Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-11
AIR RAID OVER ESSEN
DESCRIBED BY AV|AT0Rs
Sergeant Gallois, Defying Hun De
lenses, Hurls Many Bombs on
Kxupp Munition Works.
MADE 4ee MILES ON FLIGHT
Stars and Compass Only Guides
After Brother.Airmen Disappear.
Batteries and Searchlights Play on
Machine, but Without Injury.
rBy Associated Press.l

lyoN
CBy Associated Preso.l
GRAND HEADQUARTERS OF THE
FRENCH ARMY IN FRANCE, Sunday,
July 8.-The most daring air raid yet
carried out against the great Krupp
munition works at Essen was ~recounted
to- 4 stan correspondent of tho Asso-
ciated Press to-day by Sergeant Max
mt 0allois, who dened all the German
autiaircraft defenses and ~bombarded
tho heart of the German armament
producing factories with high ex-
plosives, crossed the German frontier
line twice. 1ew. over many Rhenish
cities and reached home ~scathless.
Tho whole flight lasted seven hours.
during which the daring French avia-
tor was guided only by tho moon and
stars and the compass. as the voyage
was made in the darkest hours OF the
night. the destination being reached
exactly according to plan. Sergeant
Gailois narrated his story in the sim
pleet manner. He said:
-Four OF us-Lieutenant Addison de
Perdiguier, Sergeant Durand. another
comrade and myself-left our base at
niEhtfall Friday with the intention Of
reaching Essen. Soon afterward we
ran into foEEy weather and lost sight
OF each other. I few at an altitude
OF 1900 meters. ami passed over Metz
and Thionville, following tho course OF
the River Moselle, which. however.
rapidly disappeared in the midst.
Tho batteries fired at me crossing
tho Rhine. and rs I passed over Metz
senrchliEhts played about the sky. At
nearby, but made 1t out TO be Ardis-
sons.
GERMANY COVERED By
SEA OF ELECTRICITY
"Afterward I was compelled to travel
by the aid of the compass, the stars
and the moon. At Treves I saw a heavy
bo~mbardment, which. I calculated, was
directed at my comrade. Therefore.
know 1 was travelling in the right d.
rection. did not see Coblenz. saw
the reflection OF tho moon on the Rhine.
and found Pom. From there to Dus-
seldorf there was a regular sea Of cleo
tricity. which increased as I got further
north.
Cologne was a base OF luminosity.
and at Dusseldorf there were all kind.
OF lights-blue red and white. All the
time the antiaircraft guns fired as
passed. and around Cologne the gun
ners were very accurate in the range.
Leaving there. i saw. like cliffs on
the horizon. a brilliant Illumination.
which seemed kilometers in length.
stretching to the left OF Essen, while
southward was another long line Of
lights coming from the factories. Ar
irving over Essen. I rose to about 1000
msters. Ifcircled around. searching for
a'plaee where the lights from the work.
chops appeared densest.
RI tsrvh ~ r A.
counting ten. ] dropped the second.
and then the remainder OF the ten I
carried. at similar intervals. I could
not tell whether the bombs exploded.
but they probably did. II was impos-
sibie to distinguish their effect. owing
to the flaming furnace chimneys.
my duty done. I turned homeward
not having seen my comrades again.
tho motor worked with wonderfu
regularity all the time. / came back
exactly the same way as 1 went, and
was fired at many times.
PREARRANGED SIGNAL
PERMITS SAFE LANDING
was thoroughly exhausted. and
was suffering from my eyes, which
were affected by the strain and wind.
as had lost both pairs OF goggles at
the start, and was often obliged to
put my head outside In order to see
the directions. When nearing the
base. owing to the darkness. / could
not tell exactly where / was. 1
thousht possibly ! was still over the
German lines, and decided to continue
westward as long as the petrol lasted.
I-had a few liters left and was driving
onward. when suddenly a
prearranged signal. and managed to
land Just at dawn at the same place
from which ] had departed. h dis
lance covered was $50 kilometcrs
Cts6 IL miles)."
The correspondent saw the notes
made by Gallois during the flight.
There were Just a few words and fig
ures marking the places sighted and
tho hours OF arrival. The last entry
Ia: Essen. 1t is there" Showing that
he reached that point on schedule time.
Sergeant Gallois. who is thirty
eight years of age. served in the
dragons when the war broke out. He
passed n! short time in the squadron,
and was then sent to the hospital
where sick horses were cared for. He
tried;ito exchange to the auto-cannon
battery. but was told he was too old.
He applied four times for the aviation
corps unsuccessfully. but was accepted
on tho nth application, although he
had no knowledge OF flying.
He rapidly learned plotting, and
oyercame difficulties in night flying
which enabled him to carry out his
latest expedition with success. He
took part in several other bombing
flights over the German lines.
"a .