Some slight indication of the work of the bombing planes was given in
a report of the British Air Ministry, which stated that the number of
bombs dropped by British airmen over enemy lines in France, opposite
the British front, during March was 23,099 by day and 13,080 by night.
The Germans dropped in the area occupied by British troops 517 by day
and 1,948 by night. During April the British dropped 6,033 bombs behind
the enemy lines along the British front, and the Germans retaliated
with 1,346 in the area occupied by British troops.
By reuniting practically all their available air force in the sector of
attack the enemy won a short-lived superiority. On June 4 there was a
good deal of air fighting, that day turning more steadily in favor of
the Allies, who by the following day had gained the upper hand over the
Germans.
A brilliant exploit by French aviators was that briefly recorded in
the official report of June 5 to the effect that in the valley of the
Savière French bombardment squadrons threw more than seventeen tons
of bombs on enemy troop concentrations. Early in the afternoon the
airmen were informed that a large number of Germans were assembling in
the valley of the Savière. Owing to the configuration of the ground
they were sheltered from the fire of artillery and it evident that
they intended to reinforce the German move westward into the Forest of
Villers-Cotterets. Bombplanes were sent out.
The effect of the bombs was tremendous. The German soldiers broke
headlong for cover, abandoning all thought of fight. Ten minutes later
a bombplane group of the same strength arrived on the scene. At first
no Germans were visible; then circling low, the airmen discovered the
enemy hiding in the horseshoe wood of Hautwison on the eastern side of
the valley. Again the devoted battalions were subjected to a terrible
bombardment amid trees that gave no protection. Before the decimated
units could re-form the first squadron had returned with a new load,
and once more the wood was filled with the roar of explosions.
No human morale could stand such triple strain. In vain the German
officers tried to re-form their panic-stricken men. When the French
infantry counterattacked they had an easy victory over the weakened
forces that had made the advance. The airmen's success against the
reserves had nullified an advance that might have been dangerous.