From the Kearney Files
Sydney 29th June 1922.
BRIDGE V. TUBE.
More comments from another Sydney resident.
In reference to the comments by "Sydney resident" recently, he contends that a North Shore Bridge would be reasonably safe from an attack by enemy sir raft. And in this regard he claims that "Anon" is wrong when he states that the "bridge could be wiped out by hostile aeroplanes in a short space of time."
It appears to be obvious that "Sydney resident" cannot be aware of the high stage of efficiency and accuracy to which our bomb dropping machines had reached during the latter stages of the Great War, otherwise he would not contend for one moment that either the proposed North Shore Bridge or any other particular portion of our city could be safe from destruction by bombs dropped from the air.
I am speaking as one who has himself dropped a great many bombs on enemy territory, and who has seen the destruction resulting from numerous Hun sir raids, both in London and France; and I can assure "Sydney resident" that a properly organised unmolested attack with bombs dropped upon any objective in our city would surely result in total destruction of the objective.
Referring to his experience over the other side, he states that he "knows for a fact that not one bridge was even damaged, let alone by a bomb." If "Sydney resident" likes I can show him an actual photograph taken by the observer of one of our machines whose pilot had got a direct hit on a railway viaduct with a bomb, totally disabling same. This is only one small example amongst others which have been recorded, and which go to prove how formidable is a properly directed attack from the air.
I am afraid "Sydney resident" has also been wrongly informed I regard to the value of anti - aircraft guns, searchlights, and machine guns in warding off an attack. Beyond the fact that these three means of counter attack effect the moral of the attackers to some degree, they would be considered to be of very little use in attempting to prevent an organised attack on our city.
The only way our cities can ever expect to be safe from attack, not only from the air but from the sea, is by the complete establishment of our own Air Force.
There are two types of machines necessary effectively to oppose an invasion --- The "Fighting Scout" to attack anything which might threaten us from the air, and the torpedo dropping machine, which could annihilate any craft on the water that might come within the safety limit of our shores. Until we have an efficient Air Force our defence will not be complete, and our North Shore Bridge would always be in danger of attack from the sir.
Sydney 29th June 1922.
BRIDGE V. TUBE.
More comments from another Sydney resident.
In reference to the comments by "Sydney resident" recently, he contends that a North Shore Bridge would be reasonably safe from an attack by enemy sir raft. And in this regard he claims that "Anon" is wrong when he states that the "bridge could be wiped out by hostile aeroplanes in a short space of time."
It appears to be obvious that "Sydney resident" cannot be aware of the high stage of efficiency and accuracy to which our bomb dropping machines had reached during the latter stages of the Great War, otherwise he would not contend for one moment that either the proposed North Shore Bridge or any other particular portion of our city could be safe from destruction by bombs dropped from the air.
I am speaking as one who has himself dropped a great many bombs on enemy territory, and who has seen the destruction resulting from numerous Hun sir raids, both in London and France; and I can assure "Sydney resident" that a properly organised unmolested attack with bombs dropped upon any objective in our city would surely result in total destruction of the objective.
Referring to his experience over the other side, he states that he "knows for a fact that not one bridge was even damaged, let alone by a bomb." If "Sydney resident" likes I can show him an actual photograph taken by the observer of one of our machines whose pilot had got a direct hit on a railway viaduct with a bomb, totally disabling same. This is only one small example amongst others which have been recorded, and which go to prove how formidable is a properly directed attack from the air.
I am afraid "Sydney resident" has also been wrongly informed I regard to the value of anti - aircraft guns, searchlights, and machine guns in warding off an attack. Beyond the fact that these three means of counter attack effect the moral of the attackers to some degree, they would be considered to be of very little use in attempting to prevent an organised attack on our city.
The only way our cities can ever expect to be safe from attack, not only from the air but from the sea, is by the complete establishment of our own Air Force.
There are two types of machines necessary effectively to oppose an invasion --- The "Fighting Scout" to attack anything which might threaten us from the air, and the torpedo dropping machine, which could annihilate any craft on the water that might come within the safety limit of our shores. Until we have an efficient Air Force our defence will not be complete, and our North Shore Bridge would always be in danger of attack from the sir.
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