The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-29
IL BRITISH PLANES
FOUGHT 40 F0kktRS

London, Dec. 2o.--tBy Mail. ION !
the map of Belgium there, is neat
little triangle 1t IL formed by lines
connecting Ostend, Zcebruggc aud
Bruges. And within the confines OF
this triangle The Germans probably
expended more wealth and effort on
Notifications than any other people
ever expended in any other given
area of the same size.
That was because they knew that
once they were ousted from those po-
sitions. with all they mean, as ma
rine bases, they would be swept out
OF Belgium in short order (!
That, also, was the reason why
British air sauadrons have ceaseless-
ly bombed that region ever since the
early days of the war. In spite OF
ella horate shelters. mammoth dug
outs constructed with infinite labor.
steel reinforced concrete, life there
has been he'll on earth since the /
very beginning The British airnen
made II so.
The entire coast.iue testifies TO the
deadly accuracy of the work. The
string of concrete dugouts smone the
sand dunes is starred all over with
bomb rraterS. Gun enpiaccments.
although cIeveriy CO n1oufiaged. have
been shattered and II needs no iniag
nation to define the fate OF the gun
crews. And tho remorselessly In
creasinE effectiveness Of tho aerial
homhardment is apparent from the
fact that there are 20 fewer than
four classes of dugouts on that line
each deeper and stronger than those
previously built.
IeehruEce as subns artne base is
wiped out The famous Mole has been
plastered with bombs. The size and ,
power OF some OF them may he
Judged by inspecting the remains of /
dugout the top OF which. built of
concrete, was eight feet thick. III
had been literally fiattened out by a
single huge bomb.
Brugcs holds shining example ofl
the splendid accuracy with which
nigh bombing has been carried out
ny the british. The docks on one
side nj the town are a scrap heap.
On the other side tho great factories |
which turned out munitions for the
Germans have been completely
wrecked But in tho town proper not
building has been wrecked, not a
paving stone disturbed Iniia bitapts |
there have told me that after the !
first few raids by the British airmen. +,
they retired with a feeling Of perfect
security Yet the German raids over
England invariably brought wreck
age. not TO military establishments. /
but 10 private residences schools, |
hospitals and the like.
The pushing Of the enemy from his /
coastal stronghold was of immense
value to the British from a tactical !
point of virw. four wears they
had been obliged 10 travel over the |
sea in order TO carry out their raids |
and "Reminiscences. If an engine
went wrong or their planes were .
damaged by anti-aircraft fire. the !
choice often lay between landing in =
the enemy lines or in Holland. In /
such circumstances the British air :
men naturally chose the alternative !
of internment. The thrusting out of |
the Germans gave an abundance OF
landing space asst of the coast which /
not onl,. eliminated tire old handicap |
bur furnished excellent bases OF oper- |
alton against the enemy's right flank. |
MANY Of tho former German aero I
dromes were at once occupied by the |
British souadrons. the retreat OF the |
enemy having been SO precipitate |
that he had no time TO demolish
them.
The young ma Tor commanding a.
SQUADRON Of twelve British flanes
f'bhSU 5DSlouSis III me HlreCtiCn OIL
Client while AWAITING their return
from = raid
They came back in twos and threes I
Here and there Bit of dutterin9
fabric told whore Boche bullets had
torn the surfaces, Two or three
spars had been shot through. and an
occa sional furrow, in a Vanished
fuselace gave evidence OF fair shoot
ing hN German pilots. /
Naa Etalarf ~sItf7$ ca rfs tnnfDling cit /
of-the planes and descended upon the
recording officer in an avalanche of
flying toggery from which laughing,
exrited faces flashed They all tried
To talk at once
II had been some" fieht, they said
Twenty Fokkers had deliberately got
IN their way. And when they started
in to show the enemy what he had
LEI himself In for, twenty more
Fokhers had come down from "up-
stnirs" and taken a Mandatory
against Twelve, was "A real dog
fight" then.
The recording officer wanted. He
knew better than to try TO force the
necessary details They came later, !
when notes had been exhaustivety
compared when the young lighters
had got a certain perspective on the |
morning show The final results
proved 10 he twenty Fokkcrs a. !
sfroyed ar shot Down out of control I
The British casualties were three ma I