Omaha daily bee., 1918-10-19
AV|AT0RS
GIVE HUNS
BIG BLOW
Americans Surprise Germans
by Advancing Without Ar
tiIIery Prelude; French
Past ThieIt.
By Associated Press.

ny TSSoSldlSA IiCSos
With the American Army
Northwest of Verdun, Oct.
18.-More than 60 American
day bombing aviators today
attacked Bayonville, Buzan-
cy and other towns north Of
the American line at Grand
Pre-. Escorting planes downed
10 German machines.
This is said to have been
the largest enterprise yet car
ried out by an All-American
flying force.
More than four tons of bombs
were dropped by the American air
forces, the bombers paying particu-
lar attention to Bayonville, where
a concentration of German troops
had been reported. Buzancy received
its share, owing to its importance
as railway town and the supply
depots there. In the region of Bay
onville, 20 Fokkers attempted to
drive off the Americans, who kept
the upper hand everywhere.
Great Explosions Observed.
The Americans also bombed Re-
knoxville, Briquenay, Verpel, Clery
lie Grande, Aincreville and Ime-
court, each of these towns being
either a German supply point or an
army unit headquarters. Different
observers reported explosions with
great clouds of smoke in Bayon-
vile, Remonville and Imecourt. The
aviators took advantage of the first
clear weather in three days, the ex-
pedition starting soon after mid
day.
In the region of Buzancy 16 Fox
kers endeavored to head off the
Americans but scouts drove them
off permitting the bombers to ac-
complish theil mission. In the re-
gion of Verpelle, a nervy Boche
single-handed attempted to attack
the bombers, but was quickly
downed.
At various points German airmen
attempted to hinder the Americans
with the result that at least 10 of
them were sent down crashing, two
of these behind the American lines.
Several American pursuit planes es-
corting the bombing machines,
blocked one German from return
ing to his own lines, and drove
him in the direction of St. Mihiel.
One of the American aviators sent
German down near Bayonville.
Thirteen Squadrons in Flight.
The expedition consisted of four
squadrons of bombers, two squad
rons of pursuit planes, which at
tackled German infantry, two squad
rons of scouts flying at an altitude
of 1000 meters to protect the bomb
ers, two squadrons of scouts flying
at from 1000 to 5000 meters, and
three squadrons flying at 4,500 me-
ters to protect the bombers. The
bombing machines flew at 1000 me-
ters.
One American plane, damaged
during the flight, landed north of
Brieulles, which was a No Mans
Land. The aviator was injured but
American infantry rescued him de-
spite German machine gun fire. The
aviator is in a field hospital but his
wound is not serious. Another
machine is missing but
is believed to have landed within
the American lines.
The afternoon was somewhat
cloudy, The expedition apparently
was big surprise to the Germans.
for Fokkers did not appear until
bombers in some instances had ac-
their tasks and started
back. The scouting machines were
at the Fokkers and shooting as soon
as they hove into sight. The day
is considered to have been the most
successful in the history of Amerr
can aviation.
The Americans sprang another
surprise over the Germans today, the
infantry advancing north of Ro-
Continued on PAGE Two Column Fiye)