Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-08-08
IA|R FLIGHT TO
C0NSTANT|NOPLE
British AirpIane Makes 1000
Mile Trip Without Accident.
DROPS BOMBS ON THE ENEMY

UkyfS bUMbS UN III ENEMY
Amazing Story Of Voyage Of British
Battle Airplane to Turkish Capital
From London-German Headquar.
tiers and Turkish War Office Bonn
barded-Long Trip Made Without
Engine Trouble of Any Kind.
For the first time the amazing story
Of a British battle airplane's flight to
Constantinople from London, and it's
sequel in the bombardment of the Ger
man headquarters and the Turkish wal
Office there was told by Mr.. Handley
Page and Mr.. Basil johnson of London,
whose firm built the engines that few
the 1000 miles without a hitch.
Loading up at Hendon, the machine,
which with spares and luggage was
more than six tons in weight, proceed.
ed to Paris, Lyons, and, to avoid the
Alps, continued by way Of Marseilles.
From Marseilles the journey was by
way of Spezzia to Pisa, Rome, Naples
and Otranto, which was the last point
over friendly country. The next, and
perhaps the most difficult stage Of the
Journey, was over the Albanian Alps
to Salonica, a trip Of $50 miles across
mountains varying from 5000 to 10000
feet, with no suitable place for landing
In case Of need.
OF for constantinople.
Squadron Commander Savory, who
was the chief pilot, told him, said Mr.,
Handley Page, that they could see wild
Bulgarian horsemen below, who were
running about in every direction, wait
ing for a chance to kill them if they
came down.
From Salonica the adventurous
party flew to their base, %overhauled
the machine, and prepared for a long
distance bombing expedition to Con-
stantinople, a distance of about 800
miles.
On their attacking trip they set forth
with 16 bombs, and on arriving at the
Sea of Marmora throttled down from
1000 feet to 1000 feet, the Golden
Horn and other points being clearly in
view.
After a short survey Of the lights of
Constantinople, and in order to make
sure Of their detectives, they came
down to 800 feet and dropped a salvo
Of four bombs, hoping to reach the
Goeben, which was anchored just be.
meath them. Unfortunately they missed
the vessel, but managed to hit one OF
two submarines that were lying along.
side her.
Turning on their track, they made
another attempt on the Goeben, and
this time, in spite of the attentions of 9
number of Turkish and German anti
aircraft guns, managed to plant -four
bombs on the battleship.
Then they flew up to a ship called
the General, which was the headquar
tiers of the German staff, and dropped
two bombs IN her, to the great conster
nation of naval and military officers
assembled in her saloons.
One more target, too tempting to be
missed, attracted the intrepid avia
tors, and they next made their way tt
that part of the town where the Turk
ish al Office was situated and dropped
two more of their bombs on the build
Ing. The Turkish official report on thu
latter incident quantity minimized mat
tiers by saying: 'The war Office was no
destroyed"
Makes World Record.
After half an hours bombing Of Con
stantinople they turned round ant
started back to their base, Flighr
Commander Mcclellan relieving his
chief in the steering. They had not es
capped without damage, but even after
one engine had been put out of actor
they were able to get away without
serious damage from the 'band accom-
paniment" Of guns below, which hat
paid them a quite uncomfortable
amount of attention.
On arriving back. at the base NJ
fewer than 26 bullet holes were found
In the machine. The journey to Con
stantinople and back (64O miles) occu
pied seven hours.
danuIey rage SAID Engineer Lleuten
ant Rawlings, who was one of The
party, reported that they had no trou
Bile at all with the engines, although
the water in the radiator boiled on {
very hot day. He thought the flight
which constituted a world record fol
British airplanes, engines and aviators
showed the great possibilities of aeria
long distance bombing expeditions dur
Ing the war, and also that there were
great possibilities for mail and freighr
carrying in times Of peace.
Girls Work In Saw Mill.
Dressed in dainty brown overall
boomers, eight young women OF
Washburn, Wis, started work at the
Kenfield-LamOreaux saw mill recently