning west OF Queant were dis
persed and driven of by our fire.
"wednesday night bombing operations
against enemy railway stations, shelters
and airdromes were carried out with
success. All our machines returned.
yesterday there was increasing aerial
activity on both sides from dawn until
late at night. The fighting, which re-
suited greatly in our favor, was the
most severe experienced since the COM
mencement OF the war
Thirty Machines In One Fight.
Continuous engagements took place
between large formations. consisting In
some cases Of as many as thirty ma
chimes. As n result of these encounters
fourteen German airplanes were brought
down, three of which fell within our
lines Sixteen other hostile machines
were driven down out Of control, and in
addition one enemy machine was shot
down by direct hit from our anti-air-
craft guns.
while our scout machines were en-
gagged In fighting. other British air
planes took many photographs. Bomb
ing of the enemy's airdromes. dumps
and railway stations was continued and
a large number of bombs were dropped
with good results.
mine OF our machines are missing"
British airmen in the naval service
last night made bombing raids on Ger
man airdromes and other military OBJ
jectives In western Belgium and re-
turned safely to their base. according
to an official announcement OF the Brit
ish Admiralty to-day.
THE naval air SCI vice" says the Ad-
mlralty, carried out bombing raids last
night on the following military objec-
tives: Aertrycke airdrome, Houttave,
Nleuw Munster airdrome. Ghistelles air
drome, the railway junction north OF
Thourout Station, the Bruises dock and
the canal bank and the dumps at the
railway junction south Of Ostend harbor
The visibility was generally very poor.
consequently observation OF the results
was difficult.
Bombing attacks also were made on
the Solway works at Zeebrugge and at
the base OF the Zeebrugge Mole.
Altogether several tons of bombs were
dropped and all our machines returned
safely
Text of OhhciaI Reports.
The Germans also claim to have re-
taken in n spirited charge some trenches
that had been lost on July on Hill
304. which reclamation. they say. re-
stores the original status as 1t existed
when the Germans took two and one
half miles on June 2S.
The official statements follow:
French Day Statement-During
the night the artillery fighting was
particularly active in the region OF
st. Quentin du Pantheon and on the
two banks of the Meuse,
Enemy attacks east of the Martyres
salient near the Nidalet Wood, at Hill
2O4. and in the Caurieres Wood failed
under our fire.
French Night Statement-Rather
violent artillery fghting took place to
the southeast OF st. Quentin and to
the south OF Pargny-Filain, especially
in the direction OF La Royere Farm.
Both artilleries were active in the
Argonne and on both banks Of the
Meuse To-day the Germans violently
bombarded Rheims, 800 shells fall
ing into the city.
On July 8 and 10 ten German air
planes were brought down on our front
and eight enemy machines fell within
the German lines seriously damaged.
German Trenches Raided.
British Day statement-we raided
the enemy's trenches last night south
OF Hulluch and southeast OF Ypres
We captured a few prisoners.
Hostile raiding parties were success
fully repulsed southeast OF Gavrelle,
in the neighborhood of the Ypres-
Confines Canal and east OF Nieuport.
German Day Statement-Western
Front--Army group of Crown Prince
Rupprecht: Good observation condi-
tions prevailing the artillery duel was
intense in several sectors of the
Flanders and Artois fronts. Enemy
thrusts east OF Nieuport, southeast OF
Ypres, near Hulluch and south of the
Scarpe we're repulsed.
Front Of the German Crown Prince
The hghtng activity Of the artil-
iery In the western Champagne again
increased considerably and In the
evening the firing on the left bank of
the Meuse reached great intensity.