New-York tribune., 1918-05-26

the lull in infantry fighting still con
tinues along the front, there has been
intensified activity on the part Of the

the lull in infantry fighting still con
tinues along the front, there has been
intensified activity on the part Of the
air services in the last week, and as
usual the British have shown them
selves masters of the situation.
Numerous enemy -aids have been
conducted over British territory, but
for the most part the British airmen
have forced the Germans to remain
we'll in the rear of their lines. The
fighting has been taking place further
and further eastward, until the British
observation and photographing ma
chimes have been able to work with
little molestation for long distances
back of the enemy lines.
On Monday, Tueday and Wednesday
British planes were constantly besleg-
ing the enemy with bombs. Tons of
these explosives were unloaded on mil
itary objectivei by relays of machines
which worked day and night.
Numerous projected German air
the British swarmed over the hostile
airdromes and dumped their cargoes
of bombs just as the enemy was get
ting ready to start out.
The official figures given recently,
stating that 1000 tons of bombs had
been dropped since the German Of
fensive began two months ago, have
been increased largely, and > many
NOR hostile planes have been added to
the total of 1000 machines recorded
as having crashed or having been
brought down out of control.
The damage wrought to the chlorine
poison gas works in Mannheim during
Tuesday nights raid has been verified
fyr,. Il h
lished the fact that the two huge fires
which started in the works destroyed
the buildings.
Aerial battles have been numerous,
and some of them have been marked
by unusual incidents. There was, for
instance, British lieutenant who con-
tinued to fight after one of his wings
had been shot away. He still lives to
tell the story Of how he came down
back of his own lines, after all the
canvas had been torn from the frame
of his machine. This happened on
May 20.
The lieutenant, with captain in an
other plane, attacked seven German
machines. The captain fired thirty
rounds at one enemy plane, but was at
tackled from above and his machine was
set afire He dived and succeeded in
extinguishing the fire, although closely
pursued by an enemy, who was shoot
ing steadily.
The lieutenant in the mean time
dived at another enemy machine, but
his right wing broke. He was attacked
Immediately by another hostile plane
gradually breaking to pieces.
While he was diving he observed the
predicament of the captain, who was
being followed down by German. The
lieutenant managed to vurn his ma
chine and dived on The captains oppo-
nent, whom he drove off with burst
Of machine-gun fire. This enemy plane
attacked the lieutenant. who ma
n@uvred to make the German think
he was going to land.
The ruse worked, until the lieutenant
the German again Owed on him. The
captain came to the rescue at that
point. Although only one of his guns
was serviceable, he got in burst of
fire which compelled the German to de-
sist and land.
Both the British aviators then vol
plancd to their own lines, although the
lieutenant crashed at the last moment
because his machine had been stripped
of canvas and had virtually fallen to
pieces.
On May 19 British aviator dived on
an enemy plane and in coming up
struck the top plane of the enemy ma
chine with his right wing. The German
rolled over and dropped. The Britisher
then fired hundred rounds, the Ger
mans wings fell off and he crashed to
his death.
On the same day British machine
engaged a German at 10000 feet and
rendered the latter virtually helpless
by a volley at close range. The Ger
man observers gun jammed as he was
trying to use it and ne faced about
with his hands raised in token of sur
render. 1t was most unique and
dramatic sight. The Britisher i'm
mediately ceased firing, but the Ger
man machine dived sharply and then
rolled over and crashed.
British captain on May 16 was ap-
preached by several German battle
planes as he was cscorting some
bombing machines home with his
fighting plane. The captain dived on
the nearest enemy, who also dived
but the captain followed him down and
shot him to pieces.
The other Germans seemed to have
disappeared, and the captain had start
ed on home when suddenly he felt a
blow on the ankle and found he was
wounded. Looking around, he saw an
enemy aviator on his trail. The cap
tain's petrol tank was hit at the same
moment, and, with his engine stopped
he dived for his own lines. The enemy
pursued but finally gave up the chase,
and the captain succeeded in crossing
the German line only to crash in No
Mans Land, where, while extricating
himself from the wreckage of his ma
chine, he was hit on the other ankle
and in the arm by machine gun bull
lets. Shortly afterward he was rescued
by infantrymen.
On May II British aviator who
was chasing German plane saw an
other British machine attacked by ff-
teen Germans. He went to the rescue
and, after hot fight, in which two of
the Germans were driven down out OF
control, he and his companion got
safely away.
Germans Lose Hundreds
Of Horcoc IN Al. AffucL