The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-09-07
HUN AMMUNITION
DuMPs-rARstrs
Of ALLY A|RkEN
Destruction Of Stores Vital
Factor In Winning War.

BEHIND BRITISH LINES IN
FRANCE, Aug. is Correspondence
OF The Associated Press 1.-THE British
aviation communique frequently con-
tains brief line to record that direct
hits we're obtained upon an enemy dump
at" some point begind the German
lines. This colorless announcement
may seem to the reader IN America
nothing more than the record OF a dull
piece of routine, but the deed itself is
different from its record.
American airmen attached to the
British squadrons have long since found
out that the business of bombing
dumps" often is exciting and spectac-
ular work. Moreover, the importance
OF lis effects upon enemy plans and
operations can hardly be exaggerated
A well aimed hit on a store Of German
ammunition may destroy the work OF
many months in the munition factories
and cripple numerous batteries for
many long days.
Tells OF Hour Raid
A British airman, Lieut. w A.
Barnes. has given the Associated Press
the following account OF recent fifty
cight-mlnutc raid on a German dump
as Characteristic Of this form Of ac-
tlvty.
"On this particular night there was
not enough moonlight for long raid,
SO the target given us was German
ammunition dump. We welcomed the
change, for, naturally, the strain OF
long distance raids into Germany night
after night becomes a bit wearing,
Dumps are OF course situated as near
as possible to the firing line and so
mean short raids.
Dumps are by no means easy tar
gets 10 lind at night. for they are sci
dom situated neat any definite land
marks, and are usually well camou-
flagcd By the study of maps and pho
tographs however, We had pretty well
located the position OF this one, and
started out on the raid with high hopes
OF success.
I'VE flew almost due east from the
aerodrahe At the end of fifty minutes
We could Just make out the outline OF
she'd, This was good, but We let out
a parachute flare to light up the ground
and make sure we were over the tar
get This promptly dispelled ali doubts,
for the Hun Searchlights opened up at
once. and hail OF machine gun bull
lets leaped mp from the ground Anti
aircraft guns had been firing for some
time but the shells were bursting well
above us and giving no trouble
Casualties Prevented.
"Thc parachute flare proved real
friend, because both searchlights and
machine guns concentrated upon il,
giving Us lust sufficient time to dive
swiftly release our bombs, switch on
the engine and start climbing
"When we turned TO observe results,
we witnessed the finest firework dis
play ever saw. Ammunition was
cracking off at record speed. dense
clouds of smoke were rising, and high.
ly colored flames were leapng a hun.
dred feet and more from the ground
ave watched this pleasing exhibition
for some minutes, until the cough OF
an archie burst near to remind US
that we were still over Hunland, and
so turned and steered for home.
"The whole job occupied exactly
fiity-eiVht minutes; but it must have
cost Germany hundreds Of man.power
hours I'm muniton works-there vas
still some fire there at noon next day
and saved our French allies a good
many casualties, for, as it happened,
that bip dump, we learned, was 10 serve
a hit oi front facing French troops