CHAPTER XIII

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.