PREFERS AIR TO ROAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 137, 11 June 1932, Page 10

PREFERS AIR TO ROAD.

WAR "ACE" IN AUCKLAND. FOUGHT AGAINST RICHTOFEN. "I have a light car at home, but I am not fond of driving in the crowded streets; it is so dangerous. I use a Moth for my pleasure —it is much safer up there." So said Captain J. ltoquce, a distinguished French war "ace," with an expressive gesture towards Auckland's clear heavens, in conversation with a "Star" representative this morning. Captain JRoques left the French Air Forces last year, and is including New Zealand in the course of a world trip.

Holder of the greatest military distinction that his country confers —he is a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour — Captain Roqucs was also decorated during his war career with the Military Medal, the.Crois de Guerre and a Belgian honour.

Before reaching his twenties he joineti the French Flying Corps, and saw service from 1915 continuously until the end of the war. He brought down six German aeroplanes, and though he escaped serious injury he had many narrow escapes. Once ho was forced down by a German aeroplane and his own machine was destroyed. He was in action against the squadron of Baron Manfred Richtofen, Germany's deadliest "ace," whose famous career ended in April, 1918, when he was shot down by the Canadian, Captain Koy Brown. While acknowledging the wonderful prowess of Richtofen, Captain Koques paid a tribute to the gallantry of Oswald Boelcke, the German airman who taught Richtofen his fighting tactics. Boelcke had forty victims to hie credit, and was shot down when endeavouring to claim his forty-first.

Captain Roques has a good knowledge of English, although, in the .course of easy conversation, he said that his tuition really commenced on his voyage. He was looking forward to seeing a Rugby game at Eden Park this afternoon, and recalled with pleasure the 1925 All Black team's matches in France. Rugby, he. added, he had played himself, and the game was becoming more and more popular in Southern France, though. in the North the other great English game, Association, had a greater following.