Norwich bulletin., 1918-09-20

The maJOr who told the story was an American, who has seen much service with the British RAE, and spoke in terms of warm approval of it's methods and discipline. He eX- plained that in the air service it is impossible to achieve that regularity which is essential in other branches of the service since the air force is to great extent at the mercy of the weather, and it's regular work may at any moment be interrupted by special calls upon it's assistance. But what might be described as a regular ir- regularity was attainable, and was a feature of the British training, which he had always imposed upon his own squadron. Such, for example, was the immediate cleaning and oVerhauling Of every machine on it's arrivtl in the aerodrome. The general practice was to leave such tasks for a convenient moment, but he emphasized the inn portance Of having every machine on landing taken instantly in hand and rendered again--fit for further use without the least delay. He instanced the spotless cleanliness of the British lorries inside and out, no matter how dusty the journey or their abiding place, as typical of the wonders that can be achieved by ideals and disci- pline.
 The attack of which he told was upon an enemy aerodrome. which had for some time evaded discovery, so cleveriy was it concealed in the ground of a chateau. The chateau served as headquarters of the squadron officers, and the hangars were hidden in the edge of the woods about the house. The American squadron, which was escort to the bombing machines, dis covered some haIf-d aeroplanes on the ground most of them with their propellers running. The American machines circled about ne field, sweeping it with the fire from their machine guns, till every one of. the enemy machines was blazing, and the men attending them had either been shot or driven into the wood. By this time bombs had been dropped on all the hangers and on the chateau itself.
 The Americans in this squadron scored in the first fortnight in August 26 victims. All it's airnen are imbued with the British insistence on the of fensive, always and under all circum- stances-so much so that two of them, finding themselves cut off by 20 of the enemy on their return journey, instead of trying to seek safety in flight. swept up at the German machines, which were all above them, and so rattled the enemy by their unex- pected daring that they actually brought down four of his machines, and, though finally shot themselves were able to affect a landing behind our lines.-Special Correspondence to the London Times.
 A memorial has been addressed to the British government by the Anti Slavery and Aborigines Protection So- ciety praying that he king may be advised to proclaim at an early date the abolition of the legal status ot slavery in German East Africa.
 The memorial states that upon the outbreak of war there were approxi- mately in German East Africa 185, ,00C slaves, and that these were being SC slowly emancipated that less than B. 900 were set free each year. It ex- presses the conviction that by making | it clear that Great Britain is reso- lutely determined not to tolerate slav. cry under her rule she would enhance still further her moral prestige among the peoples of Afica and indeed among
 the native races of the world.
 In addition to the signatures of tht officials of the society the memoria
 bears those of bishops, peers, heads O religious societies, members of Parlia
 ment, and other public men.
 There has been some activity in tn, 1 Vosges sector during the past fev days. While the Americans have talk en the village of Frapelle and at cer | tain small points improved their posi- tions, the Germans have organized
 number of local raids in which the, have been regularly defeated.
 The German sneers of two month ago regarding the Americans have be come the fears of today. They hay learst an instructive and di:ilgreeabl I lesson. Meanwhile new and excellen
 units are regularly arriving fror America. They have only one feal
 as they express it.. and that is
 that the war will be finished befor
 we get a chance to make the German
 hike it to Germany"
 In the raid in the Vosges yesterda the Germans advanced in three col
 ums, but were driven off by combine fire from rifles, machine guns, and al
 tillery, and they showed their annoy ance by sending 2600 shells into Fra belle.
 Since the Germans adopted the
 present methods of holding their fo1 ward positions only with scattere ) posts, which are often a very Ion distance is advance of the main line
 resistance, we have consistently mao it very uncomfortable for those a( vanced posts. The Germans seem
 have thought that we should alwa1 attack in force. when the advance : posts would hold us up and give war ] ing to the real line of defence b,
 hind. Instead of which. we have bee