"A remarkable series of air raids against German positions or works of military value are reported in yesterday's Paris communiqués. In two of them the air squadrons were larger than any previously reported since the beginning of the war.
In one 62 French airmen took part....
The other great raid was undertaken by airmen of the British, French, and Belgian armies, and the British and French navies, to the number of 60. Acting in concert, they attacked the Forest of Houthulst, in Belgium, north-east of Ypres. Several fires broke out. All the aeroplanes returned safely.... Previously the largest squadron of attacking aeroplanes was one of 48 machines—of which 40 were British—which attacked the Belgian coast on February 16th last."
XLII.
To his Father.
No. 1 Wing, R.N.A.S., B.E.F.
26th August, 1915.
Dear Dad,
What do you think of the 40 warships bombarding Zeebrugge? We were all due out there, of course, some spotting, and fighters to protect the spotters. As luck would have it, the weather was dud—clouds at 1,500 feet—with the result that no one got there except a solitary fighter, and he was rewarded by a scrap with a German seaplane. I got just past Ostend, but gave it up as engine was running none too well.
By the way, Bigsworth [A. W. Bigsworth, D.S.O., Squadron Comdr., R.N.] this morning dropped a 60 lb. bomb bang on top of a German submarine and completely did it in—jolly good work.