aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第31章

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complete　and　at　places　are　apparently　cunningly　masked。　　If　the

airman　is　flying　swiftly；　he　is　likely　to　fail　to　distinguish　the

dummy　from　the　real　trenches。　　To　him　the　defences　appear　to　be

far　more　elaborate　and　more　strongly　held　than　is　the　actual

case。



The　advantage　of　this　delusion　is　obvious　when　a　retreat　is　being

made。　　It　enables　the　enemy　to　withdraw　his　forces　deliberately

and　in　perfect　order；　and　to　assume　another　and　stronger　position

comparatively　at　leisure。　　The　difficulty　of　detecting　the

dummies　is　emphasised；　inasmuch　as　now；　whenever　the　sound　of　an

aeroplane　is　heard；　or　a　glimpse　thereof　is　obtained；　the　men

keep　well　down　and　out　of　sight。　　Not　a　sign　of　movement　is

observable。　　For　all　the　airman　may　know　to　the　contrary；　the

trenches　may　be　completely　empty；　whereas；　as　a　matter　of　fact；

they　are　throbbing　with　alert　infantry；　anxious　for　a　struggle

with　the　enemy。



This　is　one　instance　where　the　dirigible　is　superior　to　the

aeroplane。　　The　latter　can　only　keep　circling　round　and　round

over　the　suspicious　position；　　the　movement　through　the　air

interferes　with　close　continuous　observation。　　On　the　other　hand；

the　dirigible　can　maintain　a　stationary　position　aloft　for　hours

on　end。　　Then　the　issue　is　resolved　into　a　contest　of　patience；

with　the　advantage　to　the　airman。　　The　soldiers　in　the　trenches

fret　and　fume　under　cover；　confined　concealment　is　irksome　and　is

a　supreme　test　of　the　nerves。　　Unless　the　soldiers　are　made　of

very　stern　stuff；　physical　endurance　succumbs。　　Some　rash　act

apparently　very　trivialmay　be　committed；　it　suffices　for　the

vigilant　sentinel　overhead。　　He　detects　the　slender　sign　of　life；

forms　his　own　conclusions；　and　returns　to　his　headquarters　with

the　intelligence　that　the　enemy　is　playing　〃Brer　Rabbit。〃



It　has　also　become　increasingly　difficult　for　the　airman　to

gather　absolutely　trustworthy　data　concerning　the　disposition　and

movement　of　troops。　　Small　columns　are　now　strung　out　along　the

highways　to　convey　the　impression　that　the　moving　troops　are　in

far　greater　force　than　is　actually　the　case；　while　the　main　body

is　under　the　cover　offered　by　a　friendly　wood　and　is　safe　from

detection。　　The　rapidity　with　which　thousands　of　men　are　able

to　disappear　when　the　word　〃Airman〃　is　passed　round　is

astonishing。　　They　vanish　as　completely　and　suddenly　as　if

swallowed　by　the　earth　or　dissolved　into　thin　air。　　They　conceal

themselves　under　bushes；in　ditches；　lie　prone　under　hedgerows；

dart　into　houses　and　outbuildingsin　short；　take　every　cover

which　is　available；　no　matter　how　slender　it　may　seem；　with

baffling　alacrity。　　The　attenuated　column；　however；　is　kept

moving　along　the　highway　for　the　express　purpose　of　deceiving　the

airman。



Advancing　troops　also　are　now　urged　to　move　forward　under　the

shelter　of　trees；　even　if　the　task　entails　marching　in　single　or

double　file；　to　escape　the　prying　eyes　of　the　man　above。　　By

keeping　close　to　the　line　of　trunks；　thus　taking　full　advantage

of　the　overhanging　branches；　and　marching　in　such　a　manner　as　to

create　little　dust；　it　is　possible　to　escape　the　aerial　scout。



The　concealment　of　cavalry；　however；　is　somewhat　difficult。　　An

animal；　especially　if　he　be　unaccustomed　to　the　noise　of　the

aeroplane；　is　likely　to　become　startled；　and　to　give　vent　to　a

frightened　and　vociferous　neighing　which　invariably　provokes　a

hearty　response　from　his　equine　comrades。　　The　sharp　ear　of　the

airman　does　not　fail　to　distinguish　this　sound　above　the　music　of

his　motor。　　Again；　he　has　come　to　regard　all　copses　and　stretches

of　undergrowth　with　suspicion。　　Such　may　or　may　not　harbour　the

enemy；　but　there　is　no　risk　in　making　an　investigation。　　He

swoops　down；　and　when　a　short　distance　above　the　apparently

innocent　copse；　circles　round　it　two　or　three　times。　　Still

undecided；　he　finally　hurls　a　bomb。　　Its　detonation　invariably

proves　effective。　　The　horses　stampede　and　the　secret　is　out。　

Even　foot　soldiers　must　be　severely　trained　and　experienced　to

resist　the　natural　inclination　to　break　cover　when　such　a　missile

is　hurled　into　their　midst。



Frequently　a　force；　which　has　laboured　under　the　impression　that

it　is　safe　from　detection；　has　revealed　its　presence　unwittingly

and　upon　the　spur　of　the　moment。　　If　the　men　be　steeled　against

the　bomb　attack；　it　is　almost　impossible　to　resist　the

inclination　to　take　a　shot　when　the　airman；　swooping　down；

ventures　so　temptingly　near　as　to　render　him　an　enticing　target

almost　impossible　to　miss。　　As　a　rule；　however；　the　observer　is

on　the　alert　for　such　a　betrayal　of　a　force's　existence。　　When

the　bomb　fails　to　scatter　the　enemy；　or　the　men　are　proof　against

the　temptation　to　fire　a　volley；　a　few　rounds　from　the

aeroplane's　machine　gun　often　proves　effective。　　If　the　copse

indeed　be　empty　no　harm　is　done；　beyond　the　abortive　expenditure

of　a　few　rounds　of　ammunition：　if　it　be　occupied；　the　fruits　of

the　manoeuvre　are　attractive。　　Cunning　is　matched　against

cunning；　and　the　struggle　for　supremacy　in　the　art　of　craftiness

is　keen。



The　French　Flying　Corps　have　had　recourse　to　an　ingenious　ruse

for　accomplishing　two　endsthe　one　to　draw　concealed　artillery

fire；　and　the　other　to　pre…occupy　the　airmen。　　Two　German　aerial

scouts　observed　a　French　machine　flying　at　a　somewhat　venturesome

height　over　their　masked　artillery。　　Divining　the　reason　for　the

hostile　intrepidity　they　　gave　chase。　　Circling　round　the　French

machine　they　assailed　it　with　machine…gun　fire。　　The　enemy

appeared　to　take　no　notice　but　continued　his　gradual　descent　in　a

steady　line。



Presently　the　German　airmen；　having　drawn　sufficiently　near；

observed　that　the　French　aviator　was　inert。　　Had　he　been　killed？　

Everything　pointed　to　such　a　conclusion；　especially　as　they　had

raked　the　aeroplane　fore　and　aft　with　bullets。　　But　still

suspicious　they　continued　their　circling　movements；　their

attention　so　concentrated　upon　their　quarry　that　they　had　not

observed　another　move。　　It　was　the　crash　of　guns　from　their

masked　artillery　which　broke　in　upon　their　absorption。　　Looking

round；　they　observed　three　French　aeroplanes　soaring　around　and

above　them　at　high　speed。　　Scarcely　had　they　realised　the

situation　before　a　spirited　mitraireuse　fire　was　rained　upon

them。　　One　of　the　German　aeroplanes　was　speedily　disabled。　　Its

fuel　tank　was　riddled　and　it　sank　rapidly；　finally　crashing　to

earth　in　the　deadly　dive　head　foremost；　and　killing　both　its

occupants　in　the　fall。　　The　second　aeroplane　hurried　away　with

its　pilot　wounded。　　In　the　excitement　of　the　aerial　melee　the

first　French　aeroplane　had　been　forgotten。　　It　was　now　scarcely

100　feet　above　the　German　artillery。　　A　capture　appeared　to　be

imminent；　but　the　Germans　received　a　rude　surprise。　　Suddenly　the

aeroplane　exploded　and　a　hail　of　shrapnel　burst　over　the　heads　of

the　artillerymen。



The　circumstance　was　decidedly　uncanny；　but　after　two　or　three

such　experiences　of　exploding　aeroplanes　the　matter　was

explained。　　The　apparently　helpless　aeroplane　was　merely　a

glider；　which；　instead　of　carrying　a　man；　had　a　booby…trap

aboard。



It　appears　that　the　French　airmen　have　found　a　use　for　the

aeroplanes　which　are　considered　unsafe　for　further　use。　　The

motor　and　propeller　are　removed　and　the　dummy　of　explosives　is

strapped　into　position。　　The　laden　glider　is　then　taken　aloft　by

means　of　an　airship；　and　in　the　concealment　of　the　clouds　is

released；　the　rudder　being　so　set　as　to　ensure　a　gradual

vol…plane　towards　the　suspicious　position　below。　　The　explosive

cargo　is　set　with　a　time　fuse；　the　arrangement　being　that　the

contents　will　be　detonated　while　the　machine　is　near　the　ground；

unless　this　end　is　accelerated　by　a　well…planted　shell　from　an

anti…aircraft　gun。　　The　decoy　glider　is　generally　accompanied　by

one　or　two　aeroplanes　under　control；　which　keep　under　the　cover

of　the　clouds　until　the　hostile　aviators　have　b