A HERO OF THE AIR.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13744, 6 April 1915, Page 8

A HERO OF THE AIR.

The heroism of French .aviators will make a thrilling chapter of adventure. In tho history of this war, at present, they are without publicity; few people know the names of those men who fly over Paris in, search of hostile aircraft, or of those who,'along the wli'j'.c line of the front, rononnritrc tho enemy's position and locate their batteries.

The spell of secrecy may now, however, be broken in favour of Pegoud, the famous airman who was first to loop tho loop and performed a series of aerial acrobatics which startled great crowds last year at Brooklauds ::nd Hendon.

'Pegoud was recently awarded a medal f.»• having attacked and demolished three German aeroplanes in succession. Ho has lost none of his audacity, and .since the beginning of the war has done many gallant and reckless things over the battlefields in France. One of his latest adventures was rewarded with great success. Provided with a new machine which he wished to try, he loaded it with a dozen bombs, and set oft' for the enemy's lines. In previous reconnaissances he had made a note of German ammunition stores assembled on a certain plot of ground. It was to this spot that he steered his way, flying very high, and taking advantage of the mist so that he should not be observed.

When he was near his goal, lie hovered above the place, and descending lower dropped nine of his bombs. Tire effect was prodigious. Explosion after explosion rent the air so that his machine was shaken by tho vibrating waves. One long din of bursting shells rose up to him as though the earth be!ev had been torn asunder.. Pogoud Hew away, elated at his success. Still he had three bombs left; and, sweeping like a bird of prey, dung them over the beads of a company of German soldiers. They scattered in all directions, and Pegoud flew through the darkening sky like a "winged death."

It is to the credit of French aviators that they have never yielded to the ■temptations of taking reprisals for the way in which German aircraft fly over civil popab/tions, and kill women and children, as in Paris, Dunkirk, Arras, and many other towns. Always, like .PegoiicTs wreckage of the ammunition camp, their work is confined to honest feats of war.

His latest achievement was directed a few dayis ago against the enemy's captive airship from which the fire of the German batteries was directed. Flying at a great height, and making a wide detour behind a veil of clouds, Pegoud then flew straight at the sau-sage-shaped balloon.

He was seen at once, and shots wore fired at him wildly. He heard the shouts of soldiers, hoarse commands, little figures were running about like ants down there, and the balloon was hastily drawn earthwards. But it was too late! Pegoud, swooped like a vulture in one of those magnificent volplanes which used to thrill mv when I saw them over English soil. When he was less than fifty yards aK>;<'' the airship he flung his bomb. A dull oxplosion followed, making a gale of air currents, in which.the ..French aeroplane rocked with quivering piunes. The ball of ga.s was rent, and like one of those squeaking pigs on hawkers' trays, the German airship BrV.chon (the dragon) collapsed to earth. Never again will it signal to German batteries, and watch their work of death! Pegoud, like Perseus of old, had killed the dragon, and flaw oil" to other deeds of prowess with outstretched wings.—"Daily Chronicle."