A DARING BOMB RAID TO THE RHINE
The exploits of the lieutenant and the boys soon became the talk of the
camp. From enemy sources more was learned later about the results of the
destruction of the oil station, which fully confirmed the earlier
reports of the great damage which had been done. Although up to this
time there had been some objection raised against the flights of the
boys it must be said that after that event there was no one to criticise
them.
During the winter months not much was done excepting scout work, as the
weather was too severe for the men in the trenches to attempt any
advances, but as the spring months came on everything became more
active, thus imposing greater duty on the air fleet.
Not much of personal interest to the boys took place until May, when the
great raid was planned to attack the munition factories and chemical
works at and near Ludwigshafen, on the Rhine.
"Ralph, did you hear that there is going to be a big expedition this
week right into Germany?" said Alfred, who had been with the lieutenant
at headquarters early one morning.
"No, although the boys are always talking about something of that kind,"
replied Ralph.
"But this is a sure go; the lieutenant told me so a few minutes ago,"
responded Alfred.
"Is the lieutenant going, do you know?" asked Ralph.
"Yes, I suppose that is why he told me about it," answered Alfred.
"I wonder whether they will let us go with him?" asked Ralph.
"Well, I didn't ask him, but I looked at him pretty hard, and I guess he
knows how we feel about it," answered Alfred.
The rumor turned out to be true, for the following day orders were
formally received to prepare eighteen machines for a raid to the Rhine.
The lieutenant announced the news to the boys, and added: "I suppose, of
course, you wouldn't like to go on such a venturesome mission?"
"Go!" exclaimed both boys in unison.
The lieutenant laughed. "Well, if you insist on it I shall have to take
you with me. The Seraph (which was the name of their airplane, although
it was officially known as No. 47) will be fixed to carry a dozen bombs
for the occasion."
"But how about the quick firer?" asked Ralph.
"We must dispense with that on this trip. Bombs are more valuable,"
answered the lieutenant.
"Well, aren't we going to take any guard ships along?" inquired Alfred.
"Oh yes; six of the machines will be armed, but we must use every ounce
we can carry on the Seraph. Before starting we must go over the route,
as similar instructions will have to be issued to all of the flyers,"
remarked the lieutenant.
"Do you know where we are to go?" asked Ralph.
"The objective point is Mannheim on the Rhine. The river is eighty miles
due east, and Mannheim is about fifty miles farther down the river. That
city is on the eastern bank of the river, and Ludwigshafen is a small
town, on the opposite shore where the great laboratory of Badische
Analin and Soda Fabrik is located," remarked the lieutenant.
"So we are going to destroy a soda factory?" said Ralph with a grin.
"Not exactly," replied the lieutenant, amused at the intimation. "The
principal thing turned out at the plant before the war was nitrate, a
chemical most essential in the manufacture of explosives, and the
importance of the place may be understood when I tell you that fully
two-thirds of this product used by the Germans comes from that place."
"When will the start be made?" asked Ralph excitedly.
"Tomorrow," was the reply.
"Then I want to see the map," said Ralph.
"By all means," answered the lieutenant. "Now, you will notice that here
is a canal shown on the map which runs due east. That is the
Rhine-Marne, which parallels this river, the Zorn. The Zorn flows into
the Rhine at Strassburg. You know, of course, that rivers, or canals,
are the best guides for our purposes, so we must get these firmly fixed
in our minds."
"Yes, that and the towns are sure to carry us along without mistake,"
remarked Alfred. "What is that place, Saarburg? It is on the river."
"That is an ancient town, and you can hardly fail to recognize the
place, for it is surrounded by a great stone wall. It also contains a
strong garrison. Now note the next important place, twenty miles farther
on; that is Zabern. From that place we can see the Rhine at various
places, as we intend to fly at an altitude of two thousand meters, or,
as you would say, 6500 feet."
"Why is it necessary to go to such a high altitude?" asked Alfred.
"Because at Saarburg, Zabern and Brumath they have long range
anti-airship guns, and we cannot take any chances," replied the
lieutenant.
The camp was a seething place of excitement the following morning.
Twelve of the machines carried bombs exclusively; some of the airplanes
had six bombs, each weighing 180 pounds; one had three bombs of 300
pounds each, and the Seraph carried ten 120-lb. high-explosive
cylinders.
These were placed in a suitable case having compartments, the lower ends
of the compartments being provided with outwardly opening doors, capable
of being released by the pressure of the foot operating against a
lever.
"I am going to rig up the cameras so we can take pictures of the
explosions," said Alfred, as they made their way to the hangar.
"That is a splendid idea," remarked the lieutenant. "Such an enterprise
would be commended by the Intelligence Department of the War Office. By
all means make the arrangements, for we expect to start in an hour."
Alfred rushed over to the supply depot, and soon had the cameras in his
possession, together with extra rolls of films. Ralph accompanied the
lieutenant to the hangar to note the placing of the bombs.
"Why are the bombs placed with the pointed ends up?" asked Ralph, as the
men were placing them in position.
"So the fulminate cap can be placed on, preparatory to launching,"
remarked the foreman.
"Why, won't they go off without the cap on? Wouldn't a concussion
explode them?" he asked.
"Well, it would require a pretty tough jar to make them go off," replied
the man.
At the appointed time the eighteen machines arose, and started for the
east. The sun was full in their faces, but the misty weather made it
look like a great red ball, symbolic of the day's work. It was hard to
get away from the glare of the sun as they arose to the height which the
orders compelled them to take, and at Saarburg some of the machines were
actually hit by missiles from the anti-airship guns.
The first city of importance to greet their eyes, after leaving
Brumath, was Lauterbach, and then Karlsruhe, a city of over 100,000 was
sighted.
"We are now thirty-five miles from Ludwigshafen," shouted the
lieutenant, through the tube. "Keep well to the west of the river, and
maintain the same height, until the city is reached."
Two miles before Mannheim was reached eight of the machines swerved to
the right, and crossed the river, their destination being the town of
Oppau, several miles beyond the town, where large manufacturing
establishments were turning out ammunition.
"We are bound for the chemical factories," said the lieutenant. "See the
workmen running about. They have, no doubt, heard of our mission by this
time."
"Which way shall I point the camera?" asked Alfred.
"Straight down," replied the lieutenant. "I am going to signal No. 62 to
take the lead, so we will be the fifth in line. That will give you a
splendid opportunity to notice the effect of the explosions and to snap
them."
The lieutenant set the signal, "echelon formation," which means step
formation, one machine being ahead and a little to the right or to the
left of the succeeding one. In that manner the ten machines flew along,
the distance between them being about eight hundred feet, and by this
arrangement each succeeding machine was able to observe the effect of
the bomb dropped by the machine ahead.
Mannheim was avoided, and the machines steered straight for the chemical
headquarters on the left side of the stream where No. 62 released the
first bomb. Alfred strained his eyes, and saw a flash below. It missed a
building, and he shouted the information to Ralph through the tube.
"If that had gone a hundred feet to the right it would have taken a
dandy building,--there, the second shot did it; that came from old
Spic's machine; whew-w-w, but look at it! That smoke is as black as
coal,--must be lots of chemicals there. Another,--and the second
building smashed to flinders. The lieutenant is going to drop the first
one,--down she goes! I took two fine ones just now. I'll bet the last
picture will show it up just as it happened. Two more snaps. We are
going to turn and go back. 62 is making the circle." Thus Alfred
graphically described the first trip over the doomed town.
A dense cloud was now coming up, or, rather, bunches of them in various
places where the missiles struck, and just as the Seraph was making the
turn a tremendous explosion was heard, which actually seemed to jar the
machine. Alfred arose from his seat, and the lieutenant's tense face
showed that something unusual had happened, as he gazed below. All the
buildings were emptied and scores of operatives were lining up along the
river bank, and moving toward the great bridge south of the works.
"Did you notice that big explosion?" asked Alfred through the tube.
Ralph nodded his head affirmatively.
"That hit the largest building in the place, and there isn't much left
of it. Did you see that tall chimney at the left side of the town? Well,
that looks just like a big cannon with the smoke and fire coming out of
it," commented Alfred.
The ten ships crossed the town twice, discharging all their bombs, but
they waited in the air for twenty-five minutes until the first of the
detached airplanes from the north appeared. During this time there was
plenty of opportunity to see the extent of the damage which had been
done to the great factories.
At a signal the airplanes, constituting the squadron, were lined up in
two columns, and before they had proceeded far the signals told the
success of that part of the squadron which had gone to Oppau. The signal
was now set for "Home," and the machines, by this time lightened of
their missiles, made a tremendous speed, until after they left the
Rhine, and were making the last lap of the journey, when the machine
carrying Captain De Goye and his Adjutant Buanau-Varilla, was forced to
descend, owing to an accident.
The different machines circled around, hoping to be able to render
assistance, but shortly after the airplane landed it was discovered to
be in flames, and it was conjectured that seeing relief was out of the
question the aviators had destroyed the machine to prevent its being of
any use to the enemy.