FRENCH WAR ACES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23358, 29 May 1939, Page 12

FRENCH WAR ACES

Sir. —Your correspondent "War Birds" raises the question, who was the greater fighting pilot, Guynemer or Foncke? Guynemer was recognised in France as the popular wartime hero and certainly had the more spectacular career. His record was 5-J victims when he finally disappeared over the German lines, east of Ypres, in September. 1917. The exact manner of Lis ' death is still a mystery.

Captain Rene Foiicke became a pilot in April. 1915. and was still flying a couple of years ago. He was made Commander of the Legion of Honour and mentioned in despatches 28 times. The following extracts are from War the Air: —"Foncke was essentially the . duellist.- prepared- t to take on any equal or unequal combat that offered I, - itself. On one occasion; in May, 1918, he accounted for three enemy• aeroplanes with 26 bullets, and on another he brought down six German opponents in two hours and spent only 56 bullets in the effort/' "Foncke was a great tactician who never "ought the j enemy's fire. and. in/spite of his great record of 75 official victories, was never . j himself wounded." Guv Ramsey, in his article (Herald, .May I.T) states Man-nock "won three separate M.C.'s and three . separate 1) S O.'s." No doubt he means two bar* to each, but I can find no proof of thi>. Mannock * the great is listed Y.C.. D.S.O.r M.C. His Y.C. was awarded a vear alter his death. He was not killed at Arras, as Ramsey sirs, but was shot down from the ground. July 20. 19.18. near Estaifcs.-so «eH known to many of us of the -V/.t-r. •-Jl.r.