Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-16
BRITISH ARB0A|BS
AID OFFENSIVE
Their Smoke Hcurtains'
+. Found an Advantage to
Il Advancing Infantry.
By EDWARD PRICE BELL,
Special Cable to The Evening Sur
and Chicago Daily News.
Copyright, 1918.


Special Cable to The Evening sur
ana Chicago Daily News.
Copyright, 1918.
LONDON, October 12.-Never be-
fore have airmen fought over a bat
tie scene more impressive than that
on the western front during the last
week. Observed from the air by
day the great fires in Cambria and
Douat threw up vast clouds OF gray
smoks which drifted eastward as far
rs the eye could reach. BY night the
glare 'of these giant CONGREGATIONS
could be seen from immense dis
tances- casting IurId glow on the
elozds and the familiar battle zone
beneath-
To the south Laon burned like q
beacon. while to the east a dozen
lesser fires heralding the retirement
OF the enemy could be seen. In the
early part of the week the brunt of
the hghting Tell OH t.,e A-,r..s.i
squadrons operating between Lens
and LIE Catelet and especially over
the great network of railways of
are vital functions.
Take Every Advantage.
Taking advantage of every oppor-
funity day and night the aIrnIen .....n-
tanned continuous offensive against
these centers, including the station of
Mons and the smaller though vitality
Important functions of Aulnoy and
Busigny. where the line forks toward
Cologne and Brussels.
Prior to the early hour on Tuesday
morning when the British infantry
attack between Cambria and St.
Quentin was launched 1913 tons of
bombs were dropped upon these and
other military detectives, 80 tons by
day and IS tons by night The per-
manent way was broken up at many
points and widespread damage in
and from the front. Throughout the
stress of the days of heavy land fight
ing the British airmen played a high
~ important part in cooperation with
the advancing infantry. Not OILY
were all the usual air services Of re-
conflaissance, artillery fire direction and
contact patrol maint ined uninter-
ruptedly throughout the battle, but
British machines skillfully screened
the attacking troops by dropping
smoke bombs in the forward areas
Special Bombs for "Curtains."
Production of smoke curtains is one
OF those specialized developments in
modern air warfare in which the
royal air force pilots are carefully
trained. Specially constructed bombs
are employed which have to be drop
ped at frequent intervals in the line
of the wind. The smoke bombs are
cropped from a very low height I'M
der heaVy fire from the enemy's ma
chine guns! This Cooperation with
the infantry was rendered possible by
the aggressive work of the fight ing
scouts which. during critical periods
OF the battle. kept the air free from
hostile machines, enabling the other
air services to carry on without mo-
lestation by the enemy.
over the enemy's territory eighty
nine German machines were destroyed
and tWenty,seven driven down out
or control during the week Fifty
three British machines were reported
missing In the same period. On Ines-
day. when the first waves of the Brit
1sh offensive upon the Cambrai-St.
quentin front We're launched In the
dark hours before 1.-The dawn. a heavy
mist prevented observation by night
flying a1rplanes, but as the morning
advanced the Visibility rapidly I'M
proved, and every form of Corpora
ton with the infantry was success
fully employed. Smoke curtains were
thrown about the enemy's strong
points and the closest touch was
maintained with the advancing troops.
AS the line moved forward new tar
while low-fying airmen secured the
entire battlefield, scattering parties Of
troops and transport with bombs and
machine gun fire.
Notwithstanding q large concentra-
ton Of enemy forces south of Cambrai
throughout the week, British photo
graphic machines steadily pursued
their work. taking $685. aerial photo-
graphs above the enemy's lines. Brit
fish airmen also worked in connection
with the Belgian army between Nieu-
port and Roulers Here again a con-
certed attack by air was made upon
the railway communications support
ing the German line in Belgium.
The functions at Thourout, Corte-
yns ~ck. Lichtervelde and the more dis
tant stations of Deynze and Ardoye
were heavily bombed. Many fires
were started and numerous trains
were hit or held up. Two big ex-
plosions We're caused and the lines
from Lichtervelde to and through
Roulers were cut. Successful attacks
were also made on sidings at NELLIE
and enemy organizations at Schelle-
belle.
On the enemy's extreme left the r.
week. In the course of twenty-five
raids into German territory fur> er
damage was caused. The much DO. D.
ed railway triangle at Metz-Sabion
was raided seven times this week
The stations at Mezieres. Treves,
Thionville and Courcelles, the blast
furnace works and furnaces at Bur-
hange and Frescaty were also at
tackled.