Chapter XIII : TRICKS AND RUSES TO BAFFLE THE AIRMAN

The airman has not been allowed to hold his undisputed sway inmilitary operations for long. Desperate situations demanddrastic remedies and already considerable and illuminatingingenuity is being displayed to baffle and mislead the scout ofthe skies.

It is a somewhat curious and noteworthy fact, that the Germanswere among the first to realise the scope of the airman'sactivities, and the significance of their relation to theconveyance of intimate information and the direction of artilleryfire. Consequently, they now spare no effort to convey illusoryinformation, in the hope that the hostile force may ultimatelymake a false move which may culminate in disaster.

Thus, for instance, as much endeavour is bestowed upon thefashioning of dummy trenches as upon the preparation of theactual lines of defence. And every care will be taken toindicate that the former are strongly held. The dug-outs arecomplete and at places are apparently cunningly masked. If theairman is flying swiftly, he is likely to fail to distinguish thedummy from the real trenches. To him the defences appear to befar more elaborate and more strongly held than is the actualcase.

The advantage of this delusion is obvious when a retreat is beingmade. It enables the enemy to withdraw his forces deliberatelyand in perfect order, and to assume another and stronger positioncomparatively at leisure. The difficulty of detecting thedummies is emphasised, inasmuch as now, whenever the sound of anaeroplane is heard, or a glimpse thereof is obtained, the menkeep well down and out of sight. Not a sign of movement isobservable. For all the airman may know to the contrary, thetrenches may be completely empty, whereas, as a matter of fact,they are throbbing with alert infantry, anxious for a strugglewith the enemy.

This is one instance where the dirigible is superior to theaeroplane. The latter can only keep circling round and roundover the suspicious position; the movement through the airinterferes with close continuous observation. On the other hand,the dirigible can maintain a stationary position aloft for hourson end. Then the issue is resolved into a contest of patience,with the advantage to the airman. The soldiers in the trenchesfret and fume under cover; confined concealment is irksome and isa supreme test of the nerves. Unless the soldiers are made ofvery stern stuff, physical endurance succumbs. Some rash act--apparently very trivial--may be committed; it suffices for thevigilant sentinel overhead. He detects the slender sign of life,forms his own conclusions, and returns to his headquarters withthe intelligence that the enemy is playing "Brer Rabbit."

It has also become increasingly difficult for the airman togather absolutely trustworthy data concerning the disposition andmovement of troops. Small columns are now strung out along thehighways to convey the impression that the moving troops are infar greater force than is actually the case, while the main bodyis under the cover offered by a friendly wood and is safe fromdetection. The rapidity with which thousands of men are ableto disappear when the word "Airman" is passed round isastonishing. They vanish as completely and suddenly as ifswallowed by the earth or dissolved into thin air. They concealthemselves under bushes,in ditches, lie prone under hedgerows,dart into houses and outbuildings--in short, take every coverwhich is available, no matter how slender it may seem, withbaffling alacrity. The attenuated column, however, is keptmoving along the highway for the express purpose of deceiving theairman.

Advancing troops also are now urged to move forward under theshelter of trees, even if the task entails marching in single ordouble file, to escape the prying eyes of the man above. Bykeeping close to the line of trunks, thus taking full advantageof the overhanging branches, and marching in such a manner as tocreate little dust, it is possible to escape the aerial scout.

The concealment of cavalry, however, is somewhat difficult. Ananimal, especially if he be unaccustomed to the noise of theaeroplane, is likely to become startled, and to give vent to afrightened and vociferous neighing which invariably provokes ahearty response from his equine comrades. The sharp ear of theairman does not fail to distinguish this sound above the music ofhis motor. Again, he has come to regard all copses and stretchesof undergrowth with suspicion. Such may or may not harbour theenemy, but there is no risk in making an investigation. Heswoops down, and when a short distance above the apparentlyinnocent copse, circles round it two or three times. Stillundecided, he finally hurls a bomb. Its detonation invariablyproves effective. The horses stampede and the secret is out. Even foot soldiers must be severely trained and experienced toresist the natural inclination to break cover when such a missileis hurled into their midst.

Frequently a force, which has laboured under the impression thatit is safe from detection, has revealed its presence unwittinglyand upon the spur of the moment. If the men be steeled againstthe bomb attack, it is almost impossible to resist theinclination to take a shot when the airman, swooping down,ventures so temptingly near as to render him an enticing targetalmost impossible to miss. As a rule, however, the observer ison the alert for such a betrayal of a force's existence. Whenthe bomb fails to scatter the enemy, or the men are proof againstthe temptation to fire a volley, a few rounds from theaeroplane's machine gun often proves effective. If the copseindeed be empty no harm is done, beyond the abortive expenditureof a few rounds of ammunition: if it be occupied, the fruits ofthe manoeuvre are attractive. Cunning is matched againstcunning, and the struggle for supremacy in the art of craftinessis keen.

The French Flying Corps have had recourse to an ingenious rusefor accomplishing two ends--the one to draw concealed artilleryfire, and the other to pre-occupy the airmen. Two German aerialscouts observed a French machine flying at a somewhat venturesomeheight over their masked artillery. Divining the reason for thehostile intrepidity they gave chase. Circling round the Frenchmachine they assailed it with machine-gun fire. The enemyappeared to take no notice but continued his gradual descent in asteady 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 hadraked the aeroplane fore and aft with bullets. But stillsuspicious they continued their circling movements, theirattention so concentrated upon their quarry that they had notobserved another move. It was the crash of guns from theirmasked artillery which broke in upon their absorption. Lookinground, they observed three French aeroplanes soaring around andabove them at high speed. Scarcely had they realised thesituation before a spirited mitraireuse fire was rained uponthem. One of the German aeroplanes was speedily disabled. Itsfuel tank was riddled and it sank rapidly, finally crashing toearth in the deadly dive head foremost, and killing both itsoccupants in the fall. The second aeroplane hurried away withits pilot wounded. In the excitement of the aerial melee thefirst French aeroplane had been forgotten. It was now scarcely100 feet above the German artillery. A capture appeared to beimminent, but the Germans received a rude surprise. Suddenly theaeroplane exploded and a hail of shrapnel burst over the heads ofthe artillerymen.

The circumstance was decidedly uncanny, but after two or threesuch experiences of exploding aeroplanes the matter wasexplained. The apparently helpless aeroplane was merely aglider, which, instead of carrying a man, had a booby-trapaboard.

It appears that the French airmen have found a use for theaeroplanes which are considered unsafe for further use. Themotor and propeller are removed and the dummy of explosives isstrapped into position. The laden glider is then taken aloft bymeans of an airship, and in the concealment of the clouds isreleased, the rudder being so set as to ensure a gradualvol-plane towards the suspicious position below. The explosivecargo is set with a time fuse, the arrangement being that thecontents will be detonated while the machine is near the ground,unless this end is accelerated by a well-planted shell from ananti-aircraft gun. The decoy glider is generally accompanied byone or two aeroplanes under control, which keep under the coverof the clouds until the hostile aviators have been drawn into theair, when they swoop down to the attack. The raiders are fullyaware that they are not likely to become the target of fire fromthe ground, owing to the fact that the enemy's artillery mighthit its friends. Consequently the antagonistic airmen are leftto settle their own account. In the meantime the dummy machinedraws nearer to the ground to explode and to scatter itsdeath-dealing fragments of steel, iron, and bullets in alldirections.

Possibly in no other phase of warfare is subterfuge practised soextensively as in the concealment of guns. The branches of treesconstitute the most complete protection and guns are placed inposition beneath a liberal cover of this character. The branchesalso offer a screen for the artillerymen, who can lurk beneaththis shelter until the aeroplane has passed. To complete theillusion dummy guns fashioned from tree trunks and the wheels ofuseless limbers are rigged up, and partially hidden underbranches, the idea being to convey the impression to the manaloft that they are the actual artillery.

The aerial scout observes the dummies beneath the sparse coveringof branches. Congratulating himself upon his sharp eyesight, hereturns to his base with the intelligence that he has found theenemy's guns he indicates their position upon the map, and insome cases returns to notify the position of the weapons bysmoke-ball or tinsel, when they are immediately subjected to asevere bombardment. He follows the shell-fire and sees the armsput out of action. He returns to camp satisfied with hisexploit, oblivious of the smiles and laughter of the hostileartillerymen, who have their guns safely in position and wellmasked some distance away. The dummies are imperfectly concealedpurposely, so that they may be discovered by the aerial scout,while the real guns are completely masked and ready to belchforth from another point. In one or two cases the dummies havebeen rigged up in such a manner as to convey the impression, whenseen from aloft, that a whole battery has been put out of action,barrels and wheels as well as broken limbers strewing the groundin all directions.

Moving masses of soldiers are also resorting to cunning in orderto mislead the airman or to escape his observation. At thebattle of Haelen, during which engagement the German warplaneswere exceptionally active, the Belgian soldiers covered theirheads with bundles of wheat snatched from the standing stooks,and under this cover lurked in a field where the corn was stillstanding. From aloft their forms defied detection: theimprovised headgear completely covered them and blendedeffectively with the surrounding wheat. In another instance theFrench misled a German airman somewhat effectively. Whatappeared to be cavalry was seen to be retreating along thecountry road, and the airman returned hurriedly to report. AGerman squadron was dispatched in hasty pursuit. But as itrounded a copse skirting the road it received a murderous fire atclose quarters, which decimated the ranks and sent the survivorsflying for their lives along the road up which they had ridden soconfidently. Had the aviator been in a position to observe thehorses more closely, he would have found that what appeared to beriders on their backs were in reality sacks stuffed with straw,dressed in old uniforms, and that a mere handful of men weredriving the animals forward. The cavalrymen had purposelydismounted and secreted themselves in the wood in anticipation ofsuch a pursuit as was made.

While the Germans do not appear to be so enterprising in thisform of ingenuity they have not been idle. A French airmanflying over the Teuton lines observed the outermost trenches tobe alive with men whose helmets were distinctly visible. Theairman reported his observations and the trench was subjected toterrific shell fire. Subsequently the French made a spiritedcharge, but to their dismay found that the outermost Germantrench was occupied by dummies fashioned from all sorts ofmaterials and crowned with helmets! This ruse had enabled theGerman lines to be withdrawn to another position in safety andcomparatively at leisure.

Before war was declared the German military experts wereemphasising the importance of trees for masking troops and gunsagainst aerial observation. One of the foremost authorities uponmilitary aviation only a few months ago urged the German MilitaryStaff to encourage the planting of orchards, not for the purposeof benefiting agriculture or in the interests of the farmers, butmerely for military exigencies.

He pointed to the extensive orchards which exist inAlsace-Lorraine and Baden, the military covering value of whichhe had determined from personal experience, having conductedaerial operations while military were moving to and fro under thecover of the trees. He declared that the cover was efficient andthat under the circumstances the laying out of extensive orchardsin strategical places should be carried out without any delay.This, he urged, was a national and not a private obligation. Headvocated the bestowal of subsidies on the farmers to encouragethe planting of fruit trees. He suggested that the trees shouldbe provided by the State, and given to all who were prepared toplant them; that substantial prizes should be awarded toencourage the rapid growth thereof, and that annual prizes shouldbe awarded to the man who would undertake their cultivation andpruning, not from the fruit-yielding point of view, but forfacilitating the movement of troops beneath their dense branches.

He even urged the military acquisition of suitable land and itsdetermined, skilful, and discreet exploitation by those who lovedthe Fatherland. He emphasised the necessity for keeping suchorchards under military control, only vouchsafing sufficientpowers to the local authorities to ensure the desiredconsummation. He maintained that, if the work were prosecutedupon the right lines and sufficient financial assistance weregiven, the purpose in view could be achieved without saddling thewar department with any unremunerative or excessive burden. Headmitted that the process of raising fruit trees to the stagewhen they would afford adequate cover would be tedious andsomewhat prolonged, but argued that the military advantages, suchas enabling troops to move below the welcome shelter withabsolute freedom and without physical fatigue, would be an amplecompensation.

The utility of such cover to artillery was another factor he didnot fail to emphasise. He dwelt seriously upon the difficulty ofrendering permanent gun emplacements and heavy artilleryinvisible to the airman by resort to the usual type of gunshields. The latter may be located with ease by alert airmen,whereas if the guns were under cover of fruit trees they would beable to accomplish their deadly mission without betraying theirpresence to the aerial scout. Moreover, by pruning the trees insuch a manner as to ensure free movement beneath, the artillerywould be able to advance without betraying the fact to the enemy.

This authority vigorously insisted that the work should becarried out without a moment's delay as it was vital to theFatherland. In the light of recent events, and the excellentcover which is offered by the orchards of the territory he citedas an illustration of his contention, such a disclosure ispregnant with meaning. It throws a new light upon the thoroughmethods with which the Germans carried out their militarypreparations, and incidentally shows that they were fully aliveto every possible development. Fruit-raising as a complement tomilitary operations may be a new line of discussion, but itserves to reveal the German in his true light, ready for everycontingency, and shows how thoroughly he appreciates the dangerfrom the man in the clouds.

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Chapter XIII : TRICKS AND RUSES TO BAFFLE THE AIRMAN

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