HEROISM IN THE AIR

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9720, 24 July 1917, Page 2

HEROISM IN THE AIR

SPOTTING DUTIES OVER BELGIUM. The following was the first of four articles dealing with the Royal Naval Air Service in the London “Daily Nows”:— . The Royal Naval Air Service found itself “over the other side’’ aDout the. time that the shells of the British monitors began feeling for the hidden batteries of the Boche behind the Belgian coast. Apart from spotting duties, which were, necessarily, intermittent, the R.N.A.S. undertook a photographic reconnaissance of the entire Belgian .coast 'from Nieuport to the Dutch frontier. Not a spadeful of earth man bp . turned over, not a trowel of cement' added to a bastion along the coast, hilt a note appears a day or two later 1 upon the long chart which adorns the record office of this particular squadron; Quo typical adventure deserves to be recorded. It happened about 12,OOG feet above mother earth. While exposing six plates (says the official report of this youthful recording angel), “observed five H.A.'s cruising.” lI.A. stands for “hostile aeroplanes.” “Not haying seen escort since turning inland, pilot prepared to return. Enemy separated, one taking up position above tail and one ahead. The othef throe glided towards us on port side” (observe the Navy speaking), “firing as the? came.

“The two diving machines fired over 100 rounds, hitting pilot in shouldei.”' The bullet entered his shoulder front above and behind, breaking his left collarbone, and emerged just above hia heart, tearing a ragged rent down his breast. Both hia feet were furthermore pierced with bullets, but the observer was not concerned with petty detail: “Observer held fire until H.A. diving on tail, was within five yards.” IJhe machines were hurtling through space at a speed in the region of 100 miles an hour. The pilot of the “H.A.” having swooped to within speaking distance, pushed up his goggles,' and laughed triumphantly as ho took his sight for the shot that was to erwl the fight. But the observer had his, own idea of how tho fight should end_. “Then shot one tray into pilot’s face,” ho says, with curt relish, and watched him stall, side slip, and So spinning' earthwards in a trail of smoko.' Ho then turned his attention to his own pilot. The British machine was barely under control, but ns the observer rose to his seat to investigate, the foremost gun fired, and the aggressor ahead went out of control and dived nose first in, helpless spirals. Suspecting that his mate was badly wounded, in spite of this achievement, the observer swung one leg over the side of the fusilage and climbed out on to the wing—figure for a moment tfte air pressure on his body during this gymnastic feat-—until he ■ was beside the pilot, who, faint and drenched with blood, had nevertheless sot his machine back into complete control.^ “Get back, you ass I” ho said through white lips, in response to inquiries ns to how he felt. The “ass” got back the way ho came, and looked round for tho remainder of the “H.A.’s.” These, however, appeared to have lost stomach for further fighting, and fled. Tho riddled machine returned home at 100 knots, while the observer, having nothing hotter to do, continued to take photographs. 'The pilot, though wounded, made a perfect landing.” ' Thus the report concludes.