TRUE TO HIS WORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1916, Page 7

TRUE TO HIS WORD.

!' , FRENCH AIRMAN TERLTNTJ No more heroic deed has been recorded in this war than that of Sergeantmajor Maquart de Terline, who gave his life to bring down an enemy aeroplane. •His machine gun jambed soon after an air fight began, whereupon lie deliberately drove straight at his adversary, ramr.ied his machine, and both aeroplanes dropped to death with their passengers dead. Terline, who was 24, and had formerly served in tho Cuirassiers, had been twice mentioned in despatches, and had received the Military Cross for bringing down a Fokker. . He had once or twice said: "If ever I cannot shoot I shall just go straight for tho Boche aeroplane.'' The fight began at 4 a.m.,'when an Albatross, driven by a well-known German aviator, a giant with red hair, nick.named by the French Arminius, appeared over the lines, making for Chalons-sur-Marne. In a few. minutes three ■French flying men were in the air after him in wild pursuit at 80 miles an hour. In spite of an incessant fusillade the enemy was apparently unbit, and lit was .rearing his own lines, while munitions .'were giving out. The three Frenchmen resolved on desperate tactics. They endeavored to surround the enemy," and, should firing fail, to bring him down in sheer collision. Tito of the Frenchmen accidentally ran into each other, and both machines fell, the aviators lending safe and sound. Terline was left alone, still firing his machine gun, with the Albatross, mount.ed by two men—a pilot and an observer. Suddenly his gun jambed. The enemy was some 60ft below him, Hearing his own lines. Arminius was still firing his machine-gun, and nlso shot with a carbine. Suddenly Terline came straight down and drove his machine into the rudder of the Albatross. Both aeroplanes fell instantly in collision, stuck ;to one another for some seconds, then parted in mid-air," and crashed to the ground just behind the French iires at a hundred yards from one another. Ser-geant-major De Terline and his two adversaries had, of course, been killed almost instantly. Terline, whose heroic self-sacrifice had been watched through glasses by several officers, had been true to his word, ■ i ■ I