Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-04-02
THE RISE or THE
AIRMAN is SHOWN
BY Interesting Bulletin of Ma
tionaI Geographic Soc. y.

eStlnS communication to LHe NdIlOnal
| Geographic Society, Captain Andre
de Berroeta, of the French Aviation
| Service, now on duty with the French
Military Mission to America, traces
1.-The development of the airman's du-
ties since the beginning of the world
war A part of Captain de Berroe
ta's communication is issued by the
Society as the following bulletin of
its war geography series:
! 'oThe preparation. conduct and re-
suits Of an offensive military opera
ton in Europe bear but a faint re.
semblance to those of battle at the
opening Of hostilities.
"The extraordinary effective ap-
plication of aircraft to the uses of
war has greatly accelerated this
radical transformation. Today avta
ton reigns supreme over the field
of battle, controlling the faintest pull
sations Of the great volcano.
"The object of the present discus
sion is TO trace the various phases of
its evolution and, although it would
be particularly bold to prophesy in
the matter of military operations, to
suggest the decisive influence for
| victory that the entrance of the
American squadrons on the French
front may have.
| There are, at the present time,
three branches of aviation which diff
fer III the duties performed, in the
machines used, and*in the armament
provided. These are:
81. The Divisional or Reconnais-
sance Aviation, a valuable ally of the
staff it serves, of the batteries whose
firing it directs, of the infantry it as
sists in leading during the battle.
go The Aviation of Combat, young
err sister of the first and the most
faithful ally she has for her protec-
ton from the aggressions of hostile
airplanes. Attack the boche, down
him, or compel him to flee,' is it's
clearly offensive motto.
IS. The Aviation of Bombardment
hitherto chiefly employed in reprisals
for the areial raids of the enemy,
but now called to a much greater
and perhaps a decisive role
Although essentially distinct
these three branches of aviation can
only be effectively employed by the
constant coordination of 4thefr eff
forts.
LET us consider the conditions and
influences attending their birth and
development and the roles they are
to play in the battles of tomorrow, in
which your sons and brothers are TO
participate
when the war was declared the
chief strength. of the French and
German armies lay in the masses OF
| their infantry, in the power e their
artillery, and in the skill of their
cavalry. However, it seemed the
part OF wisdom to put the few hun
dred airplanes we possessed at the
service OF the fighting forces. in or.
der to fal..,..2 the success of their
undertakings. The offensive stre~@th
of both the French and German squad
| rons was very small in comparison
with the millions of combatants res-
dy to clash with each other, support
ed by the fire of several thousand
cannon.
But these airpfanes possessed the
power Of exploring the field of battle
to an extent far beyond that of the
cavalry, for which this delicate and
dangerous duty had hitherto been re.
served. To them, accordingly, from
the beginning of the war, was in
trusted the observation of the move.
ments of the hostile armies.
During the whole period, termed
the War Of Movement, that is to
say, until the battle OF the Marine,
the French commanders were kept
promptly Informed of the movements
of the German forces, thanks to the
daring "Reminiscences of our pilots
who, accompanied by staff officers.
made fights far within the lines OF
the enemy and at a low altitude, in
the rear of the hostile forces. The
Aviation of Reconnaissance was thus
created during the first days of hos
titles.
Air Service Development.
The number Of aircraft in use was
so small that hostile airplane was
rarely encountered in the course ~
these accommodating expeditions. If
adversaries did chance to meet, all
the pilots could do was to shake
their fists at each other os discharge
their reyolvers without the slightest
chance of hitting 1t was, however,
from these gestures that aerial COM