‘These squadrons will bomb and shoot up everything they can see on the enemy side of this line. Very low flying is essential. All risks to be taken. Urgent’ Order to Royal Flying Corps squadrons from Major-General John Maitland Salmond, Director-General of Military Aeronautics, 25 March 1918 Aircraft were a new idea in warfare. The Royal Flying Corps was formed in 1912, and started the war with 113 planes. Planes were first used for observation, then later for strafing and bombing. Three Royal Naval Air Service planes carried out the first ever strategic air raid when they bombed the Zeppelin factory at Friedrichshaven in Germany. The planes carried four bombs each, and none of the pilots had ever dropped a bomb before. At the controls of plane No. 874 was a Bristolian, Squadron Commander Edward Briggs. His plane was shot down and he was taken prisoner. 62 Squadron of the RFC flew Bristol Fighter F2B planes. The crews came from Britain, Australia, Canada, the United States of America and South Africa. In March 1918, in dog fights against German planes, 62 Squadron lost 28 aircrew (killed, injured or taken prisoner) and several planes.