Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-07
FRENCH BOMBERS
NOV DOWN FOE
irmen's Attack on Enemy
\, Troops Makes Victory
Easy for Infantry
KILL GERMANS IN WOOD
Doche Fliers Flee When Allied
Planes Try to Give
Battle
KILL GERMANS IN WOOD
By WALTER DURANTY

Copyright. fe1s by Nep York Times Co.
With the French Armies, June 7.
TN the valley of the Saviere our
obmbardment squadrons threw more
tpan seventeen tons of bombs on
rnemy troop concentrations" says the
Wrench communicate. Your corre-
epondent yesterday visited one of the
enest aviation groups in the French
army and obtained a first-hand story
Of that exploit.
In the early afternoon of Wednes-
day the airmen were informed that a
large number of Germans were as.
oembling in the valley of the Saviere,
little aff1uent of the Ourcq, whose
course is almost parallel with the
front between Troesnes and Corey.
Owing to the configuration of the
ground, they were sheltered from the
dre tof artillery, and it was evident
that they intended to re-enforce the
German move westward into the for.
6st Of villers-Cotterets. Bomb planes
were sent out.
a The effect of the bombs was tre
nendous. The German soldiers broke
headlong for cover, abandoning all
thought of fight. Ten minutes later
bomb plane group of the same strength
arrived on the scene. At first no Ger
mans were visible, then, circling low,
the airmen discovered the enemy hid
ing in the horseshoe wood of Haut-
I'D e;I &f
4 ley. Again the devoted battalions were
subjected to a terrible bombardment
amid trees that gave no protection.
Before the decimated units could re.
form the first squadron had returned
with a new load, and once more the
wood was filled with the roar of ex-
plosions.
Easy Victory for Infantry
No human morale could stand such
tsrrible strain. In vain the German
o6icers tried to reform their panic
stricken men. When the French in
fantry counter-attacked they had an
easy victory over the weakened forces
that had made the advance. The air
mems success against the reserves had
nullihed an advance that might have
been dangerous.
BY reuniting virtually all their avail
able air forces in the sector of attack
the enemy won a short-lived superiority.
Z On Tuesday there was a good deal of
air lighting, that day turning more
steadily in our favor. By Wednesday
4 We had put the boche back where he
belonged. Sure, to give you an idea
our daylight bombers have been
enormously active throughout the bat
tie, but in the whole period they have
only had three combats altogether, in
the course of which one boche has been
1owned Our losses were nil, save for
back in his machine.
The planes went right to st. Quentin.
ON the way they fell in with f1otilla
Of thirty Fokkers, which, instead of at
tacking, followed them at a great height.
Our formation was so good and solid
that the enemy wouldn't take any risk.
At the moment bombs were actually
falling On the objectives the leading
bcches assailed our rearmost plane. The
others perceiving this, slowed up and
the advancing Fokkers met the full
blast OF the two rear mtralilleuses from
each of our planes. They simply turned
tail and bolted, and the bombers re-
turned without further interference.
On one occasion a French squadrille
spotted a large force of boche Infantry
resting on the ground of a farm. Fly
ing nifty feet high in spiral formation.
like a cavalry charge, We swept them
With outlets. The boches sought refuge
under the shelter OF a great wall on
the opposite side from which the attack
Uas coming. It was an unfortunate
fAea, as swinging swiftly around. the
\ oaanes concentrated their fire on the
huddled mob and literally moved them
lown.
Germans Asked to Be Killed
rs The airmen said afterward that the
Germans had simply asked to be exc
4 euted, and had placed themselves all
xosdy in position.
Against scouts and artillery observers
Who are forced to fly fairly low, we had
ths same success, and again the Ger
4 man fghtefs refused TO attempt rescue.
One pilot. Sardier. jumped his score
lrem five to eleven in six days. and
othsrs had numerous victories, though
"a course, most of the work was di,
ysctsd against land forces. That and
The "sausages." From the outset the
) tccAs moved his sausages extraordinar.
S 10 fast-actually kept them at an aver,
4 80 Of about a mile behind the advanc
4 2it troops.
Our sausage specialist" Lieutenant
Z Doyou. who has eighteen official victim!
~ his credit. had regular picnic. H,
rot three one day in five minutes. TIL,
4 nrst two were in flames before tn.
paseengers could escape. They jumpet
froEo the third in parachute and tn
& 6alleon was being rapidly hauled dowi
4 Whep Boyau swooped and set it on fir,
u haY6ly forty feet from the ground.