aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第19节

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hesitation；　and　in　a　short　while　rendered　cloudland　absolutely

unhealthy。　　The　sequel　was　interesting。　　As　if　suddenly　blinded；

the　German　artillery　fire　immediately　deteriorated。　　On　the　other

hand；　the　British　artillery；　now　having　the　benefit　of　aerial　

guidance；　was　able　to　repay　the　German　onslaughts　with　interest；

and　speedily　compelled　that　elaborate　digging…in　of　the　infantry

lines　which　has　now　become　so　characteristic　of　the　opposing

forces。



So　far　as　the　British　lines　are　concerned　the　men　in　the　trenches

keep　a　sharp　look…out　for　hostile　aeroplanes。　　The　moment　one　is

observed　to　be　advancing；　all　the　men　seclude　themselves　and　

maintain　their　concealment。　　To　do　otherwise　is　to　court　a　raking

artillery　outburst。　　The　German　aeroplane；　detecting　the　tendency

of　the　trenches　describes　in　the　air　the　location　of　the

vulnerable　spot　and　the　precise　disposition　by　flying　immediately　

above　the　line。　　Twice　the　manoeuvre　is　repeated；　the　second

movement　evidently　being　in　the　character　of　a　check　upon　the

first　observation；　and　in　accordance　with　instructions；　whereupon　

the　Tommies；　to　quote　their　own　words；　〃know　they　are　in　for　it！〃　

Ere　the　aeroplane　has　completed　the　second　manoeuvre　the　German

guns　ring　out。



The　facility　with　which　artillery　fire　can　be　concentrated

through　the　medium　of　the　aeroplane　is　amazing。　　In　one　instance；

according　to　the　story　related　to　me　by　an　officer；　〃a　number　of

our　men　were　resting　in　an　open　field　immediately　behind　the　

second　line　of　trenches；　being　in　fact　the　reserves　intended　for

the　relief　of　the　front　lines　during　the　following　night。　　An

aeroplane　hove　in　sight。　　The　men　dropped　their　kits　and　got

under　cover　in　an　adjacent　wood。　　The　aeroplane　was　flying　at　a

great　height　and　evidently　laboured　under　the　impression　that　the

kits　were　men。　　Twice　it　flew　over　the　field　in　the　usual　manner；

and　then　the　storm　of　shrapnel；　'Jack　Johnsons'　and　other　tokens

from　the　Kaiser　rained　upon　the　confined　space。　　A　round　four

hundred　shells　were　dropped　into　that　field　in　the　short　period

of　ten　minutes；　and　the　range　was　so　accurate　that　no　single

shell　fell　outside　the　space。　　Had　the　men　not　hurried　to　cover

not　one　would　have　been　left　alive　to　tell　the　tale；　because

every　square　foot　of　the　land　was　searched　through　and　through。　

We　laughed　at　the　short…sightedness　of　the　airman　who　had

contributed　to　such　a　waste　of　valuable　shot　and　shell；　but　at

the　same　time　appreciated　the　narrowness　of　our　own　escape。〃



The　above　instance　is　by　no　means　isolated。　　It　has　happened　time

after　time。　　The　slightest　sign　of　activity　in　a　trench　when　a

〃Taube〃　is　overhead　suffices　to　cause　the　trench　to　be　blown　to

fragments；　and　time　after　time　the　British　soldiers　have　had　to

lie　prone　in　their　trenches　and　suffer　partial　burial　as　an

alternative　to　being　riddled　by　shrapnel。



The　method　of　ascertaining　the　range　of　the　target　from　the

indications　given　by　the　aeroplane　are　of　the　simplest　character。　

The　German　method　is　for　the　aerial　craft　to　fly　over　the

position；　and　when　in　vertical　line　therewith　to　discharge　a

handful　of　tinsel；　which；　in　falling；　glitters　in　the　sunlight；

or　to　launch　a　smoking　missile　which　answers　the　same　purpose　as

a　projectile　provided　with　a　tracer。　　This　smoke…ball　being

dropped　over　the　position　leaves　a　trail　of　black　or　whitish

smoke　according　to　the　climatic　conditions　which　prevail；　the

object　being　to　enable　the　signal　to　be　picked　up　with　the

greatest　facility。　　The　height　at　which　the　aerial　craft　is

flying　being　known；　a　little　triangulation　upon　the　part　of　the

observer　at　the　firing　point　enables　him　to　calculate　the　range

and　to　have　the　guns　laid　accordingly。



When　the　aerial　craft　has　been　entrusted　with　the　especial　duty

of　directing　artillery…fire；　a　system　of　communication　between

the　aerial　observer　and　the　officer　in　charge　of　the　artillery　is

established；　conducted；　of　course；　by　code。　　In　the　British　Army；

signalling　is　both　visual　and　audible。　　In　daylight　visual

signalling　is　carried　out　by　means　of　coloured　flags　or　streamers

and　smoke…signals；　while　audible　communication　is　effected　by

means　of　a　powerful　horn　working　upon　the　siren　principle　and

similar　to　those　used　by　automobiles。　　Both　flags　and

sound…signals；　however；　are　restricted　owing　to　the　comparatively

short　distances　over　which　they　can　be　read　with　any　degree　of

accuracy。　　The　smoke…signal　therefore　appears　to　be　the　most

satisfactory　and　reliable；　as　the　German　airmen　have　proved

conclusively；　for　the　simple　reason　that　the　trail　of　smoke　may

be　picked　up　with　comparative　ease；　even　at　a　distance；　by　means

of　field　glasses。　　The　tinsel　too；　is　readily　distinguishable；

particularly　in　bright　weather；　for　the　glittering　surface；

catching　the　sun…light；　acts　some　what　in　the　manner　of　a

heliograph。



The　progress　of　the　airman　is　followed　by　two　officers　at　the

base　from　which　he　started。　　One　is　equipped　with　the　director；

while　the　second　takes　the　range。　　Directly　this　has　been　found

as　a　result　of　calculation；　the　guns　are　laid　ready　for　firing。　

In　those　cases　where　the　enemy's　artillery　is　concealed　perhaps

behind　a　hill；　the　airman　is　of　incalculable　value；　inasmuch　as

he　is　able　to　reveal　a　position　which　otherwise　would　have　to　be

found　by　considerable　haphazard　firing；　and　which；　even　if

followed　by　a　captive　balloon　anchored　above　the　firing　point；

might　resist　correction。



The　accuracy　of　the　airman's　work　in　communicating　the　range　has

been　responsible　for　the　high　efficiency　of　the　British　and

French　artillery。　　The　latter；　with　the　75　millimetre

quick…firing　gun；　is　particularly　adapted　to　following　up　the

results　of　the　aeroplane's　reconnaissance；　especially　with　the

system　of　rafale　fire；　because　the　whole　position　can　be　searched

through　and　through　within　a　minute　or　two。　　According　to

information　which　has　been　given　to　me　by　our　artillery　officers；

the　British　system　also　has　proved　disastrous　to　the　enemy。　　The

practice　is　to　get　the　range　as　communicated　by　the　aeroplane；　to

bring　the　artillery　into　position　speedily；　to　discharge　salvo

after　salvo　with　all　speed　for　a　few　minutes；　and　then　to　wheel

the　artillery　away　before　any　hostile　fire　can　be　returned。　　The

celerity　with　which　the　British　artillery　comes　into；　and　goes

out　of；　action　has　astonished　even　our　own　authorities。　　This

mobility　is　of　unique　value：　it　is　taking　advantage　of　a　somewhat

slow…witted　enemy　with　interest。　　By　the　time　the　Germans　have

opened　fire　upon　the　point　whence　the　British　guns　were

discharged；　the　latter　have　disappeared　and　are　ready　to　let　fly

from　another　point；　some　distance　away；　so　that　the　hostile　fire

is　abortive。　　Mobility　of　such　a　character　is　decidedly　unnerving

and　baffling　even　to　a　quick…witted　opponent。



In　his　search　for　hostile　artillery　the　airman　runs　grave　risks

and　displays　remarkable　resource。　　It　is　invariably　decided；

before　he　sets　out；　that　he　shall　always　return　to　a　certain

altitude　to　communicate　signals。　　Time　after　time　the　guns　of　the

enemy　have　been　concealed　so　cunningly　from　aerial　observation　as

to　pass　unnoticed。　　This　trait　became　more　pronounced　as　the

campaigns　of　the　Aisne　progressed。　　Accordingly　the　airman　adopts

a　daring　procedure。　　He　swoops　down　over　suspicious　places；　where

he　thinks　guns　may　be　lurking；　hoping　that　the　enemy　will　betray

its　presence。　　The　ruse　is　invariably　successful。　　The　airman

makes　a　sudden　dive　towards　the　earth。　　The　soldiers　in　hiding

below；　who　have　become　somewhat　demoralised　by　the　accuracy　of

the　British　aerial　bomb…throwers；　have　an　attack　of　nerves。　　They

open　a　spirited　fusillade　in　the　hope　of　bringing　the　airman　to

earth。　　But　their　very　excitement　contributes　to　his　safety。　　The

shots　are　fired　without　careful　aim　and　expend　themselves

harmlessly。　　Sweeping　once　more　upwards；　the　airman　regains　the

pre…determined　level；　performs　a　certain　evolution　in　the　air

which　warns　the　observer　at　his　base　that　he　has　made　a

discovery；　and　promptly　drops　his　guiding　signal　directly　over

the　point　from　which　he　has　drawn　fire。



Operations　at　night　are　conducted　by　means　of　coloured　lights　or

an　electrical　searchlight　system。　　In　the　former　instance　three

lights　are　generally　carriedwhite；　red；　and　greeneach　of

which　has　a　distinctive　meaning。　　If　reliance　is　placed　upon　the

electric　light　signalling　lamp；　then　communications　are　in　code。　

But　night　operations　are　somewhat　difficult　and　extremely

dangerous；　except　when　the　elements　are　propitious。　　There　is　the

ground　mist　which　blots　everything　from　sight；　rendering

reconnaissance　purely　speculative。　　But　on　a　clear　night　the

airman　is　more　likely　to　prove　successful。　　He　keeps　a　vigilant

eye　upon　all　ground…lights　and　by　close　observation　is　able　to

determine　their　significance。　　It　is　for　this　reason　th