BRAVE AUCKLAND AIRMAN

Otago Witness, Issue 3413, 13 August 1919, Page 54

BRAVE AUCKLAND AIRMAN

BROUGHT DOWN 24 GERMANS. MAJOR CALDWELL'S EXPLOITS. "The New Zealand Ace" is the title gained by Major Keith L. Caldwell, M. 0., D.F.C. and Bar, the only son of. Mr D. R. Caldwell, of Auckland (says the New Zealand Herald). Major Caldwell has had many thrilling adventures at the front. He fained his M.C. for bringing down the first ve enemy machines, and altogether is officially credited with the destruction of 21 machines, while three others were seen descending out of control, but were not officially recognised a 3 bagged. He had a rather exciting cxperienco a few weeks before the signing of the armistice, and it waa only by a narrow margin he escaped death. He was flying over "No Man's Land", when he met in collision Flightcommander Carlin, whose machine's tail was torn off. Carlin landed behind the lines safely, but Major Caldwell was'not so fortunate, for the wing of his machine was torn off, and it was only his quick resource which saved his life. He managed to get off his seat and balance himself on the remaining struts of the wing in an attempt to maintain the aeroplane's equilibrium. He was rushed earthward at the rate of about 140 miles an hour, and he finally landed just behind the British lines, his machine being dashed to pieces, while he himself avoided disaster only by jumping to earth at an opportune moment. During his service he had been six times shot down by hostile machines, but on each occasion managed to land within the lines, and escape practically unhurt. On one occasion his aggressor was a German named Voss, a orack airman, who was born in Australia. On a later occasion he had the satisfaction of seeing his victor brought down in flc ".es. One of his most perilous adventures was when, with five comrades, he was engaged by 21 Germans 10 miles behind the enemy lines. The fight began at a height of 17,000ft,-and concluded at 6000 ft. On this occasion Carlin, after doing some particularly fine fighting, was sent crashing to the earth, where he was made a captive. Several enemy machines were destroyed, and the four remaining intrepid Britishers, after a nerve-racking fight against overwhelming odds, managed to reach the British lines with their machines practically in ribbons. A;rain he w?s_ in a fight in which five Sritish machines tackled eight enemy planes, of which they accounted for seven. Major Caldwell arrived in Sydney by the Bremen, and is now awaiting transport to New Zealand. He was one of the first pupils to graduate at the New Zealand Flying School at-Kohimarama.