The sun., 1918-08-18
HEAVY AIR FIGHTING /
!. !: IN ALLIES DRIVE
Germans Lose 500, British 1913
Planes in Weeks Opera
= tons I'm France. ...
ENEMY'S LINES BOMBED
Two American Filters Fall at
p. Zeebrugge; Are Interned
~ by Denmark.

LONDON, Aug. 17.-with Marshal
Foch continuing his offensive on the
Western front the demands upon the
allied aviators for work over the Ger
man lines, both in bombing enemy po-
sitions and emplacements and in scout
ting work, continues heavy. and the fiiers
ere responding to every call. The air
lighting Of the last week, as result
or the offensive measures of the Amer
'tcans, British and French, Is, ranked as
the heaviest of the war. Although the
1humber Of machines destroyed Is not
available It Is believed that 1t will APP
! proximate $50 machines. At the same
time allied aviators have not escaped
without losses, but they perhaps are half
7thoee suffered by the Germans
Some OF the most severe conflicts &C.
Cured on August In the sector be,
tween Albert and the Amiens- Roye road,
where the German air forces were In
creased considerably soon after the OPEN
ing Of the allied offensive. The air night
ING resulted in the destruction of forty
eight enemy machines, while seventeen
others we're driven down out of control
17fty British machines did not return
~ S3O Foe Machines DESTROYED.
During the six succeeding days 1855
!, enemy airplanes were destroyed and
: eaghty-nine driven out of control, max
ing total OF 339 German machines for
NE week. compared to 123 British air
planes missing.
In the same period British bombing
squadrons continually attacked enemy
Aivdromes. railways and other military
ob5ectives dropping more than $40 tons
OF bombs and causing great damage.
Low flying scout planes raked the
enemy's congested roads OF retreat with
machine gun FIRE. INJECTING many cas-
ualties.
A notable feature OF the aerial opera
tons was the virtually continuous night
and day bombing of the enemy bridges
over the Somme. This greatly hampered
tbs supply and reinforcement of the
German troops. The weeks work also
included a number Of destructive raids
into Germany.
~ Downed Yesterday.
In yesterdays nghting a total OF
twenty six German machines were
downed. The British report destroying
twelve and putting two moro out Of
control. The French destroyed twelve
,0srman machines. Bombing raids over
The German lines continue, as the fol-
lowing ofYicial reports on aerial opera
lions show:
BRITIsH-On August 16 the wealth.
Or continued fine. but the enemy's
AERIAL activity was not great. Twelve
hostile machines were brought down
BY our airmen. and two. were driven
down out Of control. Six Of our ma
chimes are missing. Another hostile
machine was brought down in the
night. .rs
The hostile airdromes Of Harbour
!. Gin and Lomme were heavily attacked
:. the mornings OF the 18th and 18th by
. large number Of our machines.
Bombs were dropped from a low
height. and at the former airdrome six
hangars were demolished and two ma
. chimes standing in the open were de-
I, .stroyed Three hangers were de-
Il stroyed at the latter airdrome. and
at both places the living quarters
4.were heavily fired on and several fires
we're started.
, More than forty tons OF bombs were
dropped by as IN the twenty -fou,
hours.
On the night OF August 1917 our
4 air squadrons attacked four hostile
airdromes and two railroad junctions.
3 Ahe Visibility was very poor ana OD-
:, eervation OF the results was difficult.
-ss In addition to the two British ma
chimes reported missing on August 16
= . third machine has failed to return.
FRENCH-Twelve enemy machines
were brought down yesterday.
.f- U. $. Filters Mt. zeebrusEe.
An air battle between allied and Ger
man airplanes took place Friday arount
Zeebrugge, on the northern coast o
West Flanders, according to an Amster
dam despatch to the Exchange Tele
graph. During the fighting. which lasteS
nearly all day, Lieut. Regain Harris ant
Sergeant James Muir, Americans. occu
pants Of French type Of airplane. wer,
compelled to desist because an enem!
bullet pierced the petrol tank Of tn,
machine. Pursued by several German
airplanes. they were forced to descen,
At Koudekerk. on the Danish island o
Seeland. Both Americans were unin
Jured and have been informed by the au
thorities. &C.
The occupants of British airplan,
which landed in Dutch territory ais,
were interned.