A day-to-day story of the air fighting on the Western front would vary
little in its recital of duels and raids and battles between opposing
squadrons. But on some days there was more intense fighting than
usual. Such a day was April 12, when the Allies achieved the feat of
destroying or bringing down ninety-three enemy airplanes.
That day's work is described in Sir Douglas Haig's report from British
Headquarters:
On the 12th inst. atmospheric conditions were favorable for
flying, and a great concentration of our airplanes was effected
by us on the battlefront. Large numbers of low-flying machines
were employed in bombing and sweeping with machine-gun fire roads
packed with the enemy's troops. Thirty-six tons of bombs and over
110,000 rounds of ammunition were fired by us.
While these attacks on ground targets were in progress, other
formations, flying at a greater height, engaged the enemy's
airplanes, which were extremely active in this sector. Other
machines reconnoitred the battle area, bringing back information
as to the positions of our own and the enemy's troops.
On the remainder of the British front the usual work in
co-operation with our artillery was carried out, and a very large
number of photographs taken.
In air fighting forty German machines were brought down by our
airplanes, and twenty other hostile airplanes were driven down out
of control. In addition, two of the enemy's machines were shot
down by anti-aircraft-gun fire. Three hostile observation balloons
were also destroyed. Twelve of our airplanes are missing.
After dark the incessant bombing carried out by us during the
previous twelve hours was continued until dawn. Over twenty-two
tons of bombs were dropped on different targets, including the
Don and Douai railway stations, two important railway junctions
between Mazières and Rheims, and roads leading up to the
battlefront in the neighborhood of Estaires.
Sir Douglas Haig's report next day stated that low-flying machines
reconnoitred the battlefront during the day and dropped over 1,200
bombs on the enemy's troops on roads leading to the front. The numbers
of German airplanes destroyed on various days evidence the intensity of
the air fighting. Thus, reports of successive days showed these totals:
21, 53, (two days;) 55, 21, 30, 97, (four days.) On May 25 it was
stated that many more German airplanes had been added to the total of
1,000 machines recorded as having fallen to earth, or having been sent
down out of control since the opening of the drive on March 21.