The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-06
Great Fleets of Flyers Battle
Daily in the Clouds.
25 Allied and Hun Planes Down
in One Engagement.
ALLIES CLEARING THE SKIES
Hun Pilots Venture AIOft Only
in Big Squadrons.
336 Huns Down in 8 Weeks
Allies Drop 526 Tons Bombs.

With the British armies in France,
June e.-Just as events on the ground
are shaping themselves for the final
crash which must inevitably decide
the fate of the world, the aerial often
sive is daily waxing fiercer.
The mutual struggle for mastery OF
the air since 1914-a stupendous bat
tie miles above the earth-has scarce
IL ceased day or night.
British airmen brought down 3S6
Germans in less than three weeks up
to June 2, of which 2S3 were totally
DESTROYED In many cases enemy
planes, spinning from the sky toward
the ground like rockets, crashed ana
burned until only black smudges were
left. Sometimes in their agony. piio.s
and observers leaped from their flam-
ing planes in mid-air, whirling over
and over and landing far from the
wreck of their machines.
Allies Bomb Hun Rear Lines.
During the same period 526 tons OF
high explosives were dropped penlnu
fhe German ines-or well over a NIL
lion pounds. The Zeebrugge mole. the
Rruges docks and railway stations ana
munition works in cities far ihsiue
Germany-like Mannheim, Landau,
Karlsruhe and Cologne-were attacked
repeatedly and set fire again and
again.
mere boys, shot "a Prussians from the
sky and dropped 59h tons of bombs
on enemy military centers, going as Iar
as Bruges. Disdaining the anti-alr-
craft shells which burst about them,
and swooping low to the ground they
started a disastrous fire along the
water front.
Charged German Air Fleets.
The next day the same sky-rloers
charged a number of German al
fleets. demolishing twenty-six craft
the wrecks falling in somersaults 10
the ground.
tons of high explosive, going as Tar
as Karlsruhe, where, during a Zero
cious attack by boche planes. they
bombed trains railways ana war
works. The bombing squadrons were
protected so perfectly by flghtng
patrol that only one British plane
failed to return. 1t was seen landing
near Karlsruhe, under control. some
vital part had been hit.
These two exploits occurred curing
the last two days and nights or May.
IS Planes Down in One Fight.
On June l l saw an air battle con-
tinue hotly after twenty-five planes
up in the blue haze. The same night
twenty-seven tons of bombs were
dumped on the Zeebrugge mole and
other tender" spots in that vicinity.
Huns Bomb Hospitals.
Meanwhile German war planes have
been more daring that ever before.
Many towns and villages behind the
allies lines have been bombed. Hos
pitfalls seem to be the worst sufferers.
Caunral hItndrad natiantS doctors sis
tiers and attendants have been killed
outright. Some have been burned
alive and many have been wounded.
The most pitiful cases, perhaps, were
wounded soldiers, whose horrible COM
pound fra ctures were just beginning to
heal. Their wounds were re-opened
and their limbs re-broken by the great
shock of the explosions.
visited some of these hospitals to-
day. The experience was terrible and
heart-rending. Over the spot where
this is written, the unceasing drone
in pursuance of their days work,
comes from the sky.
Yankee Planes Increasing.
The Americans are now able to in
crease rapidly the allied advantage
above the ground. Airmen here are
confident the enemy soon will be
completely outdone. Even now he
seldom ventures to fly alone. Nearly
always the German planes are found
in great droves. When one is alone
It is pretty certain he is acting as a
decoy, hoping to be attacked by a
single allied plane, whereupon a
whole squadron will dive from the
clouds.
Hun Pilots Grow Timid.
When a German observer is ordered
to reconnoiter behind the allied lines
he usually is accompanied by at least
seven battle planes. Even then the
enemy airmen dislike the job.
Day by day the crossing of our lines
Is becoming a SITTER task Among
the clouds, as on the fields of France,
germany Is now making her final
bid.