Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-17
AIR RAIDS At NIGHT
DESCRIBED BY FLYER
Gives Vivid Picture of What Has Be-
como Almost Continuous Per.
Torrance in France.
GAME OF CARDS INTERRUPTED
Four Aviators Drop Bombs ON Ger
man .,erodromc, Following Harm
less Attack by Enemy Airmen.
Darker on Ground Than Aloft.
ny ROGER GOTHAM.


story OF big drama. AS matter Of
trrt, il is just that: our minds are
ittle dazed. that's all. by many Scnsa-
ions; and during the war what has
oeen the impossible becomes the regu-
lar thing. and such might raids" as the
famous writer Roger Gotham himself.
by the way) in the British air force)
here describes are of almost continual
occurrence. The men who do this
startling work really are boys; the
work they do is of immense value 10
the allies they do i: calmly, almost
casually; they are OF new and splen-
did type created by this war for the
worlds freedom. When the American
air effort ct last commences in earnest,
hlni; eds Of such lads will be developed
nT"Lg our fyersl
PARIS, July l6.--"One no trump"
declared Alec Ritborough
-Four English pilots sat round box
on which stood t"o candles. for the
squadron had not long come cut and
had not fixed itself up as comfortably
As the Royal Air Force on service
usually does.
said the e. .. See what It Is.
canada
TWO machin.s. very low, sir: can't
see what they ere Rather like Gothas.
sir
Flight commanders. get your fell
lows together and stand by. Turn out
all lights"
The nigh, commander hurried away.
leaving group OF pilots and OBJ
servers watching outside the mess hut.
All eyes we're on the two machines
They seemed TO be following the main
road thu ended in a great ruined city
20 the eastward.
\ faint whistle was heard that IN
creased to scream. Then an explo-
.lor others followed quickly.
One. TWO. three. four. Two more
% come They carry three each said
sorne one in a fur coat over pajamas.
There. that's all" An antiaircratt
gun opened nre and machine gun
ratified for while.
The L. @. was on the phone to the
colonel: Two machines. sir Six bombs
dropped. No damage done. Can't
send more. sir: l have SIX machines
standing by. Yes. sir. III report d.
rectl. they return.
"Ritborough. l want two machines
from your Night. one from each OF the
others. The colonel viii only lc; US
send four. send your pilots 10 nc at
once"
R,boroush, The Tank" Canada"
and The Bear" entered the Office.
The objective is the northern aero
dromc at You will leave at
once. at ten-minu,e intervals. taking
This course" said G. O., running his
city. and over II and across the belt
OF green. across which TWO armies faced
and fought over tho lines still fol-
lowing that road for another hteen
miles to -----
The aerodrome is here. between
the railway and this road. Sheds arc
scattered widely round II on these two
sides But" with a quick glance round
the peerinE faces. you've all been there
before.
Come down low and make certain
If hitting the target. After dropping
your bombs. go due south and keep
south OF the canal coming back. Is
shat all light"
Jolly good shooting the Germans
made. Four on the aerodroMe. two
inside. Good line. but about 800 yards
wide. You'll have TO mind the craiers
getting off. Better keep in close TO
the sheds.
Four engines were soon started UP
aid ,hrottled down until they were
warm. Ritborough waved the me
chan!cs away. opened his engine out.
ran for a while into the darkness and
leH the ground. The rudy glow OF
his exhaust pines could be seen for
time As the hum OF his engine grew
fainter Then absolute stiffness save
for that nutter OF distant guns that
is always heard.
Ghostly groups, picked out by the
gethcr. each wishing he was on the job.
and finding 1t harder 10 wait for
friends than TO go himself. II is very
eerte watching machines so off into the
darkness; the night seems very black
and empty to those left behind on the
ground. IL is only from the air that
familiar roads. woods and lakes can be
seen.
Look. Archie. ming up"
All eyes turned TO the east. where
antiaircraft shells were making a dis
play that was reminiscent OF the
crystal Palace.
They can, see EN-. They just fire
into the blue. when they hear The
engines"
i always think Archie seems nearer
at night"
Those shells are exploding at about
four. expect: no need TO set any
height at night"
There they are what glorious
sight"
II was still absolutely dark below:
but there was that faint tint OF lighter
blue to the eastward that hcraIded the
day Five thousand feet above. ap
preaching from the east, could be seen
four blood-red birds. The night was
cloudiess and the first objects to
catch the rays Of the rising sun were
the machines. The Germans put up a
few AFCnlCS, "nlCH OuTSl Win d
white and orange color as the ma
chimes wers made visible to them. but
with nothing like the accuracy OF day
time German shooting.
Imagine the feelings Of that exultant
boy--for it is given TO every man who
flies to remain a boy-as he glides
down with his engine throttled and
raotically noiseless. with only the
swish" Of his very slowly moving pro-
heller, and the hum of the air passing
by the wires! He has the knowledge
that he has done his job. that he has
given the Germans more than they
gave. that he has hit something with
900-weight of high explosive. Map
like before him is spread a fair and.
below and behind a land peck -marke ed
by craters so close together that they
make the land look like the rough
leather surface Of a books binding.
He picks out the landmarks. and
lazily turns his machine to the flares
OF his own aerodrome: to the right
and left are other flares. but he knows
which are his. He chances round and
sees the other machines. He stops