THRILLING AIR DUEL.

Northern Advocate, 19 April 1915, Page 3

THRILLING AIR DUEL.

A TAUBE BROUGHT DOWN,

MANOEUVRING TO ESCAPE FIRE,

Although the British public lias learned through the official com-, munication the bare facts of the last brilliant raid of our airmen ojx the Germans occupying the Belgian coast, the thrilling story of what one airman . accomplished, how he wrecked a train, and then smashed a Taube in mid-air,.has. only just come, from the frontier (says-a special correspondent of the "Daily News").' Yesterday I reported how an aviator, with cool bravery that 1 deceived the Germans into believing: that the .aeroplane must be, German, dropped low over an electric train, destroyed a carriage, and killed. 16 German soldiers and wounded 34 others, and. wa3 then chased away by-the hostile Taube. To-day further details of the chase have arrived.

-• The Taube did its best to cut off ths Englishman, and magnificent manoeuvring for pbsition began. Sure of his «wn ability to keep the better elevation the Englishman tantalisingly circled round, inviting nearer approach for a better attack. As soon as his bomb had fallen on 'the transport train German artillery fire, shells' whizzing past the British airman with terrible closeness. Probably this induced-him to adopt'new tactics with the idea of drawing his opponent nearer to him. He deliberately steered a course that made the 'German aeroplane his shield from the artillery below. Of course, it had to be stopped. That was the Englishman's opportunity. To the surprise of the breathless watchers the Englishman shut off his motor and began the duel. The short sharp cracks of his pistol could be distinctly heard as he wheeled hii machine in circles to attack the *Ger-

man. With the utmost skill he always maintained the advantage of position, and coolly and deliberately aimed at his opponent, meanwhile keeping so'near him-that no one below dared to fire. For a moment the machines seemed almost to touch. The Englishman made a deadly glide and emptied his pistol at his opponent. Suddenly the Taube hovered like a hawk, its body, seemingly stationary, but its wings trembling ominously. First to left and then to right it swayed as a wounded bird making a supreme effort for self-coii-t"oi. It failed. Down it came l'ko a stone. Before the German gunners below could recover .from the suddenness of the tragedy .the victorious English pilot was soaring away to his lines, rising like an eagle to a height where shrapnel ceased from troubling.