aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第15章

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the　information　which　is　likely　to　be　of　value　to　his　superior

officers。　　He　must　be　able　to　judge　accurately　the　numbers　of

troops　arrayed　beneath　him；　the　lines　of　the　defensive　works；　to

distinguish　the　defended　from　the　dummy　lines　which　are　thrown　up

to　baffle　him；　and　to　detect　instantly　the　movement　of　the　troops

and　the　direction；　as　well　as　the　roads；　along　which　they　are

proceeding。　　Reserves　and　their　complement；　artillery；

railway…lines；　roads；　and　bridges；　if　any；　over　streams　and

railways　must　be　notedin　short　he　must　obtain　an　eye　photograph

of　the　country　he　observes　and　grasp　exactly　what　is　happening

there。　　In　winter；　with　the　thermometer　well　down；　a

blood…freezing　wind　blowing；　wreaths　of　clouds　drifting　below　and

obscuring　vision　for　minutes　at　a　time；　the　rain　possibly　pelting

down　as　if　presaging　a　second　deluge；　the　plight　of　the　vigilant

human　eye　aloft　is　far　from　enviable。



Upon　the　return　of　the　machine　to　its　base；　the　report　must　be

prepared　without　delay。　　The　picture　recorded　by　the　eye　has　to

be　set　down　clearly　and　intelligibly　with　the　utmost　speed。　　The

requisite　indications　must　be　made　accurately　upon　the　map。　

Nothing　of　importance　must　be　omitted：　the　most　trivial　detail　is

often　of　vital　importance。



A　facile　pencil　is　of　inestimable　value　in　such　operations。　

While　aloft　the　observer　does　not　trust　to　his　memory　or　his　eye

picture；　but　commits　the　essential　factors　to　paper　in　the　form

of　a　code；　or　what　may　perhaps　be　described　more　accurately　as　a

shorthand　pictorial　interpretation　of　the　things　he　has

witnessed。　　To　the　man　in　the　street　such　a　record　would　be

unintelligible；　but　it　is　pregnant　with　meaning；　and　when　worked

out　for　the　guidance　of　the　superior　officers　is　a　mass　of

invaluable　detail。



At　times　it　so　happens　that　the　airman　has　not　been　able　to

complete　his　duty　within　the　time　anticipated　by　those　below。　

But　he　has　gathered　certain　information　which　he　wishes　to

communicate　without　coming　to　earth。　　Such　data　may　be　dropped

from　the　clouds　in　the　form　of　maps　or　messages。　　Although

wireless　telegraphy　is　available　for　this　purpose；　it　suffers

from　certain　drawbacks。　　If　the　enemy　possesses　an　equipment

which　is　within　range　of　that　of　the　air…craft　and　the　force　to

which　it　belongs；　communications　may　be　nullified　by　the　enemy

throwing　out　a　continuous　stream　of　useless　signals　which　〃jamb〃

the　intelligence　of　their　opponents。



If　a　messagewritten　in　codeor　a　map　is　to　be　dropped　from

aloft　it　is　enclosed　within　a　special　metallic　cylinder；　fitted

with　a　vane　tail　to　ensure　direction　of　flight　when　launched；　and

with　a　detonating　head。　　This　is　dropped　overboard。　　When　it

strikes　the　ground　the　detonator　fires　a　charge　which　emits　a

report　without　damaging　the　message　container；　and　at　the　same

time　fires　a　combustible　charge　emitting　considerable　smoke。　　The

noise　attracts　anyone　in　the　vicinity　of　the　spot　where　the

message　has　fallen；　while　at　the　same　time　the　clouds　of　smoke

guide　one　to　the　point　and　enable　the　cylinder　to　be　recovered。　

This　device　is　extensively　used　by　the　German　aviators；　and　has

proved　highly　serviceable；　a　similar　contrivance　is　adopted　by

French　airmen。



There　is　one　phase　of　aerial　activity　which　remains　to　be

demonstrated。　　This　is　the　utilisation　of　aerial　craft　by　the

defenders　of　a　besieged　position　such　as　a　ring　of　fortifications

or　fortified　city。　　The　utility　of　the　Fourth　Arm　in　this

province　has　been　the　subject　of　considerable　speculation。　

Expert　opinion　maintains　that　the　advantage　in　this　particular

connection　would　rest　with　the　besiegers。　　The　latter　would　be

able　to　ascertain　the　character　of　the　defences　and　the　defending

gun…force；　by　means　of　the　aerial　scout；　who　would　prove　of

inestimable　value　in　directing　the　fire　of　the　besieging　forces。



On　the　other　hand　it　is　maintained　that　an　aerial　fleet　would　be

useless　to　the　beleaguered。　　In　the　first　place　the　latter　would

experience　grave　difficulties　in　ascertaining　the　positions　of

the　attacking　and　fortress…reducing　artillery；　inasmuch　as　this

could　be　masked　effectively；　and　it　is　thought　that　the　aerial

force　of　the　besieged　would　be　speedily　reduced　to　impotence；

since　it　would　be　subjected　to　an　effective　concentrated　fire

from　the　ring　of　besieging　anti…aircraft　guns　and　other　weapons。　

In　other　words；　the　theory　prevails　that　an　aerial　fleet；　no

matter　how　efficient；　would　be　rendered　ineffective　for　the

simple　reason　that　it　would　be　the　initial　object　of　the

besieger's　attack。　　Possibly　the　stem　test　of　experience　will

reveal　the　fallacy　of　these　contentions　as　emphatically　as　it　has

disproved　others。　　But　there　is　one　point　upon　which　authorities

are　unanimous。　　If　the　artillery　of　the　investing　forces　is

exposed　and　readily　distinguishable；　the　aerial　forces　of　the

beleaguered　will　bring　about　its　speedy　annihilation；　as　the

defensive　artillery　will　be　concentrated　upon　that　of　the

besiegers。







CHAPTER　IX

THE　AIRMAN　AND　ARTILLERY



There　is　one　field　in　which　the　airman　has　achieved　distinctive

triumphs。　　This　is　in　the　guidance　of　artillery　fire。　　The　modern

battle　depends　first　and　foremost　upon　the　fierce　effec　tiveness

of　big…gun　assault；　but　to　ensure　this　reliable　direction　is

imperative。　　No　force　has　proved　so　invaluable　for　this　purpose

as　the　man　of…the…air；　and　consequently　this　is　the　province　in

which　he　has　been　exceptionally　and　successfully　active。



It　will　be　recalled　that　in　the　Japanese　investiture　of　Port

Arthur　during　the　Russo…Japanese　war；　thousands　of　lives　were

expended　upon　the　retention　and　assault　of　203　Metre　Hill。　　It

was　the　most　blood…stained　spot　upon　the　whole　of　the　Eastern

Asiatic　battlefield。　　General　Nogi　threw　thousands　after

thousands　of　his　warriors　against　this　rampart　while　the　Russians

defended　it　no　less　resolutely。　　It　was　captured　and　re…captured；

in　fact；　the　fighting　round　this　eminence　was　so　intense　that　it

appeared　to　the　outsider　to　be　more　important　to　both　sides　than

even　Port　Arthur　itself。



Yet　if　General　Nogi　had　been　in　the　possession　of　a　single

aeroplane　or　dirigible　it　is　safe　to　assert　that　scarcely　one

hundred　Japanese　or　Russian　soldiers　would　have　met　their　fate

upon　this　hill。　　Its　value　to　the　Japanese　lay　in　one　sole

factor。　　The　Japanese　heavy　guns　shelling　the　harbour　and　the

fleet　it　contained　were　posted　upon　the　further　side　of　this

eminence　and　the　fire　of　these　weapons　was　more　or　less

haphazard。　　No　means　of　directing　the　artillery　upon　the　vital

points　were　available；　203　Metre　Hill　interrupted　the　line　of

sight。　　The　Japanese　thereupon　resolved　to　capture　the　hill；

while　the　Russians；　equally　appreciative　of　the　obstruction　it

offered　to　their　enemy；　as　valiantly　strove　to　hold　it。　　Once　the

hill　was　captured　and　the　fire　of　the　Japanese　guns　could　be

directed；　the　fate　of　the　fortress　was　sealed。



Similar　conditions　have　prevailed　during　the　present　campaign；

especially　in　the　western　theatre　of　war；　where　the　ruggedness　of

the　country　has　tended　to　render　artillery　fire　ineffective　and

expensive　unless　efficiently　controlled。　　When　the　German　Army

attacked　the　line　of　the　British　forces　so　vehemently　and

compelled　the　retreat　at　Mons；　the　devastating　fire　of　the

enemy's　artillery　was　directed　almost　exclusively　by　their

airmen；　who　hovered　over　the　British　lines；　indicating　exactly　

the　point　where　gun…fire　could　work　the　maximum　of　havoc。　　The

instant　concentration　of　massed　artillery　fire　upon　the　indicated

positions　speedily　rendered　one　position　after　another　untenable。



The　Germans　maintained　the　upper　hand　until　at　last　the　aerial

forces　of　the　British　Expeditionary　Army　came　into　action。　　These

airmen　attacked　the　Teuton　aerial　craft　without　the　slightest

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　metho