WAR EXPLOITS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 136, 4 March 1936, Page 7

WAR EXPLOITS

Glimpses of Squadron Leader McGregor

NARRATIVE OF A FELLOW , AVIATOR

The war exploits of the late Squadron Leader M. C. McGregor have never been blazoned forth, partly because McGregor was the most modest of men, and partly because he had a tremendous dislike of the job at which he earned such fame. Only in “War Birds,” the immortal diary of “An -Unknown Aviator,” an American who served in the same squadron of the Royal Air Force as McGregor, can one find something of his doings. Here, then, is the story, taken from that book, of McGregor during the two months that the author lived and fought beside him, before ho was killed himself.

It is a revealing, human story—incomplete. fragmentary, but something more than a record of every-day valour—intimate glimpses of a very loveable personality. June 2.

There are .six machines in a Hight. Nigger leads and McGregor and Cal are on his right, behind and a little above. Springs and I are on the left and Thompson is in the space between Cal and me. We fly in the form of a triangle, with the back corners’ high. McGregor is deputy-flight commander and takes command in ease anything happens to Nigger. McGregor has been out before. He was out on Fups for six months when they were service machines. June 5.

Springs went back after the six Huns that chased him home. Nigger and McGregor wanted to go hunting, so they all went together. My, engine was giving trouble, so I couldn’t go. Just after they crossed the lines, Bish joined them and led them down on the same six Huns at the same place Springs found them before and at the same hour. .... They must, have

been the same ones that got Benbow., They were in two layers of three each.' Bish and Mac took the lower ones and

Springs and Nigger took the top ones. Bish and Mac each ,ot one and Springs got one down out of control, but no one saw it crash so he doesn’t score. It must have been a good fight while it lasted.

June 11. Mac had all his teeth knocked out in a Pup crash last year, and the other morning before the dawn patrol he lost his false teeth. Gosh, he was funny! He couldn’t talk at all, and he couldn't go on patrol because he was afraid he’d get shot down without them.

June 10. I We’re worried about Mac. When he was last seen wc were going down oil nine Huns about 15 miles the other side of the lines. He got away from them all right, I think, but it’s three hours since we got back and there’s no word of him yet. June 17.

Slack was all right. ..He-Shot his own prop off, but he got back across the lines and landed about 20 miles from here all O.K. He came back on the truck that went after his plane arl brought a cow back with him/ so we have our own dairy now. Rosie has been trying to milk his goat without success.

June 21. We had a patrol to do at five. Nigger took off down wind and we all followed him. Springs and Cal got to ibouncing before they had flying speed and smashed their undercarriages. but they didn't go over on their backs. Mac. broke a bracing wire but came on with us. June 22.

. . . Then we all came down low over the trenches later and had a sham battle among ourselves. Nigger and I dove furiously on each other just back to No Man’s Land, and Spring's and Cal and Mae rolled and looped desperately trying to'get on one another’s tails. The boys in the trenches must have enjoyed it. Then we spied some Held sports four or five miles back of our lines and we started for them. They were very appreciative, as they stopped the game to’ watch and wave at us. Must, have been a” Canadian division, for they had a baseball diamond. Mac ran bis wheels on it. We’ve got quite good at stunting in close formation. We fly very close together and can loop and roll in formation. Nigger signals and loops straight over. Mac and Cal loop with right rudder .on and Springs and I loop with left rudder. That spreads ns out and then we come back in close as we come out of the dive. When we roll Nigger and Cal and Mae roll to the right and Springs and I roll to tile left. .June 23. We were out on patrol this morning and just across the lines we saw ! i two-seater. Nigger was leading and signalled to us to follow and we dove after him. It was a pretty silver L.V.G., find he turned and Nigger missed his first dive. The Hun circled ami I overshot and half-rolled to make sure of him. Springs missed, too, and Cal, who had turned higher up. came right down on bis tail as Mae went under. Cal got him and the Hun turned over on his back and went down and crashed into the ruins of Sailly. •June 27. Springs is missing. He and McGregor and Inglis were out this morning on the dawn patrol. Mae was leading and spotted a large two-seater over Armentieres. . They went after him and had to ebase him a bit further. Mac gol to him first and missed his dive. Springs gid under him ami stayed there The Hun stalled up and the observer was shooting down at Springs " ben Mac got him. July IS. Manuock led a show yesterday and cave us all heart failure. lie was leading the bottom flight wild three men, and found ten Fokkers and played them for 15 minutes. At any moment it looked as if we were all going to get shot down, but Mannock knew what he was about and kept the top flight up in the sun. He sucked the Huns into where he wanted them and then went right under them. They knew there was a flight above up in the sun, so only five of them came down. Then Randy and three men came down on them just as they got to Moimoek. and instead of their top live getting the cold meal they expected. Nigger, Mac. Cal. Inglis and myself leapt on them so I'hal our eight below had a pienie with the bottom the lluns. Thev got two of the bottom ones and Mac gol one of the top ones that tried to get down to join in the fight below,

(Radio Notes and Programmes on Pag© 13.)