The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-10-02
Results in Most Spectacular
Air Fight Staged Dur
ing Whole War.
BATTLE ROAR LASTS
TWO AND HALF HOURS
Silence Regarding Status Of
Operations in Flanders
Not Broken.

Not Broken.
London. Oct 1.-The strongest air
| attack yet attempted on London and
| the coast towns by the Germans was
carried out tonight by four groups OF
| hostile airrlanes Some OF the mn-
| chimes got through to London and
| bomharded the southwestern district.
| \ terrific barrage was sent up from
! the defense guns and the roar of battle
lasted Internationally for two and a
half hours.
Bombs Are Dropped.
| The Germans bombed coast towns
as they passed over and proceeded
toward London. Two of the groups
| succeeded in getting a number of ma
chimes through the sky barrage. Nh
| merous bombs were dropped on the
southwestern district. which Is thlckly
populated with the homes OF the upper
| and middle classes. The fire from tho
| defending guns was longer and louder
| than ever before. A rain of shrapnel
| fell in all sections OF the town and tho
streets were virtually deserted, save
for n few police.
Great Pyrotechnic Display.
While a terrific barrnge was kept
up with the bursting shrapnel. furnish
ing ono of the greatest pyrotcchnical
displays London ever saw, a thrilling
battle in the air took place between
enemy aircraft and British aviators In
the northern district, according to
special constables who said they wit
messed 1t by means Of powerful binoc-
ulars. Although the machines were
thousands Of feet in the mir the fire Of
the machine guns could be heard dts
, tinctly below.
, According to a report from an Essex
l district n heavy mist which came up
y while the raid was in progress caused
one raider to lose his way while going
| bnck to the coast. The German flew
e very low and could be seen clearly and
appeared to be enveloped in a ring OF
: bursting shells Seemingly trapped.
the airman began n series Of dips and
other hair rising stunts He succeeded
in breaking through the shell fire and
made for sea, pursued by streak Of
gunfire.
III earrage Fire Effective.
Az soon as the signal was given in
London that all was clear the streets.
tubes. restaurants and hotels resem-
q hled New York on election night
g There were great crowds everywhere
laughing and joking and many were
singing. Others were searching In the
e bright moonlight for fragments OF
y shra pnel for souvenirs.
l. Although details were slow in COM
n ing In II was apparent that the bar
rage OF the anti-aircraft guns again
IT, was effective in thwarting the Germa II
u efforts. AS on other nights the guns
made it 50 hot for the raiders that
,t they dropped bombs in open places.
N their one concern being apparently 10
II. unload and get away
1. Silence Not Broken.
II The almost complete silence that for
is four days has surrounded the opera :
ST tions of the British armies in France
III and Belgium continues.
Along the coast in Belgium and
around Ypres extremely heavy recip-
or rocal bomhardments are taking place
T. Nothing is contained in either ths
IN British or German communications Il
10 show that the troops OF either side
ah have left their trenches-even fol
! forays. Along both sides OF Meuse |,
the Verdun sector the French and Ger
mans are engaged in another terrifi,
nd duel. Twice the Germans Launched
o. infantry attacks but both were stopped
lie short by the French fire.
lily In the Austro- Italian theater tn
,al Austrans have delivered several heav
IL counter attacks against the newly wo
nd positions of the Italians on the Rain
ew si2Za plateau. but everywhere hny
been rcpulsed.
Again the Russians, through an nj
tack in the Riga region, have force
the Germans to give ground, thl
time for n depth OF from 500 to 100
yards. Russian airmen have drOppe
j., large quantities OF explosives on cnem
~, camps situated near Kovel