aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第32章

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of　the　clouds　until　the　hostile　aviators　have　been　drawn　into　the

air；　when　they　swoop　down　to　the　attack。　　The　raiders　are　fully

aware　that　they　are　not　likely　to　become　the　target　of　fire　from

the　ground；　owing　to　the　fact　that　the　enemy's　artillery　might

hit　its　friends。　　Consequently　the　antagonistic　airmen　are　left

to　settle　their　own　account。　　In　the　meantime　the　dummy　machine

draws　nearer　to　the　ground　to　explode　and　to　scatter　its

death…dealing　fragments　of　steel；　iron；　and　bullets　in　all

directions。



Possibly　in　no　other　phase　of　warfare　is　subterfuge　practised　so

extensively　as　in　the　concealment　of　guns。　　The　branches　of　trees

constitute　the　most　complete　protection　and　guns　are　placed　in

position　beneath　a　liberal　cover　of　this　character。　　The　branches

also　offer　a　screen　for　the　artillerymen；　who　can　lurk　beneath

this　shelter　until　the　aeroplane　has　passed。　　To　complete　the

illusion　dummy　guns　fashioned　from　tree　trunks　and　the　wheels　of

useless　limbers　are　rigged　up；　and　partially　hidden　under

branches；　the　idea　being　to　convey　the　impression　to　the　man

aloft　that　they　are　the　actual　artillery。



The　aerial　scout　observes　the　dummies　beneath　the　sparse　covering

of　branches。　　Congratulating　himself　upon　his　sharp　eyesight；　he

returns　to　his　base　with　the　intelligence　that　he　has　found　the

enemy's　guns　he　indicates　their　position　upon　the　map；　and　in

some　cases　returns　to　notify　the　position　of　the　weapons　by

smoke…ball　or　tinsel；　when　they　are　immediately　subjected　to　a

severe　bombardment。　　He　follows　the　shell…fire　and　sees　the　arms

put　out　of　action。　　He　returns　to　camp　satisfied　with　his

exploit；　oblivious　of　the　smiles　and　laughter　of　the　hostile

artillerymen；　who　have　their　guns　safely　in　position　and　well

masked　some　distance　away。　　The　dummies　are　imperfectly　concealed

purposely；　so　that　they　may　be　discovered　by　the　aerial　scout；

while　the　real　guns　are　completely　masked　and　ready　to　belch

forth　from　another　point。　　In　one　or　two　cases　the　dummies　have

been　rigged　up　in　such　a　manner　as　to　convey　the　impression；　when

seen　from　aloft；　that　a　whole　battery　has　been　put　out　of　action；

barrels　and　wheels　as　well　as　broken　limbers　strewing　the　ground

in　all　directions。



Moving　masses　of　soldiers　are　also　resorting　to　cunning　in　order

to　mislead　the　airman　or　to　escape　his　observation。　　At　the

battle　of　Haelen；　during　which　engagement　the　German　warplanes

were　exceptionally　active；　the　Belgian　soldiers　covered　their

heads　with　bundles　of　wheat　snatched　from　the　standing　stooks；

and　under　this　cover　lurked　in　a　field　where　the　corn　was　still

standing。　　From　aloft　their　forms　defied　detection：　the

improvised　headgear　completely　covered　them　and　blended

effectively　with　the　surrounding　wheat。　　In　another　instance　the

French　misled　a　German　airman　somewhat　effectively。　　What

appeared　to　be　cavalry　was　seen　to　be　retreating　along　the

country　road；　and　the　airman　returned　hurriedly　to　report。　　A

German　squadron　was　dispatched　in　hasty　pursuit。　　But　as　it

rounded　a　copse　skirting　the　road　it　received　a　murderous　fire　at

close　quarters；　which　decimated　the　ranks　and　sent　the　survivors

flying　for　their　lives　along　the　road　up　which　they　had　ridden　so

confidently。　　Had　the　aviator　been　in　a　position　to　observe　the

horses　more　closely；　he　would　have　found　that　what　appeared　to　be

riders　on　their　backs　were　in　reality　sacks　stuffed　with　straw；

dressed　in　old　uniforms；　and　that　a　mere　handful　of　men　were

driving　the　animals　forward。　　The　cavalrymen　had　purposely

dismounted　and　secreted　themselves　in　the　wood　in　anticipation　of

such　a　pursuit　as　was　made。



While　the　Germans　do　not　appear　to　be　so　enterprising　in　this

form　of　ingenuity　they　have　not　been　idle。　　A　French　airman

flying　over　the　Teuton　lines　observed　the　outermost　trenches　to

be　alive　with　men　whose　helmets　were　distinctly　visible。　　The

airman　reported　his　observations　and　the　trench　was　subjected　to

terrific　shell　fire。　　Subsequently　the　French　made　a　spirited

charge；　but　to　their　dismay　found　that　the　outermost　German

trench　was　occupied　by　dummies　fashioned　from　all　sorts　of

materials　and　crowned　with　helmets！　　This　ruse　had　enabled　the

German　lines　to　be　withdrawn　to　another　position　in　safety　and

comparatively　at　leisure。



Before　war　was　declared　the　German　military　experts　were

emphasising　the　importance　of　trees　for　masking　troops　and　guns

against　aerial　observation。　　One　of　the　foremost　authorities　upon

military　aviation　only　a　few　months　ago　urged　the　German　Military

Staff　to　encourage　the　planting　of　orchards；　not　for　the　purpose

of　benefiting　agriculture　or　in　the　interests　of　the　farmers；　but

merely　for　military　exigencies。



He　pointed　to　the　extensive　orchards　which　exist　in

Alsace…Lorraine　and　Baden；　the　military　covering　value　of　which

he　had　determined　from　personal　experience；　having　conducted

aerial　operations　while　military　were　moving　to　and　fro　under　the

cover　of　the　trees。　　He　declared　that　the　cover　was　efficient　and

that　under　the　circumstances　the　laying　out　of　extensive　orchards

in　strategical　places　should　be　carried　out　without　any　delay。

This；　he　urged；　was　a　national　and　not　a　private　obligation。　　He

advocated　the　bestowal　of　subsidies　on　the　farmers　to　encourage

the　planting　of　fruit　trees。　　He　suggested　that　the　trees　should

be　provided　by　the　State；　and　given　to　all　who　were　prepared　to

plant　them；　that　substantial　prizes　should　be　awarded　to

encourage　the　rapid　growth　thereof；　and　that　annual　prizes　should

be　awarded　to　the　man　who　would　undertake　their　cultivation　and

pruning；　not　from　the　fruit…yielding　point　of　view；　but　for

facilitating　the　movement　of　troops　beneath　their　dense　branches。



He　even　urged　the　military　acquisition　of　suitable　land　and　its

determined；　skilful；　and　discreet　exploitation　by　those　who　loved

the　Fatherland。　　He　emphasised　the　necessity　for　keeping　such

orchards　under　military　control；　only　vouchsafing　sufficient

powers　to　the　local　authorities　to　ensure　the　desired

consummation。　　He　maintained　that；　if　the　work　were　prosecuted

upon　the　right　lines　and　sufficient　financial　assistance　were

given；　the　purpose　in　view　could　be　achieved　without　saddling　the

war　department　with　any　unremunerative　or　excessive　burden。　　He

admitted　that　the　process　of　raising　fruit　trees　to　the　stage

when　they　would　afford　adequate　cover　would　be　tedious　and

somewhat　prolonged；　but　argued　that　the　military　advantages；　such

as　enabling　troops　to　move　below　the　welcome　shelter　with

absolute　freedom　and　without　physical　fatigue；　would　be　an　ample

compensation。



The　utility　of　such　cover　to　artillery　was　another　factor　he　did

not　fail　to　emphasise。　　He　dwelt　seriously　upon　the　difficulty　of

rendering　permanent　gun　emplacements　and　heavy　artillery

invisible　to　the　airman　by　resort　to　the　usual　type　of　gun

shields。　　The　latter　may　be　located　with　ease　by　alert　airmen；

whereas　if　the　guns　were　under　cover　of　fruit　trees　they　would　be

able　to　accomplish　their　deadly　mission　without　betraying　their

presence　to　the　aerial　scout。　　Moreover；　by　pruning　the　trees　in

such　a　manner　as　to　ensure　free　movement　beneath；　the　artillery

would　be　able　to　advance　without　betraying　the　fact　to　the　enemy。



This　authority　vigorously　insisted　that　the　work　should　be

carried　out　without　a　moment's　delay　　as　it　was　vital　to　the

Fatherland。　　In　the　light　of　recent　events；　and　the　excellent

cover　which　is　offered　by　the　orchards　of　the　territory　he　cited

as　an　illustration　of　his　contention；　such　a　disclosure　is

pregnant　with　meaning。　　It　throws　a　new　light　upon　the　thorough

methods　with　which　the　Germans　carried　out　their　military

preparations；　and　incidentally　shows　that　they　were　fully　alive

to　every　possible　development。　　Fruit…raising　as　a　complement　to

military　operations　may　be　a　new　line　of　discussion；　but　it

serves　to　reveal　the　German　in　his　true