DEATH OF GUYNEMER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 4, 29 September 1917, Page 7

DEATH OF GUYNEMER

FAMOUS AIR-DEMON KILLED NEAR - DUNKIRK V. AFTER "DOWNING" FIFTY- , .THIRD MACHINE (Eec. September 28, 8.35 p.m.). Paris, September. 2T. j Captain Guynemer,' the , champion French' air-tighter, was killed after bringing down his fifty-third aeroplane, in French territory. An eye-witness of his last fight states:—"He attacked five albatrosses over the sea at Dunkirk, and brought down two before he himself fell. He was five times rejected for Army ser- •. vice owing to poor physique!"—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. A DEMON OF THE AIR . ' 11. Andre, darner, the Paris-corre-spondent of the Exchange, writing recently on the exploits of Captain Guynemer, said: — ' ; ' • ' _ '■'■'■ His Excellency von Hoppner. General Director of the German Air Fleets, is not what one might call a lucky person. On-, May 28 he gave an "interview" to all the German newspapers, in which he boasted! of tho superiority of the Kaisers airmen over the French fliers. It so happened that just, three- days before the /: French aviators had achieved some especially remarkable feats, as amazing as they were glorious. On. that single day Captain Guynemer had alone brought ] down four enemy airplanes, bringing up \ to fortv-three the total number* f bis .j victories in the French lines, and to 120 ! tHose of his squadron. Guynemer has , won the greatest renown amongst air- / men, but he'is only one of the many: ■ j heroic French champions. His squadron, | known as "The Storks," has been honoured by tho Government for its heroio exploits. It accounted for twenty machines and an observation kite at Verdun, and sixty-three airplanes and two ..-.■. observation kites in six months on (no ; Somme. On Jlay 25 Guynemer began ; ' his day in the air by downing two enemy ; machines tat an interval of ten minutes, ■■ one to the north .of Corbeny and the ■ other at .Tuvincourt, both near the village of Craonne. He had seen three German machines flying, together to-.' wards our lines. Ho charged them, and , they turned and fled. Overtaking one, he manoeuvred to bring it within the , _y sweep of his mitrailleuse. At the first discharge it dived and tell to'earth a, living torch. " Looking backward at this instant he perceived a monoplane which was trying to steal upon him unawares. But the monoplane had already, delivered its volley, and Guynemer, firing from below, struck it with an explosive ball. .The monoplane instantly took tire, aim fell. Returning to cajnp after this double encounter Guynemer was only too eager for another adventure. About noon an audacious German machine came flying over the aviation field. Guynemer was again aboard, all the other. airmen having meanwhile returned. It would have taken several _minutea for any machine'to rise to the height of the enemy, and many anxious eyes were. -y . gazing heavenward. Suddenly someone -- cried, "There is Guynemer!" "Then it is death to the German," said another.. Sure enough Guynemer' emerged into view like the coming of a tempest. Only one discharge of his mitrailleuse was • heard. The enemy 'plane plunged to earth with its motor still loudly humming. Tho tragedy had happened with almost tho celerity of a lightning stroke. Guynemer had shot the German pilot • through the head. Again in the evening Guynemer went up for the third time. Towards seven o'clock, over Guignicourt, a fourth machine, .struck ■■ by Guvnomer's bullets, came tumbling down in a wild flare of flame. Finally, : returning, to camp, the young victor executed a series of dizzy evolutions with. ... his machine in mid-air. Such is buy- . nemer. To look at him when he Is standing on solid earth, as I did when recently I had the pleasure of meeting him, one would not recogmse_him at once as a doughty warrior. He is of light build, and has more tho appearance of a squire of dames than of an athlete but this impression is speedily dispeHou". He is indeed a true hero.