Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-08-23
Business of
Bombing Dumps
Exciting Work

Correspondence Associated Press
Behind British Lines in France, July
/, 1s.-The British aviation communique
frequently contains a brief line to
record that direct hits were obtained
upon an enemy dump at some point
behind the German lines. This color
less 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 bomb
ing dumps" often Is exciting ana
spectacular work. Moreover. the I'M
portance Of it's effect upon enemy plans
and operations can hardly be exagger-
ated. A well-aimed hit on a store OF
German ammunition may destroy the
work Of many months in the munition
factories, and cripple numerous batter
les for many long days.
A British airman, Lieut.. w. a.
Barnes. has given the Associated Press
the following account Of a recent S.
minute raid on a German dump as
characteristic of this form Of activity:
llISllI lAiSAS 49,
not enough moonlight for a long raid
so the target given us was a German
ammunition dump. We welcomed the
change for, naturally. the strain OF long
distance raids into Germany, nlght
after might, 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 to find at night for they are sell
dom situated near any definite land
marks and are usually well camou-
tagged. By the study of maps ana
photographs, however, we had pretty
we'll located the position Of this one
and started out on the raid with Aleh
hopes Of success
I'VE flew almost due east from the
aerodrome. At the end OF the f11ty
minutes we could just make out the
outline Of sheds. This was good but
we let out q parachute flare to light
up the ground and make sure we were
over the target. This promptly dis
PEELED all doubts for the Hun search
lights opened up at once and hail OIL
machine gun bullets leaped up from
the ground. Anti-aircraft guns had
been firing for some time but the sheils
were bursting we'll above us and giving
no trouble. :,
"The parachute flare proved a rea,
friend, because both searchlights ana
machine guns concentrated upon 1t.
giving US just 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 I ever saw. Ammunition was
cracking off at record speed, dense
clouds of smoke were rising and high
ly colored flames were leaping hun
Sdred feet and more from the ground.
1--WE watched this pleasing exhibition
for some minutes until the cough OF
an Archie burst near by to remind US
we were still over Hun-land and so
turned and steered for home.
1.-THE whole Job occupied exactly
fifty-eisht minutes; but 1t must have
cost Germany hundreds Of man-power
hours In munitions works-there was
still some fire there at noon next day
and saved our French allies a good
many casualties, for as 1t happens that
big dump. We learned, was to serve q
bit of front facing French troops"
Conv;.$. Erenare Entrenched Camp