RICHTHOFEN'S END.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 11 May 1918, Page 2

RICHTHOFEN'S END.

AUSTRALIAN GUNNERS SCORE

HOW HE FILLED HIS BAG.

LONDON, April 21. Australian gunners were tiring on Baron Rittmeister yon Richthofeb, the champion.German airman, when he was brought down. They carried the coffin and furnished the firing party. Reuters correspondent at British headquarters stated ytesterday: The funeral of Richthofen this afternoon was a most impressive spectacle. The airman was buried in a cemetery not far from the spot where h e was brought (Sown. A contingent of the air service attended. Richthofen Mas hovering at a great height, and he swooped upon one of our machines, but help was at | hand. A general air battle was in progress at the time that Richthofen fell, about 15 eaiemy machines being en- ! gaged.

Australian airmen frequently encounl tered Richthofen's circus. They do not agree that he is sportsmanlike. He invariably remained 10 miles behind his own lines, with a large squadron attacking stray British airmen. Richthofen largely owed his high total of 80 victims to the practice of dealing the cleath-blow after the circus had gained the mastery. - Nicholls, his only Australian victim, is now reported to be a prisoner in Germany.

Richthofen's circus moved to all parts of the front, appearing suddenly and collecting British flyers. Richthofen could not be compared with Captain McCudden, V.C., or Major Bishop, V.C. (the Canadian), who are individual fighters. Mr Perry Robinson (the Times' correspondent) states that airmen concede that Richthofen was a great pilot, and a fine fighter, though probably not the equal of Captain Ball.