AVIATOR'S BATTLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11669, 8 April 1916, Page 9

AVIATOR'S BATTLE.

THRILLING STORY OF TEE AER. KOWICOMMAKDER BONE FOUGHT A SEAPLANE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright ,s - (Received April 8, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, April 7 (5.45 p.m.) Tlie Press Bureau has issued the reports of Flight-Commander Bone, who has been awarded the D.S.O. for gallantry in pursuing a hostile seaplane over tliirty miles to sea and forcing an action, in spits of tho fact that lie himself was in a small land machine. Commander Bone left the aerodrome while the enemy was still in sight, and, making no attempt to climb steeply, he concentrated his attention on keeping the enemy in sight. After pursuing him fqr nearly thirty miles his machine by a superior climb attained a height of 9000 feet, which was 3000 feet above the enemy. From this .position, flying slightly nose down, he rapidly overhauled the enemy and endeavoured to make a vertical dive, firing his machine gun. Tlie enemy replied vigorously. Bone manoeuvred to get ahead of the hostile machine and, having succeeded, he steered straight at him, diving to pass below and turning with a vertical right-hand bank almost immediately under him. Tho enemy turned his machine away to the left before they met, and the observer was visible hanging over the right-hand side of the seaplane, apparently dead or severely wounded. Bone's speed carried him within fifteen or twenty feet of the enemy, and he had no difficulty in keeping his sights on, firing four or five bursts of about sis rounds, until the enemy dived steeply with smoke pouring from his engine. The propeller stopped in a vertical position, but the machine was under control and succeeded in landing safe-