Thrilling deeds of British airmen

THRILLING DEEDS
OF BRITISH AIRMEN

THRILLING DEEDS
OF BRITISH AIRMEN

UNIFORM IVITH THIS BOOK

V.C. HEROES OF THE WAR

By G. A. LEASK, M.A. With
Eight Illustrations by F. Matania
and others. Price 3s. 6d. net.

^

Fr. The Glorious Achievement of Lieut. Warneford, V.C.

THRILLING

DEEDS OF

BRITISH AIRMEN

BY

ERIC WOOD

author of
'famous voyages of the grbat discoverers' etc.

LONDON

GEORGF. G HARRAP & COMPANY

2 fir- 3 PORTSMOUTH STREET KINGSWAY W.C.

MCMXVII

%-^

Printed in Great BriUin
Hy TMmbttllir' Spmrs, EJinhureh

Preface

IN this war of wonders to many people
the most wonderful thing is, perhaps,
the part which aircraft has played. Very
few of us realized less than three years ago
what a formidable weapon aircraft was to
prove, and most of us can remember the days
— they seem not so very distant — when flying
was treated as a great mad joke save on
occasion when it became a tragedy through
some ' mad-brained enthusiast ' being killed
during an experimental flight. Novelists, who
are free to be prophets, naturally seized upon
the subject of flight and predicted all sorts of
things which perhaps they themselves did not
believe would happen ; a few men, wiser than
their generation, and gifted with far-seeing
eyes, seriously insisted on the military im-
portance of aircraft in the near future, but
people generally believed that many years
must elapse before aircraft could be of practical
vadue.
Then came the war, which in due course

5

Thrilling Deeds

revealed unsuspected uses to which aircraft
could be put. Very soon it was discovered
that the flying men were the eyes of the navies
and of the armies, and as time went on it was
realized that the side which obtained ascendancy
in the air was well on the way to victory. It
is now safe to predict, in view of all that
has happened, that aircraft will play a decisive
part in the final stages of the mighty conflict.
The increased range of the heaviest guns,
both naval and military, demand methods
of observation different from any previously
known and utihzed ; in fact, it may be said
that long-range guns — at least guns of such a
range as now in use — have been made effectively
possible only by aerial observation. The char-
acter of trench warfare, also, similar in some
respects to, yet in others very different from,
the war of trenches in other conflicts, has
demanded the aerial scout, even as that latest
ingenious war device, the Tank, calls for
assistance from the aeroplane.

This little book, however, is not a serious
study of aircraft in war, but, as its title
indicates, a compilation of thrilling deeds of

6

Preface

British airmen chosen from a very large number
to illustrate various types and phases of aerial
operations. Sometimes the telling has been
in the nature of making bricks without straw,
because of the absence of details in so many
official reports. I trust, however, that in ex-
panding such terse accounts of what obviously
were heroic incidents I have not done violence
to truth. My aim has been to present what
were probably the facts, and I have carefully
followed the suggestions contained in the brief
originals with that object in view. What
wonderful stories, indeed, must be hidden
behind some of the cold phraseology of official
communiquis ! What courage, what sheer
audacity ! Some day, perhaps, we may be
allowed to know more, and then the world
will be thrilled indeed.

I am aware that many of our gallant flying
men desire to remain anonymous, and because
of that the only cases in which names are given
in the book are those in which the official
reports have lifted the curtain of anonymity.
Very often details could have been given
which would have made certain things much

7

Thrillmg Deeds

clearer, but discretion demanded that those
details should be omitted, as being in the
nature of secrets.

The book is intended to be a tribute to the
gallant men of the air — the humble tribute of
one who is not a flier, but who has a great
admiration for those who are. I hope that it
may be privileged to play some small part in
keeping alive the widespread interest which
has been aroused in the doings of the Flying
Services.

E. W.

8

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I. 'The Spotters' 13

II. Some Stories of ' Rupert ' . . . 27

III. Some Fine British Raids • • • 39

IV. The Pluck of Major Brabazon Rees . 62

V. The End of the " K5nigsberg " . . 72

VI. " One of our Machines did not

Return " 85

VII. First-Aid in Mid-Air .... 106

VIII. Warneford, V.C 115

IX. Flying while Dying .... 125

X. Rescued by Airmen .... 133

XI. Tales of the Coast Patrol . . 147

XII. A Batch of V.C.s .... 170

XIII. The Man who Brought Down Immel-

MANN 193

XIV. Some Zeppelin Strafers . . . 208

XV. On Fire! 241

9

Thrilling Deeds

CHAPTKR

XVI. The Battle of Seventy Aeroplanes

XVII. On Patrol . . . •
XVIII. Against Great Odds .

XIX. Some Anonymous Heroes .
XX. The Train Bombers

XXI. A Champion Aerial Fighter

PAGE

248

278

10

PACE

I Ihtstrations

The Glorious Achievement of Lieutenant
Warneford .... Frontispiece

From a painting by Lieut. F. Gordon-Crosby, A.L, A.LD. Copy-
right W. R, Deighton, London.

The British Air Raid on Cuxhaven, Christ-
mas Day 1914 46

From a drawing by Arthur W. J. Burgess.

The R.F.C. at Work 64

From a drawing by G. H. Davis.

A British Aeroplane Ablaze after a Duel

with a Giant Biplane . . . .102

From a drawing by John dk G. Bryan.

A Seaplane 'Spotting' a Submarine . . 154

From a drawing by Arthur W. J. Burgess.

The R.N.A.S. at Work . . . . 166

From a drawing by G. H. Davis.

The Destruction of a Zeppelin at Cuffley . 216

From a painting by Walter Hunt. Copyright \V. R. Deighton,
London.

Raiding the Raider 238

II

CHAPTER I

' The Spotters '

IN the changed conditions of modern
warfare airmen have become the eyes
of the army. Starting from their bases,
aviators wing their way over the enemy's hnes
and observe every passing thing that comes
within their vision, so that generals, sitting at
headquarters, know exactly to where enemy
reinforcements have gone, how many trains
of munitions have been sent to certain places,
where batteries are placed, and a thousand
things that the brains of an army must be
cognizant of. Trenches dug overnight are
noted the next morning and inscribed upon
the large-scale maps which are used as bases
for the plans of operations. In fact, httle that
happens escapes notice — if the flying corps of
an army has won command of the air.

In yet another sense are airmen the eyes of
an army. During a bombardment observers,
hovering over the field of battle, note the effect

13

Thrilling Deeds

of artillery fire, obtain the range and wireless
it back to the batteries ; then, when the guns
have hurled forth their bolts of destruction,
they observe whether the range is accurate,
and, if not, signal back instant correction.
So the work goes on — and always under intense
fire from anti-aircraft guns, for the enemy
knows how vital to the batteries hidden away
back behind the front lines is the ' spotting '
of the aerial onlookers. It is work to try the
strongest nerves, for the aeroplane is continu-
ally dodging like some giant dragon-fly, in
the effort to avoid screaming shells, bursting
shrapnel, or some enemy machine that has
been sent up to put an end to the work of
observation. Quick calculations have to be
made, and made accurately, otherwise shells,
each costing hundreds of pounds, may be flung
across No Man's Land only to tear up vacant
fields. Failure to explode in some vital place
will cost many valuable lives when the infantry
advance.

The following stories illustrate the peril and
the glory involved in the work of ' spotting '
on active service.

14

The Spotters

It naturally follows that when aeroplanes
are on artillery observation service, enemy
'planes, as we have indicated, endeavour to
bring them down or else to drive them
away, and such efforts lead to aerial combats.
During a battle on July 6, 1915, one of our
' spotting ' machines was strenuously attacked
by German aviators, after it had been found
hopeless to try to drive it away by gun-
fire. In those days the ' spotters ' had to be
fighters too, because aerial tactics had not
developed into such a fine art as it is to-day,
when the observing machines are protected
by fighting 'planes which fly much higher to
keep a look-out for and to attack any enemy
machines which may attempt to engage the
' spotters.'

The British artillery was doing good work,
thanks to the information from the officers
flying in the British machine. These were
the pilot, Second-Lieutenant Dwight Filley,
R.F.C. (Special Reserve), and Lieutenant
Lambert Playfair (ist Royal Scots and R.F.C),
who was acting as observer. Their ' spotting '
had resulted in so many direct hits that, the

15

Thrilling Deeds

hostile anti-aircraft guns having proved in-
effectual, a number of German fighting machines
were sent up to attack them. As one by one
they rose to the attack the gallant pilot of the
British » machine, with a word through the
speaking-tube to his observer, made a drive
which brought him alongside or above the
enemy, and a fair supply of ammunition for
the machine-gun being to hand, it was ex-
pended to such good purpose that one after
another the Germans were compelled to retire.
In the breathing spaces between the different
combats Filley would drop back into position
favourable for observation, and Playfair would
resume his interrupted work of taking notes
and sending back news to the battery.

The work in hand was important enough
to call for all the attention of the two officers,
but so far as they themselves were concerned,
they did not seem to mind the interruptions.
Down below, however, the Germans were be-
coming greatly exasperated, and finally some
officer, having apparently made up his mind
that the British aeroplane must be brought
down or driven off if the position were to be

i6

The Spotters

tenable much longer, sent up a couple of
aeroplanes simultaneously, with instructions to
attack together.

One can, in imagination, hear one of the
British airmen shouting through the speaking-
tube : " Now for it ! " or see the other passing
to his companion a slip of paper with a few
words scribbled upon it telling him to get
ready for the scrap, with the added titbit :
" There are only five rounds left ! "

A final message was sent back to the battery,
and then, while a shell from one of the guns
crashed on to the spot indicated, Filley, with-
out waiting for the Germans to attack him,
swooped toward them in order to get in the
first shots. It was a right royal battle while
it lasted, but, unfortunately, it did not last
very long. The British were badly outmatched,
being short of ammunition and having two
enemies to fight. Filley, however, manoeuvred
his machine so skilfully, and Playfair worked
his gun so cleverly, that, but for an unlucky
bullet from one of the German machines, they
might have come off with flying colours.
That bullet, however, put an end to Filley's
B 17

Thrilling Deeds

hopes, for Lieutenant Playfair was killed in the
very act of firing his gun.

Practised as he was in the ways of engines,
Lieutenant Filley, after recovering from the
shock he had suffered at seeing his comrade
killed, realized that his engine had been damaged
by some of the spraying bullets from the German
gun. He was helpless for attack now that his
companion was dead, and his one idea hence-
forth was to save his machine. To stay where
he was would mean being shot down by the
Germans, in which case the aeroplane would
be captured and he himself made prisoner,
even if he were not killed.

The true soldier knows when it is time to
leave the scene of battle, and Filley realized
that his duty was to get back as quickly as
possible. The enemy, thinking that they now
had him, closed in upon him, but the Lieutenant
swung round, and, with his engine making
weird noises, as though it resented being
driven while so severely mauled, made for the
British lines. Presently the Germans came
within range of the British anti-aircraft guns,
whereupon they promptly turned tail, leaving

i8

The Spotters

Filley to go on his way unmolested to a grace-
ful landing which he soon was able to make.

For his courageous part in this brilliant
combat Lieutenant Filley was awarded the
Military Cross.

The same coveted decoration was awarded
to Lieutenant W. R. Freeman (Manchester
Regiment and R.F.C.) for his " gallantry,
ability, and very valuable work," about the
same time and in somewhat similar circum-
stances. Hidden German batteries had been
making things decidedly uncomfortable in a
certain part of the British line, and the
Lieutenant was detailed to reconnoitre their
position. Despite continual attempts to bring
him down, the Lieutenant held on his way
over the German lines until he succeeded in
' spotting ' the guns. His machine was fitted
with wireless transmitting apparatus, and he
proceeded to send back the results of his
observations, until at last the British artillery
got the range to a nicety.

Hovering over the German lines Lieutenant
Freeman had some exciting moments. All
about him shells were bursting and rifle

19

Thrilling Deeds

bullets came thick and fast. German aero-
planes were not absent either, but for five
solid hours the aviator stuck to the task
allotted to him, and, although his propeller
and his planes were damaged by bullets, he
refused to be driven off until he considered
that his work was done. Only then did he
make for his base, no doubt highly pleased
with what he had achieved.

Another ' spotter,' Second-Lieutenant A. A.
Benjamin Thomson (Royal Warwicks and
R.F.C.), earned the Military Cross at Neuve-
Chapelle in 1915. He was working in con-
junction with a heavy gun which, well behind
the front line, was bombarding the German
trenches. On August 29th the rain was com-
ing down in torrents and the clouds were
at 500 feet only, which naturally involved fly-
ing, for observation work, at a height which
was distinctly uncomfortable from several
points of view. In some way, perhaps, the
clouds may have proved friendly, for, when
the German fire became too hot for safety,
the Lieutenant could dart above a cloud-bank
and remain sheltered — to come through at a

20

The Spotters

different spot and so compel the enemy to
readjust sights and go to the trouble of
getting the new range ; all of which meant
that the observer was given time to make
his notes and send messages to the big gun,
which, owing to his excellent work, was regis-
tering direct hits in quick succession.

Once, however, the clouds nearly brought
disaster. Even we who grovel on tena firma
will understand that it can be no easy matter
to keep one's bearings in mid-air when, owing
to a driving rain, one can scarcely see the
ground below, and when one gets tucked
away among thick clouds it is easy to over-
shoot the mark. This is what Lieutenant
Thomson did. He had got in among clouds
which hid everything from his sight, and
when he finally came down out of them, he
found himself well over the German trenches.
He was quickly espied by the enemy, and a
very tornado of fire instantly enveloped him.
Lieutenant Thomson, however, favoured by the
gods who guard the brave, lived through the
storm and succeeded in driving his machine back
toward our lines, over which he calmly hovered,

21

Thrilling Deeds

continuing\his observations, with the result
that, in the course of a couple of hours, the
British heavy gun tossed no fewer than ten
big shells plump on to the required target,
to say nothing of others which fell uncomfort-
ably near. The discomfited Germans shook
angry fists at the airman who seemed, as he
hovered lightly in the grey dome of heaven,
to be mocking them. It was only when
it became too dark to see anything that
Lieutenant Thomson volplaned to earth, after
a "most satisfactory piece of work.

Another aviator who, by all the rules, ought
to have given up, but who succeeded by
a tremendous effort in keeping his machine
in action, was Second-Lieutenant Malcolm
Henderson (4th Ross Highland Seaforth
Highlanders, R.F.C.). This officer was accom-
panied by an observer who was to take
photographs of enemy positions. This work
naturally involved flying at a low altitude at
certain places, in order to avoid clouds and
the ' Archibalds,' which latter saw to it that
the British aeroplane did not have an un-
molested trip.

22

The Spotters

Whenever Henderson dived or spiralled into
view, German anti-aircraft guns banged away
at him, woolly puffs of smoke burst all round,
and high explosive shells crashed thunder-
ously above the roar of the engine.

Coolly Henderson controlled his machine,
and just as calmly the observer took his
photographs, and it seemed that, despite the
terrific bombardment to which they were
subjected, the two aviators would succeed
in their mission.

Then came catastrophe.

At one place the Germans below had the
range almost to an inch, and explosions of the
shells made the aeroplane plunge madly. The
pilot kept his head, but expected that a missile
would strike home at any moment. He did
not have long to wait. Suddenly the machine
staggered, and seemed as though it would turn
over ; there was a deafening roar, a tearing,
ripping sound, followed by another, a hoarse cry
from the pilot, a startled exclamation from the
observer. For an instant the machine hung, as
it were, out of control, then gave a downward
lurch. The slip might have ended in a nose-

^3

Thrilling Deeds

dive but for the pilot's tremendous reassertion
of self-control. After recovering from the first
shock of the appalling thing that had happened,
Henderson set himself a task which was suffi-
cient to daunt, so one would think, the bravest
of men.

What had happened in that dramatic moment
was this : a gun had found the exact range
and a shell, hitting the nacelle of the aeroplane,
had crashed its way through the floor, cut
off one of Henderson's legs just below the
knee, and then continued on its way into
space.

Losing blood as he was at a fearful rate,
with his head dizzy, his eyes bleared, every
nerve affected by the shock, who could have
blamed Lieutenant Henderson if he had given
up ? How could any man be expected to
withstand so awful a disaster ? In all too
many cases, such a tragedy must have resulted
in a still greater one, the culmination being
a wrecked and burning machine, the funeral
pyre of its occupants.

But incredible as it may seem, the dramatic
truth is that the heroic Henderson on regaining

24

The Spotters

consciousness immediately got his machine
under control again while at that dizzy height
of 7000 feet, and with the one determination
to save his aeroplane, his observer, and the
precious photographs, set his course toward
the British lines.

Meantime, the German gunners, whose ob-
servers had marked the effect of the shell,
had fully expected to see the machine fall
crashing to the ground, but when, to their
amazement, it recovered equilibrium and then
turned round and made off, they feverishly
got to work again. But ere they had made
up their minds to act, Henderson had driven
his 'plane so far that it was necessary for the
artillery to get a new range, and by the time
that was done he was still farther off. With
a deafening roar the engine drove the 'plane
along at its giddy height, and with physical
strength fast waning, and the strain sapping
his nervous energy, the pilot manipulated his
machine, dodging the Teuton's ' woolly bears '
when the range was too accurate to be pleasant.
Already in the distance he could see the British
lines, and if only consciousness would last,

25

Thrilling Deeds

safety was assured. Bracing himself for a
last effort, Henderson set his teeth, and, hold-
ing gamely on through the pursuing shells, he
presently volplaned to earth well within our
own lines. Only then did his grip relax and
his senses leave him.

26

CHAPTER II

Some Stories of 'Rttpert '

ALTHOUGH we hear more about the
aeroplane than we do about the kite
balloon, it must not be forgotten
that the former has by no means ousted the
latter from its place as a valuable arm in an
army's equipment. The aeroplane goes out
over the enemy's lines, seeking hidden batteries,
photographing positions, locating reserves, and
hovering over bombarded sectors and signalling
to the far-off gunners the effect of their firing.
The balloon— that is, the kite balloon, the
queer-looking, unwieldy gas-bag with its ob-
servation car dangling below — is used behind
the lines continuously to observe the effect of
gun-fire; but, although it is behind the lines,
it is by no means safe. Why, by the way,
the kite balloon should have been christened
' Rupert ' no one knows, any more than it
is possible to find out why the anti-aircraft
gun should be called ' Archibald,' but there

27

Thrilling Deeds

it is. Wherever the flying men go they
carry their ' Hngo ' with them, and, no doubt,
these Uttle things give a touch of humour
to what is, after all, a most serious business.

Naturally, the artillery objects to enemy
kite balloons, and attempts are made to bring
them down— both by gun-fire and aeroplane
attacks. As a result, many have gone to earth
in flames, and lucky is the observation officer
in such circumstances who escapes with his
life. Very often, when a strong wind is blow-
ing, the cables cannot stand the strain put
upon them, the balloon tugs like a dog on the
leash, shakes itself, and goes on a wild, free
voyage at the bidding of the wind — sometimes
toward the enemy's lines.

An incident of this latter kind befell Second-
Lieutenant A. C. D. Gavin (Royal Highlanders
and R.F.C.) and a passenger who was in the
swaying car with him. A bombardment was
about to take place at a certain point of the
line, and Lieutenant Gavin had been deputed
to go aloft. The great gas-bag, unwieldy,
hideous-looking thing that it was, had been
inflated, and the Lieutenant and his passenger

28

Some Stories of ^Rtcpert '

took their places in the basket. The word
was given to be off ; strong-armed men on a
motor lorry near by began to unwind a
steel cable from a big winch, and the ' Rupert '
started to mount, swaying in the wind, but
always being brought back to position by the
queer-looking ' rudder.' Up and up, until, at
4000 feet, the balloon came to rest — if con-
tinually straining at a leash which will not
allow the balloon to go higher can be called
rest.

Far below, and well away from the motor
lorry, the guns were firing. Lieutenant Gavin
through his binoculars marked where the
shells burst in the distant German lines.
Presently there was a great spout of earth
and debris of all kinds. The Lieutenant spoke
a few words into the telephone with which
his balloon was provided, and the man in the
shelter below received a message which told
of the result of that trial round ; he in turn
telephoned it to the far-off battery, the re-
ceiver there rushed off to the officer in charge,
the range was altered, and once again the
heavies opened fire.

29

Thrilling Deeds

Meanwhile, up in the basket, Lieutenant
Gavin was having no pleasant time. The
Germans had quickly realized that the good
marksmanship being made by the battery they
could not see and could not hit was the result
of the keen watching of the man in the sway-
ing basket, and they were doing their utmost
to bring his observation work to a close.
They opened fire with their heavies, aided by
their own balloonists, who knew that beneath
the British balloon there was the attendant
lorry, and this being a better target than the
gas-bag itself, they directed their gunners'
fire toward it. Lieutenant Gavin, looking
down, saw a ' crump ' arrive, saw the earth
flung up in a shower, and knew that he was
likely to be cut adrift. While yet his cables
held, however, he was going to carry out the
work assigned to him, and, all unconcerned,
as became a Briton, he went calmly on with
the task of correcting the range of our own
firing and noting the effect of the shells.

Observation work is not all plain sailing.
The Germans have a little dodge which they
play, and that is to fire off flashes at various

30

Some Stories of ^Rupert '

points, hoping to mislead the observer into
beheving that they are the flashes of guns.
A man needs to be well trained and well
experienced to avoid being fooled in this way,
because to be deceived means that the battery
will waste hundreds of shells, perhaps, on
trying to smash guns which do not exist !

Lieutenant Gavin was not to be deceived,
and he did such good work that the Germans
realized that unless they made better practice
with their firing their guns would be out-
matched. So they concentrated upon the
lorry ; there was a terrific roar below, the
balloon gave a sudden leap upward ; and,
looking down, the Lieutenant saw a great hole
in the ground where the lorry had once stood.

He knew what had happened, and he knew
that his work for that day, at any rate, if not
for the duration of the war, was over. The
balloon, as though happy to be released,
bounded still higher, and, caught in a wind
current, began to drift toward the enemy's
lines !

Such a moment calls for prompt action,
and Lieutenant Gavin was not found wanting.

31

Th'illmg Deeds

Dropping many hundreds of feet in a para-
chute does not appeal to everybody, and
many can remember the feeHng of dread at
exhibitions when the parachutist dropped out
of the basket of his balloon and a violent
death seemed to be assured.

Perhaps parachuting is a fine sport, if you
know how to use the apparatus ; but if you
have not. been initiated, there is little sport
about it, especially if shrapnel is screaming
around. However, Lieutenant Gavin coolly
set to work to instruct his passenger in the
use of the parachute, made sure that he under-
stood, then, with a cheery au revoir, helped
him up on to the edge of the basket, which
was swaying perilously all the time, and told
him to " Go ! " The passenger obeyed the
injunction and dropped like a plummet for
innumerable feet. His heart must have been
in his mouth no doubt, and he must have
wondered whether the wretched envelope would
ever open.

Gavin now had no time to waste. Before
he could follow his passenger on the exciting
trip, there was much to be done. Supposing

32

Some Stories of 'Rupert '

the balloon came down in the enemy's terri-
tory the Germans must not get hold of the
valuable papers in the basket. These papers
contained confidential instructions, and his
own elaborate observations for the eyes of the
Staff only. There were also instruments the
secrets of which were not to be surrendered
to the enemy. Gavin hastily gathered his
papers, and deliberately destroyed them what
time the current of wind was carrying the
balloon swiftly toward the German lines. At
last the final piece of paper was torn to shreds,
the instruments were smashed beyond recog-
nition ; and then, and then only, did Gavin
think about himself. He looked down out of
the basket, and saw that he was still over the
British lines, but rapidly approaching their
limits. He seized his parachute, saw that it
was in working order, put himself into the
ring, gripped the handholds provided, climbed
upon the edge of the basket, noted the white
covering of his comrade's parachute still drop-
ping toward earth — and fell, like Lucifer, into
the emptiness below.

Would the envelope never open ? Was that

c 33

Thrilling Deeds

terrific rush to keep on until he smashed into
the ground ? And, if the parachute did open,
where would he land ?

Gavin could not answer all of those ques-
tions at once. The answer to the first came
suddenly : there was a jerk at his arms, as
though they were being pulled out of their
sockets, then the downward mad rush ceased,
and in its place there was a gentle floating
motion. He would not crash into the ground !
From below, as he drew nearer, came the
louder boom of guns ; presently came the
rattle of machine-gun fire, and he realized
that he was just over the front lines. But
in which front lines would he land ?

Down and down he continued to drop,
his field of vision becoming narrower as he
neared the earth ; the white lines of chalk
which he knew to be trenches grew clearer
and more distinct, and at last he knew that
he would land where he wanted to land —
within the British lines.

However, when he touched earth German
machine-guns were rattUng perilously, and he
had good reason to thank his lucky stars when

34

Some Stones of'Rtiperf

at last he crawled unharmed into a British
trench.

On a day toward the end of 1916, during
a tremendous bombardment by both sides,
Second-Lieutenant Norman Brearley (Liver-
pool Regiment and R.F.C.) decided that a
certain ' Rupert ' well behind the German lines
was proving far too useful, and he resolved
to bring its career to an end. As he winged
his way over the front lines toward his objec-
tive the Lieutenant chuckled at the thought
of the surprise he was going to give the Huns —
always supposing that a certain little ruse he
had in mind proved workable.

Long before he arrived anywhere near the
' Rupert,' he was spotted, and the ' Archies '
did their best to drive him back or bring him
down. But Lieutenant Brearley was a ' sticker,'
and held on his way until, with ' woolly
bears ' woofing all about him, he was immedi-
ately above the kite balloon. The anti-aircraft
guns, of course, redoubled their efforts, while
the observers in the basket of the balloon
fired madly from their rifles.

35

Thrilling Deeds

Suddenly the Germans on terra firma shouted
excitedly ; the tiny speck in the sky was
seen to be in trouble, apparently having been
winged.

What had happened ?

A high explosive shell had burst near the
aeroplane, the machine had suddenly tilted,
and with its planes almost at right angles to
the ground had begun to side-slip at an amazing
speed. Not one of the Germans below thought
that anything could save the airman. Great
was the rejoicing among the gunners, while
the occupants of the ' Rupert ' felt that they
had been saved from a fate they scarcely
dared think about.

The ' Archies ' stopped firing, for it was only
throwing away good ammunition to pursue a
stricken foe whose life was all but spent.

Lieutenant Brearley sat tight, but there was
no fear in his face, nothing about him that
would have suggested that he knew he was
hurtling to his death : instead a grim smile
lurked about his mouth and a determined look
was in his eyes as his hand gripped the trigger
of his Lewis gun.

36

Some Stories of 'R^tpert '

For this side-slip down through space was
not the result of the machine being hit at all ;
it was a deliberate manoeuvre ! The ruse was
not one to be lightly attempted, for in order
to deceive the spectators below, the machine
must drop sheer with wings vertical and at a
terrific speed to give the appearance that it
was out of control. The trick called for grit
— called for a man who was willing to take
his life in his hands, because it might easily
be that the machine could not be righted in
time and then

But Lieutenant Brearley was willing to risk
all in order to bring ' Rupert ' down, and the
machine slipped speedily through the air, drop-
ping thousands of feet in an incredibly short
time to 1500 feet from the ground, when it was
almost level with the balloon, which was now
being hauled down.

Then the amazing thing happened.

The enemy below saw the apparently
doomed machine suddenly right itself and, in
a flash, dive straight for the unwieldy envelope.
Too late it was realized that things were not
what they seemed and that the Briton had

37

Thrilling Deeds

been playing a trick. The guns opened out
immediately, but ' Rupert ' was now acting
as a shield to the intrepid airman, whose
machine-gun was firing rapidly upon it.

Meanwhile the Germans were striving to
haul down their balloon before the aviator
could inflict deadly injury upon it, but as
he was provided with an efficient weapon for
such an attack and was no prentice hand at
the work, it was not long before Lieutenant
Brearley had the satisfaction of seeing the ugly
mass go blazing to earth, utterly destroyed.

Then, as the official account notifying an
award of the Mihtary Cross for the briUiant
deed says, " he returned."

38

CHAPTER III

Some Fine British Raids

IT is an undisputed fact that the British
Flying Services have carried out some of
the largest raids in the course of the war,
and there have been so many of them that it
is impossible to describe every one here. It
is worth remembering that these raids differed
from those undertaken by the Germans when
their airships visited Britain : our raids are
always against places of military importance,
whereas the world knows the object of German
fright fulness.

Quite early in the conflict our airmen, in
twos and threes — and sometimes more — went
on long-distance flights, to attack some im-
portant point behind the German lines, as, for
instance, when Squadron-Commander Spenser
Grey, and Lieutenants S. V. Sippe and Marix,
of the R.N.A.S., on October 8th, 1914, sailed
over the airship shed at Diisseldorf, dropped
bombs which hit their mark and set fire to the

39

Thrilling Deeds

shed and the Zeppehn inside, as they plainly
saw by the tall pillar of smoke and flame which
arose immediately after the bombs struck.

Then, on November 21st of the same year,
there was a daring aerial attack on the Zeppelin
works at Friedrichshafen, on the shores of
Lake Constance, where Count Zeppelin built
the giant gasbags which were to be used on
murder raids. The flying men who took part
in the attack on the works were Squadron-
Commander E. F. Briggs, Flight-Commander
J. E. Babbington, and Flight-Lieutenant S. V.
Sippe, who set out from an aerodrome in the
neighbourhood of Belfort, their Avro machines,
driven by 8o-horse-power Gnomes, humming
their way up until they were but mere specks
in the sky. The course taken lay to the north
of the frontier of Switzerland, and Friedrichs-
hafen was sighted about midday. The suc-
cess with which the airmen steered toward
their objective made the Germans realize that
British aviators were not to be despised as the
" contemptible little army " had been ; and
yet, rather than admit this, the enemy avowed
that the raid had only been possible by reason

40

So7ne Fine Britisli Raids

of the fact that our diplomats in Switzer-
land had improperly given information which
had assisted the aviators ; which was another
German lie that needed no refutation. What
had happened was that the Britons had studied
the problem and had made themselves mas-
ters of the route they were going to take, with
the result that they surprised the Germans at
Friedrichshafen, who had never expected such
an attack from the air.

One of the airmen got lost temporarily in
a bank of cloud, but Commander Briggs and
his other companion dropped to the attack in
a giddy volplane. Coming directly over the
works they loosed their bombs, and the crash
of the explosions mingled with the roar of firing
guns, the sharp bark of rifles and the tat-tat-tat
of machine-guns — all of which the Germans
turned upon the daring aviators, who swept
round in wide circles, their planes riddled by
the bullets. When the third airman emerged
from the cloud-bank he saw that his commander
was in trouble : his machine was di-opping.
An unlucky bullet had pierced the petrol tank,
the engine petered out, and the gallant pilot

41

Thrilling Deeds

knew that he would have to descend. He kept
his head, however, and maintained control over
his mount until he had brought it to a graceful
landing near the devastated works. A crowd
of Germans immediately surrounded him, and
their appearance was so threatening that the
Commander drew his revolver, thus keeping
at bay the angry foe, who did not know that
the revolver was empty ! In due course a
German officer came up and Commander Briggs
surrendered, not a little mortified that his
successful attack should have come to such
an inglorious end.

Meanwhile, his two comrades were hurrying
home, for the necessities of war decreed that
they must leave the Commander to the mercy
of the enemy. " If they had come unper-
ceived," wrote one who described this affair
at the time, " they were not to leave the
country without risk. The news of their
presence was telegraphed from town to town ;
motor-cars mounting machine-guns and anti-
aircraft cannon were dispatched at full speed
to the most likely points ; observers were
specially detailed to watch the Swiss border

42

Some Fine British Raids

and to note whether these adventurers crossed
the frontier. But such was the extraordinary
speed with which the airmen returned, that
scarcely had the news of their arrival been
received than the airmen themselves were
over the place to which communication had
been made and were out of sight before any
effective step could be taken to intercept
them."

When the airmen reached the flying ground
near Belfort they received a hearty and enthusi-
astic welcome, and later they were decorated
with the Legion of Honour.

Cuxhaven, the German war port situate at
the mouth of the river Elbe and protected
to seaward by the great fortress of Heligo-
land, had its first experience of modern war on
the morning of Christmas Day 1914, when a
number of British seaplanes appeared out of
the mist and dropped bombs upon its ship-
building yards and fortifications.

This raid, the first that the Royal Naval Air
Service had undertaken from the sea, was
extremely well planned. There were seven

43

Thrilling Deeds

seaplanes, which were borne out to sea by two
new seaplane carriers, one an erstwhile cross-
Channel steamer which had been converted into
an auxiliary war- vessel. These two ships were
escorted by several submarines, two destroyer
flotillas, and the new light cruiser Arethusa,
which, before she met with her untimely end in
1916, was to add to the many laurels gained by
the long list of ' saucy Arethusas ' in the annals
of the British Navy. While on their mother-
ships the seaplanes, which were Short tractors,
had their wings folded up ; when the appointed
rendezvous was reached, the machines were
lowered over the side into the water, their
planes were opened, their engines began to
roar, and having driven through the water
the distance required to get up sufficient speed
to allow of rising, up through the mist they
soared, droning on their way to their objective.
The seven pilots engaged in the dashing adven-
ture were Flight-Commanders Oliver, Hewlett,
Kilner and Ross, Flight-Lieutenants Miley and
Edmonds, and FHght-Sub-Lieutenant Gaskell
Blackburn, each of whom was an experienced
airman.

44

Some Fine British Raids

Day was just breaking when the seaplanes
whirred upward, leaving their escorts to move
seaward to await their return from what was
to prove a hazardous adventure. If the
British anticipated that they would be un-
molested they were quickly disillusioned, for
not long after the seaplanes had left their
mother-ships a squadron of enemy 'planes,
accompanied by a Zeppelin, appeared and bore
down toward the British machines, which,
however, held on their way, knowing that the
destroyers and the Arethusa would deal with
the coming foes. The Arethusa, provided as
she was with special anti-aircraft artillery,
was a formidable adversary, as the Zeppelin
soon discovered, for, directly the airship was
sighted, the gunners on the cruiser opened fire
with such accuracy and at such a rate that the
aerial monster was compelled to swing round
and beat a hasty retreat.

Meanwhile, the German seaplanes, which
naturally did not present such good targets
to anti-aircraft guns, kept on their course
toward the ships, arrived over them, and
began dropping bombs, which fell so close to

45

Thrilling Deeds

the vessels that on many occasions the water-
spouts which were flung up as the result of
the explosions broke and tumbled in cascades
upon the decks. Fortunately, however, not a
single bomb struck a ship, and the rapid gun-
fire that was maintained rendered the situation
so uncomfortable for the seaplanes that they
turned tail and made for their base.

While this strange battle between aircraft
and seacraft was in progress, the British sea-
planes were winging their way through the
fog to Cuxhaven. Arrived there, they dropped
their bombs and did a certain amount of
damage, made their observations — which were
the chief motive for the raid — and then swept
round and flew seaward. Everything had been
put upon a time schedule, which was so accu-
rately adhered to that even while the enemy
'planes were still hovering over the British
destroyers the raiders reappeared. Some of
them swooped down to the sea, and taxied
along the surface to where they knew that
submarines were awaiting them. Immediately
the conning-tower of the underwater craft
appeared the nearest seaplane came to a stand-

46

The British Air Raid on Cuxhaven, Christmas Day 191 4

46

So7ne Fine British Raids

still, the pilot unstrapped himself, and stood
ready with knife in hand to rip up the great
floats of his machine. When the conning-tower
opened, and a naval officer appeared, the
destructive work was carried out and the
seaplane, costing over £1000, began to sink
rapidly and was almost submerged by the
time that the pilot had been taken into the
submarine, which immediately dived beneath
the surface. It may seem a wasteful method,
but in war money must be sacrificed for the
sake of that which is more precious ; in this
case the information which the pilots had
gleaned far outweighed in value the cost of
the machines which it had been necessary to
destroy.

Four of the pilots were rescued by submarines
in the manner described, but two who returned
in the van of their comrades alighted on the
surface near the seaplane carriers, to whose
sides they taxied even while the enemy aircraft
were still dropping their bombs. It was an
occasion for some prompt work on the part
of the men aboard. To enable them to pick
up the seaplanes it was necessary for the two

47

Thrilling Deeds

ships to come to a standstill and so render
themselves much better marks for the enemy
bombs ; they stopped, nevertheless, hoists were
swung out, and the machines were picked up
as they taxied alongside. A moment later
the keen-eyed commanders, who were in
constant communication with their engine-
rooms, rang down for " Full steam ahead ! "
the ships trembled to the thrust of their
engines, then leapt through the water, making
for home.

There was one thing that marred the success
of the enterprise, and that was that only six
out of the seven intrepid pilots had been
picked up, and the escorting vessels, knowing
how risky it was to linger, had to steam away
without the missing aviator. This was Flight-
Commander Hewlett, who, as it afterward
transpired, had an exceedingly adventurous
time. The thick fog which enveloped the
seaplanes greatly bothered Hewlett, and he
lost his way, although after a long time he
succeeded in reaching Cuxhaven. Arriving as
he did after his comrades had left, he natu-
railly received a very warm welcome from the

48

Some Fine British Raids

Germans, who were now on the qui vive, not
knowing whether more of the darmg airmen
would appear. To make matters worse, the
Fhght-Commander, owing to the fog, had to
fly low, so low, in fact, that as he swept over
the war port he almost touched the tall masts
of the ships lying at anchor in the harbour.

As soon as he had located his position, Hew-
lett set his machine to climb out of danger,
dropping bombs as he went, and followed by
a perfect hail of shells from every anti-aircraft
gun within range. He knew that at any
moment his upward sweep might be changed
into a plunge to death, and the firing was so
vigorous that he quite expected this to happen.
Fortunately, how^ever, either the German
gunners were bad marksmen or else the fog
which had baffled the airman was now inter-
fering with the aim of the artillery-men;
whatever the reason, no shell touched Hewlett's
machine and no bullet found a resting-place in
his body. Up and still up, and headed sea-
ward, the seaplane flew, and the Commander
was beginning to think that the Fates were not
altogether unkind when something went wrong
D 49

Thrilling Deeds

with his engine, which began to back-fire and
ultimately stopped.

This was indeed a tragedy. Commander
Hewlett's one hope was that he might not
have missed the escort. As he planed down
to the grey, tossing sea, he scanned the horizon
in search of a friendly ship, but none appeared,
and he realized that, not having kept to the
scheduled time, he had had to be left by the
destroyers.

When his floats touched water the airman
was in anything but a comfortable frame of
mind. Neither of the possible alternatives —
one of which was that he might stay there
until the floats became so water-logged that
they would not support the machine, in which
case he would be drowned, and the other that
an enemy ship might appear and take him
prisoner — was at all cheering. It was all
very disappointing, after having escaped from
the inferno of Cuxhaven !

The airman, sitting in his machine and rocked
to and fro at the bidding of the wind and
waves, peered for a long and weary time
through the mist, hoping against hope that

50

Sonic Fine British Raids

he might be rescued. When he had almost
ceased to expect succour, the dark bows of a
trawler appeared out of the mist, scattering
the spray as she came. The stranded airman
on the derelict seaplane — for by this time the
machine was in a sorry plight — signalled for
help ; happily the look-out on the trawler
saw him, and the vessel bore down upon the
spot. The trawler proved to be Dutch, which
from Hewlett's point of view was not so good
as if it had been British, but by no means so
bad as if it had been German.

It did not take long to make the trawler's
captain understand what had happened, and,
having scuttled his machine, Hewlett was
taken on board the fishing vessel and carried
to Holland.

The fact of his being taken into Holland
raised a question of international law, which
has laid it down that any member of the
fighting services of a belligerent nation taking
refuge in a neutral country shall be interned
during the progress of the war. Commander
Hewlett, however, set up the plea that this
law did not apply to him, because he was a

51

Thrilling Deeds

shipwrecked mariner who had been rescued
out at sea. There was, of course, much
argument, but in the end the airman's plea
was accepted, he was released, and in due
course returned to England.

Thus every one of the daring raiders returned
safely, and, considering how successful they
had been both in bombing and in gathering
information, the raid on Cuxhaven may be said
to have been a complete triumph.

What was at that date probably the longest
official report of one exploit in the air was
that which was issued by the Admiralty deal-
ing with a very satisfactory raid on February
nth, 1915.

" During the last twenty-four hours," the
report ran, " combined aeroplane and seaplane
operations have been carried out by the Naval
Wing in the Bruges, Zeebrugge, Blanken-
berghe and Ostend districts, with a view to
preventing the development of submarine bases
and establishments.

" Thirty-four naval aeroplanes and seaplanes
took part.

52

Some Fine British Raids

" Great damage is reported to have been
done to Ostend Railway Station, which, ac-
cording to present information, has probably
been burnt to the ground. The railway station
at Blankenberghe was damaged and railway
lines were torn up in many places. Bombs
were dropped on gun positions at Middelkerke,
also on the power-station and German mine-
sweeping vessels at Zeebrugge, but the damage
is unknown.

" During the attack the machines encountered
heavy banks of snow.

" No submarines were seen.

" Flight-Commander Grahame- White fell into
the sea off Nieuport and was rescued by a French
vessel.

" Although exposed to heavy gun-fire from
rifles, anti-aircraft guns, mitrailleuses, etc.,
all pilots are safe. Two machines were
damaged.

" The seaplanes and aeroplanes were under
the command of Wing-Commander Samson,
assisted by Wing-Commander Longmore and
Squadron-Commanders Porte, Courtney, and
Rathbone."

53

Thrilling Deeds

The very length of that communique suggests
that the operations were on a large scale and
regarded as important, while behind the official
language there is hidden a thrilling story,
which will some day be told in full. Mean-
while, we have only glimpses, the best of
which is that given in a letter from Flight-
Lieutenant Harold Rosher, R.N.A.S., who took
part in the raid.

The machines left their base on Wednesday
morning, the loth of February, at intervals
of two minutes, the slowest machines going
first. Driving into the mist they hummed
across the Channel, with an escort of destroyers
below. The farther they went the denser the
mist became, the clouds were very heavy,
and they ran into a driving snow-storm which
utterly baffled them. The aviators had in-
structions to land at Dunkirk if the weather
conditions were such that they could not reach
their objectives, and when they arrived off
the French coast it was evident to all of them
that it would be Dunkirk for that day, what-
ever the morrow might bring forth. They did
not give in without a struggle, however, and

54

So7ne Fine British Raids

pushed along the coast until it was impos-
sible and imprudent to proceed any farther.
Grahame-White, as we have seen, had to
come down in the sea, where he waited in his
machine until he was picked up. It had been
a most exciting trip across Channel, even
although a disheartening one. Flight-Lieuten-
ant Rosher's experience was probably typical
of many others. " The clouds got thicker
and my compass became useless, swinging round
and round," he wrote. " I was about 7000
feet up and absolutely lost. The next thing
I realized was that my speed-indicator had
rushed up to ninety miles an hour and the
wind was fairly whistling through the wires.
I pulled her up, but had quite lost control.

" A hair-raising experience followed. I nose-
dived, side-slipped, stalled [lost speed], etc.
etc., time after time, my speed varying from
practically nothing up to over 100 miles an
hour. I kept my head, but was absolutely
scared stiff. I didn't get out of the clouds,
which lower down turned into a snow-storm
and hail, until I was only 1500 feet up. I
came out diving headlong for the earth."

55

Thrilling Deeds

By brilliant skill the aviator righted his
machine, and he tried his utmost to get out
of the snow-storm, skirt it and drive inland.
Failing in this he then endeavoured to get
beneath the storm, but was again unsuccessful.
Realizing at last that he could not hope to
accomplish his purpose he turned back for
Dunkirk, where he found the rest of the party
except one, presumably Grahame-White.

It was a crowd of pretty ' sick ' aviators
which assembled at Dunkirk that day, but
all were determined that the Germans should
feel the weight of the bombs which had been
brought over for their especial benefit, and
early the following morning the airmen were
ready to take up the interrupted task. It
was dark and misty and cloudy when the
machines ascended and set out seaward to get
as far off the shore as possible and thus be
out of range of the anti-aircraft batteries,
which began a wild song of hate as soon as the
droning of the engines was heard below. At
Ostend the raiders were bombarded from
scores of guns, but this did not prevent them
loosing their destructive missiles, and they

56

Some Fine British Raids

sailed on, leaving a trail of disaster behind.
Flight-Licutenant Rosher was among the party
bound for Zeebrugge, and when they arrived
there, the cloud-banks were so low that they
had to let go their bombs when at a height
of only 5500 feet. This, of course, gave the Ger-
mans a great opportunity, and their shrapnel
burst all around, fortunately, however, without
result. The shipping in the docks was struck
by the British bombs, and the power-station
burst into flame as the aviators winged their
way across, and so out to sea.

Considering that the German gunners, who
had had a good deal of experience against our
raiding machines, were, as Lieutenant Rosher
said, hitting at 8000 feet and reckoned on
getting every third shot home, it says much
for the skill of the British pilots that they all
returned safely, well pleased with themselves
at having given the enemy something to
remember. But in case they might forget,
on February i6th, the Naval Wing returned
and distributed a plentiful supply of bombs
over very much the same area as before. In
this great raid there were forty machines

57

Thrilling Deeds

engaged, the Ostend and Middelkerke batteries
were bombed, transport wagons on the Ostend-
Ghistelles road were shattered, the mole and
locks of Zeebrugge were further damaged, and
the shipping off Blankenberghe and Zeebrugge
suffered heavily.

While the British aviators were thus engaged
on these points of importance, eight French
machines, together with some British naval
'planes, swooped over to the Ghistelles aero-
drome, on which they made a vigorous attack,
so keeping the German airmen too busily em-
ployed to allow them to wing their way coast-
ward to cut off the raiders, some of whom,
nevertheless, fell victims to the enemy.

One of the largest raids undertaken by
British machines was that on March i8th, 1916,
when fifty British machines attacked the
German aerodrome near Ostend and the sub-
marine base at Zeebrugge. Had it been day-
light when the raiders started there would
have been a rare sight for spectators as the
fifty machines spluttered their way over the
flying ground and bounded up into the air

58

Some Fine British Raids

one after the other. It was night, however
and nothing was to be seen except the occasional
flash as pilots switched on their torches to
indicate to comrades the direction being taken.
With these intermittent Hghts to guide them
the squadron formed into a V-shaped flight,
with the bombing machines tucked in the
centre and the fighting Moranes on the flanks,
ready to tackle any enemy 'planes which might
endeavour to head off the raiders.

The airmen sped over the dunes, with the
sea gleaming below them and the subdued
lights of Ostend in the distance ahead, and
in due course divided into two parties, one
making for Ostend, the other stealing through
the night toward Zeebrugge. The attack on
Ostend came as a complete surprise to the
Germans there, and the aeroplane hangar
felt the force of British explosives : re-
sounding roars came to the airmen, who saw
the flames belching from hangar and store-
houses. The German flying men, taken by
surprise, dashed for cover, leaving their aero-
planes burning merrily.

Meanwhile, the Zeebrugge party had also

59

Thrillinor Deeds

<b

reached their objective, having safely passed
the anti-aircraft batteries, with whose positions
they were conversant, seeing that all the pilots
had made a careful study of the stretch of
coast over which they had flown, and knew
just where the batteries were placed. In the
docks at Zeebrugge were many German
destroyers and submarines, and at the first
crash of exploding bombs something in the
nature of a panic ensued. Destroyers hurried
out to sea, where monitors awaited them ;
submarines dived quickly to escape the falling
bombs ; soldiers and marines on shore darted
for cover, although many of them — two hundred,
it was reckoned at the time — were killed.
It was a scene of terror for the Germans ; the
bombs fell in quick succession as the aeroplanes
followed one another over the docks, and so
far as could be gathered afterward a tremen-
dous amount of damage was done, which is
not surprising, considering that during the raid
on the naval base and aerodrome some ten
thousand pounds of high explosives were
distributed ! The men who took part were
to be congratulated upon the effectiveness

60

Sonic Fine Bi^itish Raids

of their work, and it was probably due to the
important results achieved that a week later
the attempt was made upon the Zeppelin
bases on the Sylt island, off Schleswig-Holstein,
of which we have to tell in Chapter VI.

We have by no means exhausted the list
of important raids, but the instances given are
more or less typical of most of the others.
Sometimes all the aviators returned, at others
some were brought down or had to descend
through engine trouble ; in nearly every case,
however, the raiders succeeded in their purpose,
while the constant harassing of the enemy at
strategic and important points served to keep
him in mind of the efficiency of the British
Flying Services.

6i

CHAPTER IV

The Phick of Major Brabazon Rees

THE ' wasp ' hummed through the air,
and the goggled pilot, engaged on
work which ought to go through
without interruption, scanned the surrounding
space for signs of possible foes. Finding none,
he took in all details that he could of what
was going on below. It seemed that the trip
was going to be a fairly comfortable one, a
* joy-ride ' almost, and Major Lionel Wilmot
Brabazon Rees, R.A., R.F.C., was not at all
worried. The calmness, however, was destined
to be disturbed suddenly by one of those ter-
rific events which take place so unexpectedly
in the air.

Far off, in the misty distance, driving toward
the British lines, there presently appeared a
little bunch of black spots which, to any but
a man whose eyes had been trained to see,
might have been taken, perhaps, for the
dancing, mocking dots which are to many the

62

The Phtck of Major Brabazon Rees

signs of indigestion ; but Major Rees, practised
aviator as he was, who had fought and won
many an aerial duel, knew that those black
spots were aeroplanes.

EarHer in the day, as the Major knew, a
party of British fliers had droned over the
German lines to harass enemy communications,
and, as far as he knew, had not returned.

The appearance of the darting black spots
in the direction from which the raiders would
come on their return caused Major Rees to
believe that they were the homing birds of the
Flying Corps, and as there was little else doing
just then, the gallant and courteous pilot let
his engine all out and went up to meet the
approaching machines, intending to escort
them home, and, if necessary, to fight off any
Germans who ventured to try to intercept
them.

Then Major Rees made a startling discovery :
the gradually approaching dots resolved them-
selves into no fewer than ten machines driving
along in good formation, and, to the surprise
of the Major, when they were close enough
to be distinguished through his binoculars,

63

Thrilling Deeds

he saw on their wings, not the tricoloured
circle of the Alhes, but the sinister black cross
of the Hun.

And those ten machines, the pilots of which
had sighted the lonely patrol, were opening
out as they came in order to surround him
from above and below, from front and rear,
from left side and right side.

The gallant Major, when he discovered his
mistake, did not bank and go swinging round
for home, but went boldly forward, to join
issue with the foremost of the enemy. The
machines met, and while the remainder of the
foe were flying like carrion crows to the feast,
the two fought out a light which, although
short, was bitter and fierce. The vicious
Lewis gun barked in anger at the Nordenfeldt,
and a hail of shots spattered through the rival
machines and made grim music, which each
of the aviators knew might end in the crash
of a grande finale.

With a roar. Major Rees' machine swept
under the German, followed a sharp wheel,
and the Britisher was mounting to the attack
again, to be in turn sprayed by a stream of

64

fe^-.

V

. ^A,'

The R.F.C. at Work

Aerial action at an altitude of two and a quarter miles between four

British machines and nine German

H

The Pluck of Major Brabazon Rees

bullets. In this manner for a brief space of
time, into which was crowded all the terror
of aerial fighting, the ' scrap ' went on, until
Major Rees realized that his opponent's fire
had slackened, whereupon, driving into him,
he sent the Hun diving to the ground, not
mortally wounded, but so badl}^ mauled that
it was impossible for him to continue the
fight.

So rapidly had the conflict been waged and
ended that it was all over and the German
was slipping down the dizzy heights before
his companions could get near enough to give
much assistance. As it was, when they saw
the phght of their comrade, five of them, while
yet at a long range, opened fire with their
machine-guns, and five hail-storms seemed to
break upon the British pilot's machine.

Major Rees, scorning to fly from even such
superior numbers, sailed into closer quarters,
singled out a foe, and after another stiff, sharp
fight drove him off, then turned upon another
and treated him in a similar way.

Such doughty fighting, whirlwind tactics of
a sort that enabled the British pilot to fight
E 65

Thrilling Deeds

and conquer and come up again, completely
demoralized the other three Germans, who,
thinking discretion the better part of valour,
now scattered and made off, bent upon getting
out of range of the British fire-eater.

Major Rees, his machine showing many signs
of the mauling it had received, breathed more
freely when he saw his enemies beating their
retreat. Not that he was afraid, but the
respite gave him a breathing space in which
to see what damage had been done to his
machine. He found that it was still workable
and under control, for which he was glad,
because westward he could see a couple of
cross-marked aeroplanes going full out, and
being in fighting mood. Major Rees hurried
on their trail.

The German aviators swung round the
nozzles of their snappy little weapons, to point
clear at the Britisher, who, with his own Lewis
unshipped, was rapidly coming up. The two
streams of shot whistled through the air and
the Germans' bullets broke upon and through
the Major's nacelle and wings. One of the
Germans, when the distance had lessened,

66

The Phtcic of Major Brabazon Rces

succeeded in getting into an advantageous
position — a momentary advantage, but yet
just enough for what he had in mind : his
machine-gun kept up its staccato rat-tat, and
some of the bullets plugged their way into his
adversary's thigh. Under the shock of the
impact Major Rees temporarily lost control.
His machine slipped in the way that aeroplanes
do when the guiding brain no longer controls
them, made a quick dart forward, and then
fell sheer down at a terrifying speed.

It seemed that there was nothing but
disaster awaiting Major Rees.

In such moments everything depends upon
the man, and in this case the man was not
found wanting. Faint from loss of blood,
with a sharp stinging pain in his thigh, and
with the knowledge that unless he acted
promptly and coolly he would be dashed to
death below, Major Rees, while the machine
spun, succeeded by a miraculous effort in
getting the 'plane in hand once more. There
was quick work with the ' joy-stick ' and rudder-
bar, and suddenly the machine, which a second
before seemed doomed, had righted itself and

67

Thrilling Deeds

was going on, and, wonder of wonders — its
pilot was driving for his foes !

Close in he drove his 'plane, so close that
only a few yards separated the combatants,
and the Major could see the begoggled faces of
the Germans. At this close range Major Rees
expended his ammunition, drum after drum,
until at last not a bullet remained.

" Then," says the report which notified the
award of the Victoria Cross to him, " he
returned home, landing his machine safely
in our lines."

Already, before this, Major Rees had made
for himself a reputation in the service. As
early as September 21st, 1915, he had performed
a deed which, among others, won for him
the M.C. He was flying a one-gunned aero-
plane, with Flight - Sergeant Hargreaves as
companion, when he saw 2000 feet beneath
him a very large German machine, mounting
two machine-guns. The Hun 'plane was
sweeping along at a terrific rate, and Major
Rees — or as he was then. Captain Rees — knew
that so far as speed was concerned, the enemy
had the advantage of him. Such trifles, how-

68

Tlie Phtck of Major Brahazon Rees

ever, do not worry the men who gained from
Sir John French the eulogy that they had won
the supremacy of the air. The Major went
down in a fine spiral and then dived at the
foe — firing his gun as he did so and rattling
bullets upon the German aeroplane, which,
however, being so much faster was able to
evade the down-rushing Britisher. Before the
pilot could right his machine, the German
had banked, turned and come up so sharply
that he could get his antagonist broadside on.
Instantly the machine-guns opened fire and a
hurricane of bullets swept Major Rees' machine.
The British gun was not idle, however, and
it answered the enemy in its own way, answered
so effectively that Major Rees, handling his
machine with remarkable skill and cool-headed-
ness, suddenly saw the German make a sharp
turn and glide away. One of the nickel
pellets had delivered its message somewhere
in the enemy's engine, and the great 'plane,
apparently uncontrollable for fighting purposes,
went gliding down, to land eventually just
behind the German lines near Herbecourt.
On another occasion the gallant Major

69

Thrilling Deeds

attacked a hostile aeroplane and a dramatic,
hard-hitting fight took place. The foes were
well matched in courage, and neither would
admit defeat for some time. Major Rees,
with one main spar of his machine shot through,
fought on with the proverbial courage of the
Briton and battered his enemy unmercifully.
Not even when the stream of bullets from the
German partly shattered a rear spar did the
Major give up, but, persisting in his attack
and drawing in closer than ever, to make sure
of effective firing, he succeeded in driving
the enemy down.

A third enemy machine suffered as sadly
at the hands of Major Rees and his companion,
Flight-Sergeant Hargreaves. The Hun was no
mean antagonist, but a large, speedy fighting
machine, far more powerful than that piloted
by the Briton, who, however, sailed into the
' scrap,' driving up, diving, banking, turning,
and so on, all the time letting the German
have full benefit of the Lewis gun. For three-
quarters of an hour the fight went on, until,
the last drum having been expended. Major
Rees flew away.

70

Tlie Pluck of Major Brabazon Rees

The Germans must have felt very pleased
that they had succeeded in drivmg off so
stubborn an adversary, and never doubting
but that they had seen the last of him, they
climbed aloft, looking for more victories.

They did not know that Major Rees had gone
to his aerodrome, not to take his ease after a
brilliant fight, but to replenish his stock of
ammunition. They were soon to learn, how-
ever, for back he now came with all the speed
he could get out of his engine. A strenuous
encounter followed, and this time the Major
was one too many for his antagonist, for soon
the German machine went sliding down the
unseen precipices, to crash into the unyielding
ground below.

71

CHAPTER V

The End of the ''Konigsberg''

THE credit for making possible the
destruction of the German raiding
Hght cruiser Kdnigsherg, without un-
due loss to ourselves, belongs to the men of
the Royal Naval Air Service. When the war
began the Konigsberg was at Dar-es-Salaam,
and, acting upon orders given long before,
no doubt, she at once commenced operations
against British shipping on the east coast of
Africa. Among her exploits was a sudden
attack on the obsolete British cruiser Pegasus,
which, some time previously, had bombarded
Dar-es-Salaam and then put in at Zanzibar
to see to her rusty old boilers and generally
tinker up before undertaking further work.
The Pegasus never made another voyage, how-
ever, for on September 19th, 1914, while she
was still under repair, a scathing bombardment
was opened upon her, and her commander,
looking seaward, saw what he recognized to

72

The End of the ''Konigsherg'

be the Kdnigshcrg, belching flame from every
gun she could bring to bear. The poor old
Pegasus could not reply to any effect because
her assailant was well out of range of her guns.
The conclusion was foregone and the Kdnigs-
berg, having wreaked her evil will upon the
old cruiser, steamed away. But there had
been some fine heroism on board the Pegasus,
only one example of which we have space to
mention here. This was the conduct of certain
of the crew who, seeing their ensign shot
away from the halyards, promptly made a rush
for it, and, there being no other available
means of restoring it, held it aloft in their
hands, waving it jauntily in the most exposed
place, so that the enemy should be under no
misapprehension but that the outclassed little
vessel would go down with her flag fl^^ing.

Some six weeks later, Nemesis, which had
been on the track of the raider, caught her
up in the shape of H.M.S. Chatham, which dis-
covered the German hiding in the Rufiji River,
opposite Mafia Island, in German East Africa,
later to be wrested from the Kaiser by the
gallant South Africans under General Smuts.

73

Thrilling Deeds

The rest of the story reads Hke a romance
from the pages of Marryat — with differences !
The British officer in command of the opera-
tions sank a German Hner in the mouth of the
river, to prevent the raider from escaping,
and then began sheUing the cruiser. The
Konigsberg, however, managed to get out of
range, and, in order more securely to bottle
her up, a fairly large vessel, the collier New-
bridge, was sent up river toward the island
on which the German seamen had meantime
entrenched themselves, with machine-guns and
quick-firing guns for artillery. It was but poetic
justice that Lieutenant Lavington, an officer
who had been attached to the old Pegasus,
should be placed in command of the Newbridge
when she steamed up river on her hazardous
mission. The collier was to be scuttled when
she reached a position where her presence
below the surface would effectually block the
channel.

Lieutenant Lavington piloted his craft skil-
fully, and passing the fortified island, from
which the entrenched Germans opened fire
upon him, came to the appointed spot. The

74

The End of t lie '' Konigsberg''

collier was then swung broadside across the
channel and water was let into her port tank
so that she took a list to stern, thus offering
great resistance to the four-knot current run-
ning. This operation having been successfully
achieved, the crew jumped for the steam
launches which had followed in the wake of
the Newbridge to take them back ; buttons
which connected electric wires with three
charges of gun-cotton placed in the hold were
pressed ; there followed three terrific explo-
sions, and the coUier began to settle down to
her last resting-place.

On the way back down river the gallant
bluejackets had to run the gauntlet of the
entrenched foe, who were using dum-dum
bullets. There were a number of casualties,
but the majority of the men succeeded in
getting back unscathed to the waiting warships
at the mouth of the river.

Although she was not disposed of until the
following July, the Konigsberg's days were
numbered. To effect her final destruction
elaborate preparations were made, but they
were worth while. Two of the monitors, the

75

Thrilling Deeds

Severn and the Mersey, which had been built
for operations in shallow waters, were sent
over to East Africa, together with a number
of Royal Naval Air Service men and their
machines. Headquarters were established at
Mafia, from which place aerial observers went
up to take notes of the exact position of the
Konigsherg in order that the monitors might
be able to get the range.

To the man who knows nothing about
atmospheric conditions and their effect upon
aircraft, it may not seem a more hazardous
venture to go up in East Africa than to do so
in Western Europe, but the truth is that there
is a vast difference. For instance, it is on
record that a German aviator in South-west
Africa could only fly over the Union camps
at certain times of the day because of the
effect of the heat upon his engine. And much
the same conditions prevailed in East Africa,
where, as the official account said, " Most
serious risks have been run by the officers and
men who have flown in this climate, where
the effect of the atmosphere and the extreme
heat of the sun are quite unknown to those

76

The End of the '' Konigsberg''

whose flying experience is limited to moderate
climates. ' Bmiips ' of 250 feet have been
experienced several times [which means that
the aviator has dropped into an air-pocket,
and sHd down the emptiness so quickly that
the effect of reaching normal conditions again,
has given his machine an awful bump, in much
the same way as a man jumping from a wall
feels the jar when he hits the solid ground
below], and the temperature varies from ex-
treme cold, when flying at a great height, to
a great heat, with burning tropical sun, when
on land."

On April 25th, Flight-Commander Coll carried
an observer from Mafia to where the Konigsberg
lay. It was only after considerable trouble
that they located her, for she was hidden
among the jungle, with tree trunks erected
upon her decks to further conceal her. The
Germans, who, it was supposed, had an obser-
vation and ' spotting ' station at Pemba, were
quickly apprised of the approach of the aero-
plane, and her appearance was the signal for
a heavy bombardment. Perhaps because the
German gunners were not experienced in aerial

77

Thrilling Deeds

shooting the machine was not brought down,
but, as she had to descend to about 700 feet
to enable the observer to take the required
photographs, it is not to be wondered at that
some shots got home, and that the engine of
the aeroplane was badly damaged, although not
so badly as to prevent the aviators returning
to their base.

Final plans having been made, on July 6th
Flight-Commander Harold E. M. Watkins,
with Assistant-Paymaster Harold G. Badger
of H.M.S. Hyacinth, (who had had no previous
experience in flying, and had volunteered for
the risky venture) as observer, left Mafia at
5.25 a.m., with a cargo of bombs, followed at
540 by Lieutenant-Commander Coll with Flight-
Sub-Lieutenant H. J. Arnold as observer.
The Severn and the Mersey were meantime
moving up into the river, and while the monitors
were taking up firing positions, and while
Lieutenant Arnold was signalling his observa-
tions, the airmen in the first machine dropped
their bombs, which action served to keep
the Germans engaged. All being ready, the
monitors opened fire, and at the same time

7S

The End of the '' Konigsberg''

H.M.S. Weymouth attended to Pemba observa-
tion station, with intent to distract the German
gunners, that their bombardment at the moni-
tors and also at the invaluable aeroplanes
overhead might be ineffective.

The Konigsherg, closely hidden in the dense
jungle, was no easy mark, despite the aid of
the aeroplanes, which, naturally, could not
keep the air so long in those early days as is
possible to-day. The result was that, although
firing was opened at 6.30 a.m., by 12.35 little
damage had been done to the Konigsberg,
chiefly because the aeroplanes, of which there
were only two available, had continually to
be relieving each other. The distance from
the aerodrome to the site of the Konigsberg
was thirty miles, therefore " Considerable in-
tervals elapsed between the departure of one
and the arrival of its relief, and this resulted
in loss of shooting efficiency." To make
matters more difficult, just after half-past
twelve one of the machines broke down,
and the gunners on the monitors had to make
the best they could of the one observer.

Naturally, the Konigsberg was not taking her

79

Thrilling Deeds

gruelling without a fight. Her gunners worked
their guns well, and won praise from the
Admiral in charge of the British forces. The
Kdnigsherg replied, he wrote, " firing salvos
of five guns with accuracy and rapidity.
H.M.S. Mersey was hit twice, four men being
killed and four wounded by one shell." For
six hours the bombardment had been going
on, and the Konigsberg was still intact, although
she had been hit five times — not bad shooting,
considering all the difficulties of ' spotting ' the
fall of the shots. Again the monitors fired a
salvo, and the shells fell with devastating force
upon her. The vessel was now seen to be
heavily on fire between the masts. Then it was
that the aeroplane broke down, and the work
of observation was left to the second machine.
The Germans had paid their respects also
to the aviators, and many narrow escapes were
experienced. But the work went on until
3.50, when the second machine was incapaci-
tated for further work that day, and the
operations came to a temporary close.

Although the Konigsberg must by that time
have been in an awful condition, her men

80

The End of tlie '' Konigsberg'

were plucky, and she had continued to fire
with one gun, intermittently, for some time
after the fire had broken out. Eventually,
however, she ceased firing, whether because her
guns had all been put out of action or because
ammunition had failed her was not known
then. Certain it was that, if she were not
entirely out of action, she was incapacitated,
and would not give much trouble when the
time came to put the finishing touches upon
the work.

These final operations were carried out on
July nth, and FHght-Commander Coll, having
got his machine in working order again, went
out with FHght-Sub-Lieutenant Arnold, to
* spot ' for the monitors, which had effected
necessary repairs and taken in coal. The ob-
servation of Lieutenant Arnold was excellent,
and it did not take long for the gunners on
the monitors to get the exact range, where-
upon they literally showered their explosives
upon the doomed Kdnigsherg, or what was left
of her. Even then the Germans put up a good
defence, trying to bring down the aeroplane,
or else drive it away, and the aviators were in
F 8i

Thrilling Deeds

no little peril all the time. Eventually, when
the work was almost completed, the Germans
got home a shot which so badly damaged the
machine that Lieutenant Arnold had to signal
to the monitors that they were forced to
descend and would try to land near by. From
3200 feet the aeroplane dropped to 2000
in a very short time, although Flight-Com-
mander Coll did his best to keep up as long
as possible. He knew that the work must
be completed as quickly as possible, and that
without his machine the gunners on the
monitors would, to all intents and purposes,
be helpless. His observer continued calmly to
take note of each shot as it fell and to send
back ' spotting ' corrections. A quarter of an
hour passed, the aeroplane dropping lower all
the time, and the Germans making frantic efforts
to finish their aerial enemy, until at last they
succeeded in hitting it again, inflicting further
injury, which made it imperative to go down
at once. Even then, while the biplane main-
tained an even keel Lieutenant Arnold con-
tinued to send his ' spottings,' but at last flight
was no longer possible. The machine, piloted

82

The End of the '' Konigsherg''

very skilfully, came over the monitors, and
then began to fall rapidly, turning over and
over and finally plunging into the river near
the Mersey, which, by the wa}/, had been
struck by shells from the Kdnigsherg.

It was a dramatic moment. Flight-Com-
mander Coll was entangled in the wreckage,
so that he was in great peril. Lieutenant
Arnold was able to disengage himself and
with great gallantry went to his pilot's assist-
ance. The soaked planes were dipping one
after the other into the water, and the weight
of the engine was gradually dragging the
biplane down. Working feverishly yet sys-
tematically, at great risk to himself Lieutenant
Arnold succeeded in extricating Coll from the
wreckage. He was only just in time ; a few
more minutes and the pilot would have gone
down with the wreck of the aeroplane on
which he had done such good service.

Supporting his exhausted companion, Lieu-
tenant Arnold awaited anxiously the arrival
of a boat which he had seen set out from the
Mersey. In a short time he and his burden
were hauled into the craft, and taken on

83

Thrillmg Deeds

board the monitor, which, with her sister vessel,
had meantime continued the bombardment
of the helpless Konigsherg. At 12.50 it was
reported that the raider was on fire and would
give no more trouble. The cruiser had not
long survived the aeroplane !

It is evident that but for the good work
done by the Royal Naval Air Service, the
destruction of the Konigsberg would have been
far more difficult. In all probability a strong
force of men would have had to have been
landed, and they would have had to fight
their way through the jungle and assault the
entrenched Germans, an operation which would,
no doubt, have been attended with considerable
loss. The operations proved in a remarkable
way the value of the newest arm in warfare.

84

CHAPTER VI

''One of 02tr Mad tines did not
Return''

BEHIND the cold official announcements
which tell only that " one of our
machines has failed to return " there
is, as may be supposed, very often a thrilling
story, for several things, any one of which
has possibilities and probabilities of dra-
matic character, may have happened to that
machine.

Read, for instance, the story of Captain
Thomas Chaloner, 13th Squadron, R.F.C., who,
not having returned from a bombing raid on
July ist, 1916, was notified as " missing."
Apparently a storm was brewing in the cauldron
of the elements, but, as he wrote home, Captain
Chaloner " did not see it," being engaged by
a German at the time. Anxious to reach his
objective rather than to try conclusions with
a foe on the way, the Captain set his engine
going ' all out,' and succeeded in showing a

85

Thrilling Deeds

mocking tail to the German. He was pm-sued,
however, for some distance, and for a time his
escape was not assured. To add to his perils
he came within range of an anti-aircraft
battery, over which he was flying, and only
good handling and skilful steering got him
out of that tight corner.

The Captain was not yet out of the wood,
however, for, he had hardly drawn clear when
he became aware of another German machine
about 200 feet above him. Again he put on
his best speed, and as he drove along there
came down to him the vicious snapping of a
machine-gun. At first it did not occur to him
that the German was attacking him ! "I
thought he was engaging another machine,"
he wrote. " When I looked up I saw that he
and I were the only machines in sight, so I
realized what was up."

As if to press home the seriousness of the
situation, there came to the Captain the sound
of several sharp raps on his left plane, and
looking in that direction, he saw three ominous
little holes in the wing, which proved that the
German was making good practice, and that it

86

One of our MacJiuies did not Return

was necessary to take immediate action to deal
with him. Captain Chaloner wasted no time ;
he stood his machine on its tail, and so bring-
ing his gun in direct line with the hovering
enemy, he emptied a whole drum into him. The
German, however, roared past and over him,
being enabled to do so with facility owing to
the fact that his machine was probably twice
as speedy as Captain Chaloner 's. Before the
Britisher could come about, his adversary
had dropped behind and almost level with
him, letting fly with his machine-gun as he did
so. Chaloner replied with half a drum. Up
went the German again, climbing with amazing
rapidity, and coming right over the Captain.
As he went he sprayed a few more rounds,
and suddenly the Captain's engine ' cut out,'
and he knew that one of the bullets, at any
rate, had found a sure billet, probably, so he
guessed at the time, in his carburettor. In-
stantly the British machine began to glide,
and the German, flying at a fair distance
above, followed, expending occasional rounds
as he did so. The situation was becoming
unpleasant, and Captain Chaloner, although

87

Thrilling Deeds

he knew that he was at a severe disadvantage,
turned upon his foe and fired up at him,
getting off about fifteen rounds. It was all
very hopeless, however, for the British aero-
plane, without a working engine, had abso-
lutely no chance, and the pilot knew that he
would be lucky if he reached tena firma alive.
Suddenly his machine dived and then side-
slipped, but the Captain, cool-headed still,
managed to regain control when he was within
about i8o feet of the ground, and he finally
glided safely to earth, to find himself surrounded
by German infantry.

They carried him ten miles back toward the
firing line — which shows that he had gone a
considerable distance over the German lines
— and after a while some German Flying
Corps officers came up in a motor-car to claim
him as their prize. The infantry opposed the
claim, and there was a " lot of scrapping,"
as the Captain wrote, but in the end the flying
men won, and the prisoner was taken to their
mess. There he met his antagonist, and also
a number of British pilots who had been
similarly unlucky. To the credit of the German

Ojie of our Macliincs did not Return

flying men, let it be said that they treated
Captain Chaloner well.

Behind the brief, laconic report issued of a
raid on Schleswig-Holstein, on March 25th, 1916,
there is a graphic tale of an air and sea attack,
which was undertaken in circumstances which
were very unfavourable and resulted, amongst
other things, in certain airmen being reported
as missing. When, over a twelvemonth before,
our naval airmen had attacked Cuxhaven their
efforts had not been so successful as they
might have been because of a fog which hid
the precious ships in harbour, and, similarly,
the raid which we are about to describe had not
the results which were expected of it owing to
the inclement weather. The expedition, con-
sisting of light cruisers and destroyers and
seaplanes, set out from its base at an hour
which it was calculated would bring the force
near to the German coast in the early morning.
The evening was dark enough in all conscience,
and as the ships held on their way the weather
became very threatening, and at last they
drove right into a howling blizzard. Com-

89

Thrilling Deeds

modore Tyrwhitt, who was in command of the
expedition, knew that the trip to Germany was
going to be no easy one ; it would have been
difficult even if only for the many minefields
to be gone through, but with such a storm
raging the dangers were increased tenfold.

One of those who took part in the affair
told a Scotsman interviewer that " it was
terrible work. The journey was long. It was
not until one o'clock on Saturday morning
that we got near the German coast. We were
now going full steam ahead ; all decks were
cleared for action, the men standing by the
guns, and the bows ploughed through the
angry seas like razors. We managed to steer
through the hidden dangers successfully, and
about 3 a.m. the curtain went up on the
strangest vision which has ever been seen in
the North Sea.

" The weather quickly grew worse, and just
as the show was about to begin a terrific gale
sprang up ! Battle-cruisers, destroyers and
other craft were tossed about like corks. The
wind was blowing fearfully, and more than once
we were in such a plight that many of us yelled

90

One of ow Machines did not Return

' Good-bye, England, home, and beauty ! '
To make matters worse a terrific snowstorm
came on, and the North Sea seemed to undergo
a complete transformation. Nothing looked
more unlikely than a battle in such weather
conditions."

And indeed those same weather conditions
caused the seaplane raid to be postponed for
a while. Apparently the German fleet was
not keen on coming out to give battle, and as
their ships lolloped off the coast, the British
seamen whiled away the time with gramo-
phones, the favourite record on that dark and
dismal morn being, " Here we are, here we are
again ! " — an invitation to the enemy to join
issue. The Commodore, realizing that the
weather was not likely to change, eventually
decided to let loose his falcons, five of which
were sent up in the teeth of the driving storm.

We will leave the story of those seaplanes
for a while in order to tell of what happened
to their escort during the time the bombers
were winging their way toward the airship
sheds on the island of Sylt. The German
patrol boats, in due course, came within

91

Thrilling Deeds

striking distance of the Britisli vessels, and
simultaneously both sides opened fire through
the blizzard. The snow was falling so densely,
however, that it was difficult to retain any
organized formation, and the action developed
into a series of isolated duels. The British
ships lost no opportunity of punishing their
opponents, who were chased relentlessly when-
ever they were sighted through the snow.
Two armed trawlers felt the weight and the
smother of British gun-fire and gave no further
trouble. British destroyers were quickly at
work picking up struggling survivors, but the
work of rescue was not easy, and danger lurked
behind the snow-bank. The dense veil of snow
bafHed all efforts on the part of look-out men,
and it happened that the Medusa suddenly
found herself face to face, as it were, with one
of her consorts. The discovery was made too
late to avoid collision, and with a rending crash
the two ships swept into each other, the Medusa
getting the worst of the encounter. On the
instant it was " Out boats ! " on the other
destroyers, and while at several points of the
far-reaching scene of battle, guns were roaring,

92

One of our Machines did not Return

yellow-red flashes were rending the darkness,
and shells were screaming through the air,
stirring deeds were being enacted in the effort
to save as many as possible of the Medusa's
men, some of whom were in the water, while
others were being transferred from their doomed
vessel before she went down.

Both fleets used the same tactics for diffe-
rent purposes : the Germans sought to lure the
British ships on to the minefields nearer the
coast, while the British vessels tried to coax
the Germans out to sea by offering themselves
as bait. From the " dashing in " tactics
which they had first used the Britons fell back
to what seemed to be flight ; they suddenly
" swooped round," said one who was present,
" to give the enemy the impression that we
were beating a hasty retreat." The ruse de
guerre was successful ; German cruisers and
torpedo-boat destroyers, confident that they
now had their enemy on the run and possibly
at their mercy, swept out to the chase, which
lasted just as long as the British desired it
to. They then swung round as one ship and
bombarded the disillusioned Germans with all

93

Thrilling Deeds

the guns they could bring to bear. Despite the
awful weather conditions the British gunners
got in some fine shots, as was evident when,
the snow occasionally clearing, enemy destroyers
were seen to be blazing from end to end. The
last that was seen of two of them showed that
they were in that fiery phght, and in view of
the heavy weather it is not a little doubtful
whether they could have reached the port for
which they and their consorts were hastening
with the British shells dropping like a hurricane
at their heels.

Yet one other German destroyer met her
doom during that terrific fight by the little-
used method of modern naval warfare, the ram.
H.M.S. Cleopatra, cutting through the seas
with well-nigh the highest power of her engines,
her bows hidden from sight by the huge
waves she created, suddenly came through the
snow upon a German destroyer. The unlucky
boat had never experienced such a hurricane
of fire as was poured upon her as the Cleopatra
came rapidly up. The light cruiser headed
directly for the enemy, who tried in vain to
turn off the approaching foe by her gunfire.

94

One of 02tr Machines did not Return

Probably the time was too short to allow of a
torpedo being launched, but the risk was great,
and the British commander took a desperate
and determined resolve. His action was remi-
niscent of the olden days, and the Germans
must have been wholly unprepared for the
stroke. Throbbing with the full energy of her
powerful engines, the Cleopatra drove straight
for her victim and her sharp bows bit deeply
into the steel hull of the German. The awful
impact shook the cruiser from bow to stern
and made even her own strong-hearted crew
wonder whether their ship would survive.
But the British cruiser was little damaged,
and the destroyer, listing heavily, with the sea
pouring into the great rent in her hull, fell
away, to be hidden immediately by another
curtain of snow which fell at that moment.

The sea affair had ended successfully and
the British crews were highly pleased with
their work. But what of the airmen ?

The leader of the raiders was Flight-Lieu-
tenant G. H. Reid, and of the band of Naval
Air Service men who went on that bomb-
ing expedition five, including Lieutenant Reid

95

Thrilling Deeds

himself, Flight-Sub-Lieutenant J. F. Hay, Chief
Petty Officer Mullins, and two others, failed to
return.

The trip out to the airship sheds was un-
eventful, but when the Naval men came within
sight of their objective it was clear that they
were to experience a warm reception. Anti-
aircraft batteries barked angrily and the air
was filled with screaming shells and whistling
bullets, but the aviators sailed courageously
on their way, and as each passed over the
long lines which he knew to be sheds, he loosed
his bombs, drove on, and then swept round
in a circle which led him out seaward. It was
a strenuous and dangerous business, for the
driving snowstorm lashed the machines, and the
snow coated the glass of the airmen's goggles
and bhnded them. The German gunners, too,
were making good practice ; such good practice,
indeed, that two machines were brought down.
One of these, a small mount carrying Sub-
Lieutenant Hay, tumbled into the sea just
off the coast.

Among the rest. Lieutenant Reid, leader of
the raiders, was fighting his way through the

96

One of our Machines did not Return

snowstorm, shells bursting above and below
and around him, so that he seemed to be
encircled by a ring of explosions. Safety lay
in putting as great a distance as possible, in as
short a time as possible, between himself and
the batteries below, but looking down, the
Lieutenant was startled to see a seaplane
drifting on the water, buffeted by the wind
and waves, and the figure of a man struggling
beside it.

Lieutenant Reid recognized that the wrecked
machine was the single-seater which had carried
Lieutenant Hay, and although he might have
succeeded in getting away had he pushed on,
the gallant airman planed down through the
crashing shells, alighted on the water, and
taxied toward the now almost submerged
seaplane, which was presently reached. A
heavy sea was running and Reid and his
mechanic had to use all their skill and cun-
ning to keep their machine steady and at the
same time hold on to the almost exhausted
Sub-Lieutenant. Despite all the difficulties,
however, and regardless of the fact that the
Germans were continually firing heavily at them,
G 97

Thrilling Deeds

Lieutenant Reid and his mechanic, C. P. O.
Mullins, at last managed to drag the wrecked
aviator into the body of their machine, where
they fixed him up as comfortably as was pos-
sible. He was chilled to the bone, and almost
unconscious by reason of his exposure and the
drenching he had received.

It was now time to attend again to their own
safety. Lieutenant Reid opened out his engine
and set the seaplane taxi-ing along the rough
waters, expecting it to rise in due course. The
machine, however, refused to do anything of
the kind, and the pilot could neither coax it
nor force it. Nothing but the purr of the
engine and a short, sharp spurt followed his
efforts.

And alas ! Lieutenant Reid could see a
German ship ploughing its way through the
heaving seas. Steadily forward the vessel came,
and the sight of her made the airman redouble
his efforts to get up and away. The wind
seemed to force his machine downward every
time he thought he had it on the rise ; the
water seemed to be clinging to the floats and
refusing to let go. It was maddening !

98

One of our MacJiines did 7iot Rehirn

It is easy to imagine what thoughts were
running through the minds of the three Britons
as they sat in their obstinate mount : to rise
and wing out across the sea meant freedom
and opportunity to fight again ; to stay there,
until that forging ship reached them, meant
captivity until the world-war was over ! Never
did men work more determinedly than they ;
but weather and water were against them ;
they lay rocking helplessly on the surface, and
knew at last that they were doomed.

When the German ship came up there was
nothing for it but to submit with the best
possible grace, and the shivering, drenched,
wretched-looking three were hauled aboard,
to be consigned to a prison camp and enforced
idleness for many a long day to come.

Sometimes news of what happens to those
who are posted * missing ' comes, not through
letters received from the men themselves, but
from neutral correspondents with the German
army. In such cases the censor sees to it that
the narrator does not tell too much, but there
is one story at least which filtered through

99

Thrilling Deeds

to America of a battle royal in which British
aviators were worsted.

On a cloudless September day, in 1916,
spectators at the German Headquarters in
Picardy saw four tiny specks appear in the
sky. The setting sun provided an appropriate
background for what was about to be enacted.
Evidently hostile aeroplanes were approaching,
for puffs of bursting shrapnel from the anti-
aircraft guns began to play about the points
of black. Those shells seemed to be very near
to the oncoming aeroplanes, although it after-
ward transpired that they were falling nearly
a mile short of the nearest machine. The
specks grew larger, the guns roared continu-
ously, and the watchers presently saw a couple
of German machines rise swiftly behind the
raiders as though to cut them off.

Every one was now on the qui vive, waiting
for the combat to begin. It was clear that
the visitors were British, yet there was not
one of the lookers-on who did not admire the
way in which the four pilots sailed over the
gun positions, apparently quite untroubled by
the bursts of shrapnel.

100

One of our Machines did not Return

Presently it became evident that one of the
raiders had caught sight of one of the German
machines, for he began to dive.

But it is time for us to see what was hap-
pening in that British biplane, and we have
available the report of the newspaper corre-
spondent who interviewed the pilot and observer
afterward.

Lieutenant Douglas Stewart, the observer,
sweeping the limitless space with his binoculars,
had spotted one of those uprising German
aeroplanes, and, informing his pilot, Captain
A. S. Salmond, prepared for the moment
when Captain Salmond should decide to attack.
The Lewis guns were unshipped and ready
when the biplane turned in her course and
dived steeply. The cross-marked wings grew
rapidly larger and Briton and German met in
mortal combat 8000 feet up. Unhappily for
Captain Salmond and his observer, their
attention was taken up by their one foe, and
they did not see that a second hawk was on
their trail.

The British machine, which had dropped
about 2500 feet, engaged the first enemy at

lOI

Thrilling Deeds

some 600 yards, and there followed a sharp
exchange of about a dozen rounds of ammu-
nition without much harm being caused to
either combatant.

And then came disaster for the Britons.

The second German 'plane, which had suc-
ceeded in getting well over the British craft,
suddenly poured in a stream of bullets. One
plugged into Stewart's cheek, another cut the
collar of his tunic to rags and narrowly missed
his throat, while a third scraped the pilot's
face. Stewart was flung off his seat on to the
floor of the nacelle, and was badly bruised.
He had sufficient strength to ram another
drum into his gun, and, determined to make a
good show, he emptied this at the enemy,
although he could not get back into his seat,
and had to fire lying down.

He realized, in that moment when the
machine was swaying frightfully, that there
was little chance for him and his companion.
" It was a pretty fight," he said, " but fate was
against us." Fate indeed was against them,
for the German's hurricane of bullets crackled
all over the machine, and presently the pilot's

102

A British Aeroplane Ablaze after a Duel with a
Giant Biplane

loa

One of ottr Machines did not Return

control was carried away. It was now im-
possible to get out of the tight corner and
the British machine was utterly at the mercy
of the foe, whose shots now cut away the
struts of one of the wings, which immediately
collapsed.

Like a bird with broken wing, the doomed
aeroplane dropped at lightning speed, followed
by the victor. Seven thousand five hundred
feet Captain Salmond saw that his altimeter
was registering, and he knew that there was
little likelihood, unless a miracle happened,
of either he or his observer escaping with life.
Grim, silent, facing death, those two intrepid
men sat in their nacelle, the pilot doing all he
could with his smashed controlling gear to pre-
vent the machine from turning too many of
those fearful somersaults which so often have
resulted in death.

The splendid skill and nerve of Captain
Salmond triumphed, the tragedy was obviated,
and when the machine reached earth, the
two men, although badly shaken and sorely
battered, were still alive — indeed, they had
no bones broken !

103

Thrilling Deeds

In the spirit of camaraderie which seems
especially to distinguish the men of the rival
flying services, the German victors, it is
pleasant to add, treated their prisoners cour-
teously while they were at the flying base.

We will conclude this chapter with one other
story told by a newspaper correspondent with
the German army.

One day during September 1916, Captain
Boelcke, the man who competed with Immel-
mann for the reputation of being champion
flying fighter of Germany, attacked Captain
R. E. Wilson of the R.F.C., and after some
excellent fighting on the part of both succeeded
in holing Captain Wilson's tank.

The petrol flowed over the machine, and
instantly there was a tremendous blaze which
enveloped the whole aeroplane. Knowing that
if he would save his life he must descend at
once, Captain Wilson immediately sent his
machine diving for earth. It needs grit to
keep one's seat with the flames roaring around
as the machine slips through the air. Captain
Wilson was badly burned, and any man could

104

One of otir Machines did not Retur7i

be excused who in a moment of such agony as
the airman must have suffered lost his head
and leapt out of his machine.

But Captain Wilson kept his head, maintained
perfect control over his mount, and actually
succeeded in bringing it to rest as gracefully
as he would have done in normal circumstances,
much to the astonishment of the Germans, who
had expected to see the machine crash heavily
to earth, the flaming bier of its pilot.

105

CHAPTER VII

First-Aid in Mid- Air

THE manner in which Sub-Lieutenant
Oxley won his D.S.C. reveals an
amazing degree of coolness and auda-
city— those two distinguishing qualities of
British airmen.

King Fox of Bulgaria and his brood, when
they entered the arena of the European War,
probably did not realize that far-off Britain
would send her aerial fighters over their cities ;
but the men of the Royal Naval Air Service
might certainly take Uhique! as their motto.

Choosing the most opportune moment,
Bulgaria ' came in ' and, pouncing upon the
back of gallant Serbia, helped to smash her ;
and so our naval airmen did what they could
to take toll of the Bulgars for their treachery.
Day after day the coast of the traitor-kingdom
was raided, and bombs fell with destructive
effect upon places of military importance ; and
not all the efforts of the enemy could keep off

1 06

First- A id i^t Mid- Air

the gallant airmen of Britain. Not merely in
ones and twos, but in whole squadrons the fliers
went, spreading terror wherever they appeared.

When Sub-Lieutenant Oxley, flying as ob-
server in a battle-plane piloted by Flight-
Lieutenant Dunning, D.S.C., won his Cross,
he was on escort and reconnaissance patrol
for a flight of bombing machines the objec-
tive of which lay " somewhere on the Bulgarian
coast." As it happened, the day, June 20th,
1916, was as fine a day as could be wished
either for a flight or a fight.

The battle-plane, as distinct from the bomb-
droppers, hummed on steadily in advance,
ready to engage any enemy craft bold enough
to attack ; and Oxley was busy all the time
not merely in looking out for hovering foemen,
but in taking observations of the countryside.
After a while, his attention was distracted
from note-taking by the sudden appearance
of two machines, approaching from inland.
The pilot, Lieutenant Dunning, knew that
these would prove to be enemies, and eagerly
made toward them, driving into as close range
as was possible ; and then a fierce fight began.

107

Thrillmg Deeds

Both enemy machines took part, trying to
bring down their intrepid opponent, who,
however, darted hither and thither, soared up
and over this foe, swooped down and under
the other, incessantly endeavouring to out-
manoeuvre them. While Dunning steered his
machine skilfully, striving ever to secure the
most advantageous position, Oxley worked
the machine-gun, giving one enemy the benefit
of a drum full of cartridges, and then slipping
in another as Dunning swooped toward the
foe who was attacking from another point.

Quick work — a thrilling game — a gamble
with the death that might come before the
next revolution of the propeller ! Battles in
the air do not, as a rule, last long, though a
whole eternity of experience may seem to
be crammed into the few minutes between
attack and retreat — or disaster. Oxley and
Dunning passed through all the stages of such
combats : advance to attack, engagement,
circling round their foes, mounting higher
and then dropping lower, giving shots and
receiving shots, never able to efface the sub-
conscious thought that they might be doomed

io8

First' A id in Mid- Air

to that swift destruction which is so often
the airman's end ; and when Dunning felt a
sudden burning pain in his left leg, and there
was the thump of bullets as they entered the
petrol tank, it seemed that the climax had
come. Dunning set his teeth, Oxley trained
his gun at the nearest foe : they would die
fighting anyway.

But, there was no need to die ! The enemy,
not realizing that they had wounded both
pilot and machine, and having themselves had
quite sufficient drubbing for one day, suddenly
turned tail and drummed off in retreat !

As soon as he saw that Dunning was injured.
Lieutenant Oxley got to work. The home
aerodrome was a good way off, and Dunning
might bleed to death if his wound was not
stopped, so Oxley improvised a tourniquet ,
which he contrived to pass over to his disabled
companion with a scribbled note telling him
to fix it on his leg and to relinquish control
of the machine so that he hnnself might take
charge.

Then, while the aeroplane was spinning
through the air, Oxley scrambled over from

109

Thrilling Deeds

his own seat into that occupied by the pilot,
the latter shifted, Oxley took his place, and,
while Dunning applied the tourniquet to the
pumping wound in his leg, the observer steered
the racing machine toward their base. Dunning
made himself as comfortable as possible, and
then turned his attention to the injured petrol
tank. It was leaking badly, and unless the
leak were stopped the machine would have to
descend a long way from home. The pilot
solved the problem in the most primitive way :
he simply kept his thumb over the hole, and
in this way succeeded in preventing fuel from
escaping, except when, because of the strain on
his hand, it became absolutely necessary to
change thumbs !

Such was the manner of the home-coming ;
and the aeroplane, although bearing numerous
signs of her dramatic encounter, in the shape
of riddled planes, dented fuselage, penetrated
tank, and what not, glided gracefully down
to earth, making an excellent landing.

A scarcely less remarkable instance of first-
aid during an aerial battle is that in which

no

First' A id in Mid- Air

Captain A. E. Borton (Black Watch and R.F.C.)
was the wounded pilot, and Captain Anthony
Marshall (28th Light Cavalry, Indian Army,
and R.F.C.) was the observer, both of whom
eventually received the D.S.O., in " recognition
of their gallantry and devotion to duty." The
aviators were on an important reconnaissance
flight in the neighbourhood of Staden, on
June 7th, 1915, when they were attacked by
a hostile aeroplane. In the course of the
combat the enemy gunner succeeded in getting
home a bullet which severely wounded Captain
Borton in the neck and head. The result was
that the Captain began to bleed most pro-
fusely, and it was clear that unless something
was at once done for him he would become
unconscious. There was no time to return
to the base, despite the fact that the machine
was a fast one, for the aviators were faced by
the all-important fact that it was vitally
necessary for the reconnaissance to be carried
to completion. Somewhere behind the lines a
red-collared Staff officer was waiting anxiously
for the report. Captain Marshall, by the blood
reddening the aviator's coat and the way in

III

Thrilling Deeds

which the pilot himself was sagging in his seat,
soon realized the seriousness of his comrade's
wounds, and he speedily improvised bandages
with which he and the pilot himself, while the
machine was still pelting through the air
under strict control — amazing achievement ! —
succeeded in temporarily binding up the wound
and somewhat stanching the flow of blood.
That done. Captain Borton steered his machine
over the course which had been mapped out
for the reconnaissance. The enemy aeroplane,
which had persistently been attacking all the
time that first-aid was in progress, now followed
after them, its pilot's intention being to drive
them back and so prevent them from making
their observations.

Captain Borton, gallantly summoning all
his reserves of strength and keeping his head
as cool as man can under such circumstances,
bravely piloted his machine, though every
moment was filled with agony for him and
brought nearer and nearer a state of un-
consciousness. Incredible though it sounds,
not only was the persistent enemy kept at a
distance, but Captain Marshall, in between

1X2

First' A id i7^ Mid- Air

times of rattling out drums of cartridges at the
foe, was also busy taking most valuable notes.
As the German swooped to attack, Captain
Borton banked and turned, dived or rose as
the exigencies of the attack demanded, although
concentration of mind was difficult. It was a
perfect whirl of manoeuvring and out-manoeu-
vring, and yet through it all the note-book was
being entered up ; until at last, having done
all that which they had been sent out to do,
the two gallant aviators bethought them of
the home station, banked suddenly and swung
round, to the momentary bewilderment of
their antagonist, and then, with their engine
all out, sped up and on. Each second now was
precious, for it was clear to Captain Marshall
that his companion was in sorry plight and
might at any instant crumple up in his seat,
lose control, an-d let the aeroplane go spin-
ning earthward. However, by a mighty effort.
Captain Borton fought the insidious desire to
let go of all things, kept his controls working
almost mechanically, and succeeded in making
a safe landing. Captain Marshall, immedi-
ately he had seen his comrade lifted from the

H 113

Thrilling Deeds

machine, made his report, which, so the official
record put it, "was as detailed and complete
for the last as it was for the first part of the
reconnaissance."

Pluck ? Determination ? Yes ! Verily of
such stuff are the kings of the air made !

114

CHAPTER VIII

Warneford, V.C.

IN the year 1892, there was born in the
Indian city of Cooch-Behar an EngUsh
boy named Warneford, who was destined
some twenty years later to become one of the
heroes of our Empire. As he grew to man-
hood, this boy was fascinated with the new
science of flight, and shortly after the great
European War had begun he was able to
obtain a commission in the Royal Naval
Air Service, being posted for training at the
Hendon Aerodrome. Here he obtained his
' ticket ' in February 1915. Later, he went
overseas, and was one of those brilliant pilots
who quickly made names for themselves by
their raids into the territory occupied by the
enemy.

Very early on the morning of June 7th, 1915,
Lieutenant Warneford and two brother officers,
Flight-Lieutenants Wilson and Mills, went up
from their station " somewhere in Flanders,"

115

Thrilling Deeds

bound for the big Zeppelin hangars at Evere,
a few miles to the north of Brussels. Aloft,
the early morning was very misty, but steering
chiefly by compass the three pilots made direct
for their objective. As they flew, the sHght
haze cleared and in due course the Belgian
capital could be seen spread out below. The
gigantic airship sheds of the Evere aerodrome
could also be discerned, and accordingly the
machines piloted by Wilson and Mills turned
to attack, whilst Warneford, making away
to the north, came round in a gigantic circle,
an aerial spectator of his comrades' attempts
on the sheds.

Wilson and Mills were by this time gliding
lower and lower, and their machines being now
visible from the ground the German anti-
aircraft batteries guarding the sheds were
getting to work. Quite suddenly. Mills put
the nose of his bus down and swooped at the
hangar. He was soon temporarily out of
danger from the ' Archibald ' shells, but within
range of rifle fire, which was at once opened
upon him. He could see the nose of a Zeppelin
protruding from the hangar, so he knew that

ii6

Wavjicford, V. C.

if he succeeded in hitting the shed he would
most certainly destroy the dirigible inside.
At an altitude of not more than five hundred
feet he dropped three of his bombs in rapid
succession. One of these missiles went through
the roof of the hangar as if it had been card-
board and, bursting, ripped the top of the
envelope of the airship inside. As the hydrogen
from the torn ballonets rushed out and mixed
with the air, it was immediately set on fire
by the burning outer fabric, with the result that
the airship and shed instantly became a roaring
furnace. The hundreds of Belgians who had
climbed to the tops of their houses to view
the affair saw clearly a pillar of flame over 200
feet in height rise into the still morning air,
and forgetting the fact that the Hun ruled
them with a rod of iron, gave vent to a roar
of cheers.

Meanwhile, Wilson and Mills on their fast
little mounts were climbing aloft as rapidly as
their engines would drive them ; and, except for
a fewbullet holes in the planes of Mills' machine,
both winged their way back toward their own
base none the worse for their adventure.

117

Thrilling Deeas

Warneford, observing that his comrades had
effectively ' strafed ' their ZeppeHn, made away
on a private tour of his own, hoping for some-
thing to turn up.

The Fates were kind to him, and about
three o'clock, when the early sun was driving
the last of the night mists from the sky, he
sighted in the far distance a long grey shape.
Hardly believing his own eyes, he flew nearer,
and convinced himself that ahead there was
indeed one of Count Zeppelin's gigantic crea-
tions on the wing. He immediately tilted
his elevators, and the sensitive little mono-
plane in which he was flying at once commenced
to cause the needle of his altimeter to tremble
along the feet. In those early days it was only
possible to ' strafe ' a gas-bag by getting above
it, and he knew that it was imperative that
he should be well above the monster before he
commenced to attack. The 8o-horse-power
Gnome had gallantly set him at a splendid
altitude before the men in the cars of the
Zeppelin discovered the small speck in the sky
that spelled terrible danger to themselves.
They at once went ahead at full speed, and

ii8

Warncford, V.C.

tilting their elevators and letting go some of
their water-ballast attempted to rise to the
same level as their antagonist and there keep
him at bay — by means of the machine-guns
mounted in the gondolas.

Warneford at once noted the movement of
his gigantic antagonist and decided to attack
before the Zeppelin, which he knew could
climb even faster than his own little mount,
out-manoeuvred him.

But though he wished to drive in upon his
quarry, the latter doubled away and he was
compelled to chase the monster for some time.
Having the heels of her, he was fortunately
able to climb as he chased, and at the same
time gain steadily upon his enemy. When the
Zeppelin had reached an altitude of 6000 feet
she temporarily stopped climbing, and it was
at this juncture that Warneford swooped
down upon her. The speed indicator moved
higher and higher until the terrific speed of
no miles an hour was being recorded, and still
he dived toward the broad back of the airship.
He could not hear the crackle of the enemy
machine-guns, but it is certain that they were

119

Thrilling Deeds

firing at him all this time, though he presented
an almost impossible target. At last he was
directly above the dirigible, and the observer
on top must have screamed some awful
messages into his telephone in those last few
minutes of his life. It must have been appa-
rent to this man that the mad Englishman
intended to ram them and send all to ' glory '
together, for the under-carriage was little
more than twenty yards above the top of the
Zeppelin when Warneford flattened out and
let go his bombs. At this range it was almost
impossible to miss, and in fact he dropped
three bombs, all of which took effect. In an
instant, as it seemed, the huge envelope was a
sheet of flame. Then a tremendous explosion
shook the air.

Although Warneford had quickly banked
away to get clear, the flames from his victim
singed him ; then the great up-rush of air from
the doomed airship caught his swaying little
mount and tossed him upward as though the
machine were in the grip of a tornado, causing
Warneford to make an involuntary ' loop.'
She then put her nose down and, with the

120

Warneford, V.C.

dazed pilot still strapped in his seat, com-
menced to rush headlong for the ground.
At this second the young pilot regained control
of himself, and in a few moments had also
resumed command of his mount. His Gnome
was back-firing and missing, which gave him
a pretty sure indication that something was
wrong with his petrol supply. How could
matters be righted ? Warneford made up his
mind to go down and attempt to rectify
things before any of his enemies could capture
him. He selected a fairly deserted piece of
country, alighted, and, even as he stopped,
he was out of his seat and round to the Gnome.
Once more he was back peering into the fuselage,
for oil was running down, which meant a bad
leakage of petrol. Quickly he noted which of
the two tanks that he carried was leaking,
emptied its remaining fuel into the other tank,
reconnected the feed-pipe to the carburettor,
then leaped into his seat again. This work
had taken him nearly thirty-five minutes, and
already he could observe German troops coming
across the fields, firing as they ran. These
were moments pregnant with excitement for

121

Thrilling Deeds

Warneford. If his engine ' fired ' he would be
up and away well before the enemy reached
him, but if it refused to start there was nothing
for him but a German prison — at the best.
At his command a Belgian peasant swung his
propeller for him, and at once the Gnome
started into a healthy roar. Then opening her
out he went bouncing along the ground, and
with a steady rush soared aloft toward the
sea and safety. Behind him the blazing
wreckage of his victim had fallen upon the
convent buildings of St Elizabeth, which had
also caught fire, and a great coil of black smoke
was rising into the morning sky.

Warneford soon sighted the sea, and making
along the coast espied Cape Gris-Nez, where
he landed, and shortly afterward the news
was sent out far and wide telling the story
of this first successful fight with a Zeppelin
in mid-air. Warneford's name was in every-
body's mouth, and after the Legion of Honour
had been bestowed upon him by our gallant
Alhes, he was received by King George, who
personally pinned the Victoria Cross upon his
blue tunic. News which filtered through

122

Wanicford, V.C,

revealed the consternation of the Germans
over the loss of the great gas-bag. Strangely
perturbed, too, were the Zeppelin-builders,
and the reason for this was that the destroyed
dirigible had not only contained a picked
crew, but also carried a number of experts
from the factory, who were making the trip
for experimental purposes ; and though other
gas-bags could be built and other crews
trained, it was practically impossible to re-
place quickly the expert brains which had
also perished.

Unfortunately, the gallant Warneford did
not live long to enjoy his well-earned honours.
Ten days after his great and successful duel
he was in Paris and went aloft in a machine
that was just as stable and easy to control
as his own Morane-Saulnier ' Parasol ' was
difficult. With him, as passenger, was an
American journalist. When they were at
a few hundred feet, the machine was seen
to nose-dive, and, owing to the fact that
Warneford had no space to pull her out, the
big bus crashed to the ground and was wrecked,
killing instantly both pilot and passenger.

123

Thrilling Deeds

The end of the hero came as a great shock
to the world, but his name will ever be
remembered as the man who, unaided by
the devices that were later used by airmen
to bring down dirigibles, was the first to
attack and successfully destroy a Zeppelin in
the air.

124

CHAPTER IX

Flying zvhile Dying

THERE is a story told of two French
airmen who, while on a reconnais-
sance, met with disaster in mid-air
— a tragic mishap whereby the pilot was
robbed of his sight and the observer was
mortally wounded ; and yet both returned
to headquarters with their information. The
dying observer gave directions to the blinded
pilot, telling him when to fly high and
when to fly low, and thus, followed by burst-
ing shrapnel, the heroes got their machine
home.

We are concerned only with British airmen,
however, so we may not do more than mention
that grim story — perhaps one of the grimmest
of the war, certainly one of the most heroic ;
but the flying men of Britain also number
among their heroes who have ' gone west '
men who similarly finished their flights racing
against certain death.

125

Thrilling Deeds

Such a one, for instance, was Lieutenant
Rhodes-Moorhouse.

An order came to this young officer to bomb
the vital railway junction at Courtrai. This
was a task after his own heart, for besides
being exceedingly dangerous, it would, if suc-
cessful, disorganize the enemy's communica-
tions. Through Courtrai German troop trains
continually bore reinforcements to Ypres —
that long-held, blood-consecrated salient of
the British line in Flanders. The destruction
of the station, the tearing up of yards of the
steel road, would effectively hinder the flow
of these reinforcements, as Rhodes-Moorhouse
knew. He knew, also, that there were anti-
aircraft guns everywhere, for the Germans
realized that important junctions must attract
British airmen, and a warm reception awaited
the man who would dare to come humming
overhead.

Such risks, however, are as the spice of life
to the flying man, and the Lieutenant mounted
to his seat, waved au revoir to his comrades
at the air station, and alone, on that April 27th,
1915, guided his rapid biplane over the German

126

Flying while Dying

lines, potted at here and there by * Archibalds,*
but holding jauntily on his way. Soon it
seemed that every anti-aircraft gun within range
was in action ; shrapnel puffs hung around
the intrepid flier like balls of wool, and bullets
whistled all about him. And these came not
only from the shells, for innumerable rifles
blazed from the trenches ; every German grey-
coat within shooting distance let fly — and
rifle bullets are by no means to be despised
by the airman, since they can pierce a petrol
tank, or smash a delicate steering gear, to
say nothing of finding a mark in the pilot's
body.

But the gods of the air and of brave men
seemed to be watching over the gallant aviator,
for he escaped all injury, and succeeded in
making many valuable observations of the
German positions and their strength. Though
keeping at a good height he was flying not
too high to see that which he was out to
see.

Courtrai at last lay beneath him — Courtrai
with its fussing trains, its thousands of cannon-
fodder ready for the inferno of the front lines,

127

Thrilling Deeds

Courtrai with its massed anti-aircraft guns.
The town looked a fine mark for bombs, but
Rhodes-Moorhouse knew from past experience
that there is Uttle certainty of hitting any
mark when one is many thousands of feet above
the ground. He also knew well enough that
there is no little risk in coming down low
enough to be sure of doing it. But, the mark
had to be hit, those were the orders, and with-
out stopping to calculate chances he 'planed
down from his height of comparative safety,
and with the precision acquired by the cool-
headed, practised airman, came to within
300 feet of the railway junction.

Three hundred feet! Think of it! Not
so high above the ground as is the golden cross
of St Paul's Cathedral. And within range —
easy range — of the rifle of every German there,
to say nothing of the ' Archibalds ' !

As the machine ceased volplaning and righted
itself, gliding upon an even keel, as it were,
every rifleman blazed away, every anti-aircraft
gun spat fire ; bullets sped upward through
the fabric of the planes, and whistled their
tunes of death in the airman's ears. And

128

Flying while Dying

then came new sounds — the explosion of
bombs dropped in quick succession as Rhodes-
Moorhouse released them from their gear.
Holes yawned in the ground, the steel lines
of the railway were wrenched from their ties,
and the junction presented a scene of woeful
destruction. Men scattered in all directions
as the balls of death came hurtling through
the air ; but some stuck to their posts and
bullets continued to whistle about the Lieu-
tenant. Suddenly one struck him in the thigh
with a sickening thud that told him it was no
light wound he had received. Soon his gar-
ments were wet with his blood and he realized
that probably the only way to save his life
was to go down at once and surrender to the
Germans.

Rhodes-Moorhouse gritted his teeth : away
back at the Flying Base were officers waiting
for his report, and if the god of good luck would
have it so, they should get that for which
they waited. All the bombs were gone now,
and the biplane swept on its way. Suddenly
it banked, so steeply that the foes beneath
thought that the airman was about to come
I I2q

Thrilling Deeds

tumbling in their midst. They did not know
Rhodes-Moorhouse. Instead of falhng, he
turned an amazing circle, and, in order to get
up top speed, rushed downward to within a
hundred feet of the hard-working gunners
and riflemen. Then— up, and up— rising from
the depths of danger to the heights of safety, he
headed swiftly for the Base. Realizing that
the prey they had thought certain was escap-
ing, the Germans increased the intensity and
rapidity of their fire. The Englishman seemed
to be flying in a cloud of shrapnel ; it would
be remarkable if he escaped further injury.
He did not escape : once again that stinging,
burning pain, and the shock of it made him
all but lose control. A momentary gasp, a
brief haze before the eyes, a quick pulling of
himself together — and his now clearer mind
told him the truth : he was wounded to the
death.

The Base — the men waiting at the Base for
his return : that thought alone sustained him.
The biplane answered his slightest touch and
seemed to leap upward in bounds away from
the drumming bullets and the sharp crack of

130

Flying ivhile Dying

the bursting shrapnel. At top speed he went,
for it was to be a race to reach home before
death for ever silenced him. He was still over
the German lines, but he swept on past them,
across No Man's Land and over the British
front line. Even then he did not go down to
get the medical aid he so sorely needed : at
the Base only must he stop.

He now commenced to drop from the giddy
altitude, still driving his machine at full
speed, until coming at last within sight of the
Flying Base he shut off his engine, set his
machine at a decline, and, cool as a man
in the full flush of life, though his body
was numb with coming death and a mist
was before his eyes, volplaned to a perfect
landing.

Men rushed to his assistance, not knowing
how sorely he needed it, nor yet how useless
their help, save to get him out of the winged
chariot of death. But they knew when they
saw his face and lifted his limp body from the
seax. . . .

He made his report calmly, like a soldier
who has done unscathed what he went to do ;

131

Thrilling Deeds

men accustomed to coolness marvelled at him
as they carried him to hospital.

He died, and in his death, as " Eyewitness "
wrote, the nation lost " a very gallant life."
Could any man have a better, nobler epitaph ?

CHAPTER X

Resetted by Airmen

TO say that a roaring aeroplane swooped
down through the air, landed, and in
the presence of a host of running foes
waited for a stranded man to straddle across
its fuselage and then pounded back into the
sky with its salvage, is to lay oneself open to
the charge of being melodramatic. But it
nevertheless is sober fact that on more than
one occasion during the war an intrepid pilot,
flying at a great height, having seen a com-
rade's machine go crashing earthward, has
dived after him, intent upon giving what aid
might be possible, realizing that if the unfor-
tunate pilot escaped more than likely death he
would be taken prisoner.

High up in the clear blue sky skimmed
the glittering dot which friend and foe
alike knew to be an aeroplane, and, because
it came from seaward, recognized it as a
British machine out on a reconnaissance and,

133

Thrilling Deeds

maybe, on a bombing expedition. Far out to
sea grim grey outlines belched fire and smoke
— and away behind the hills, that seemed like
impregnable barriers to victorious progress,
the earth went up in miniature eruptions ;
while from gun-pits hidden on the shelving
beach, or in amongst the ravines which had
been won in many a sanguinary battle, the
* heavies ' of the Anzacs hurled their little
less destructive high explosives at the enemy
hidden in cunningly devised dug-outs on hill-
side and in gulch.

And the aviator — it was Flight-Sub-Lieu-
tenant Smylie, R.N.A.S., speeding inland — was
out to bomb the railway station, Ferrijik
Junction. The shimmering planes caught the
sunlight and gleamed like points of gold ;
white puffs of smoke broke out all around,
yet although the covering of the planes was
riddled by the shrapnel, the Royal Naval Air
Service man held on. Nerves of steel, head
clear as age-old wine, every faculty alert, he
was picking up this tit-bit of information,
that seeming anthill with swarms of ants
which none but an observer from above could

134

Res 02 ted by Airmen

discover ; and he cared nothing for the ' Archi-
balds,' except that they might — who could
tell ? — send him hurtling below, in which case
General Headquarters would never know what
he had found out.

And then, when the work was almost done,
came the chmax : an ominous silence — then
the thunder again — then once more silence,
and so on. The airman knew what had
happened — his engine was playing him false !
There is a vast difference between being
' pinked ' by a foe and being treated scurvily
by your own machine ; and the man in the
single-seater biplane soaring so gaily a moment
before over the hills of Gallipoli said strong
things about the engine which in calmer
moments he had often lovingly tended.

You cannot repair a fault in an engine when
you are in mid-air, although, if you know
how, you can do miracles of many kinds with
aeroplanes while they are on the wing. In
this present instance it was a case of going
down to see what was wrong and trying to
put it right. So Lieutenant Smylie put his
machine at an angle and went volplaning

135

Thrillmg Deeds

down the giddy depths of air, taking the
man-bird's chance that he might land in a
lonely place.

One thing consoled him in his wrath, and
that was that he had disposed, usefully, as
far as he could make out, of all his bombs but
one ; and Ferrijik Junction was smoking and
blazing as a result. He snapped his teeth
together grimly as he thought of the luck
that was really his after all in having that one
left — it would come in handy later, perhaps.

The biplane glided down like a swallow,
the earth seemed to be rising up to meet it ;
an amateur sitting in the fuselage would have
felt his heart stop with the fear of the coming
crash. But, instead, there was a slight jar,
a rebound, and another jar slighter than ever ;
then stillness except for the quivering twang
of the planes. Quickly unstrapping himself,
the airman stepped out, slipped his goggles
over on to his forehead and began to inspect
the engine which had brought him down, as
he realized, in the enemy's territory. What,
however, he did not know at that moment was
that a party of Turks had seen the volplaning

136

Rescued by Airmen

machine, and, judging the spot where it would
land, were rushing toward it, hugely delighted
at the prospect of their prize. The Lieutenant
tinkering away at his engine, having dis-
covered the secret of its awkwardness, suddenly
straightened his bent back. Two things he
had heard — the rushing of feet behind him
and the hum of something above. Quickly
looking round, he saw a number of Turks
pelting along the rough ground, so near that
he could see the grins of victory on their
dirty faces.

" No need to try to tinker the old thing now,"
he muttered to himself, and made a leap away
from the aeroplane, after having set fire to
his machine, knowing that this would explode
the bomb and so ensure the destruction of the
aeroplane. At the same time he looked up.

Wliat he saw set his blood a-tingling — a
single-seater biplane similar to his own was
swooping down, and he could see the vari-
coloured circles on her planes which told him
she was British. And she was but a few
hundred feet above him, yet coming down
swiftly as a stone drops.

Thrilling Deeds

But would she get down in time to rescue
him before that band of yelhng Turks reached
him ? SmyHe did not know : all that he did
know was that they should never touch his
machine. The trouble was that the descending
aeroplane might alight so near the stricken
machine that when the explosion took place
it might be damaged and its pilot be wounded.
Lieutenant Smylie, clear-eyed, clear-headed,
was watching the one small bomb that re-
mained in place, and, his revolver ready in his
hand, he ran back, determined to blow the
machine, and any who got near her, into
smithereens : never should his British 'plane
fall into the enemy's hands.

The hum of the coming aeroplane had now
turned to a thunderous roar, and the airman
knew that it could be but a few feet from the
ground. Then came a hail :

" Quick, man ! "

And the aviator shot — shot with an accuracy
that was amazing ; there was a sharp explosion,
a cloud of smoke, a rain of wreckage — and the
advancing Turks saw nothing of their antici-
pated prize but scraps of wood and steel.

138

Res C2 ted by Airmen

But they saw something that made them
frenzied ; the second aeroplane was on the
ground, and the stranded airman was sitting
across the fuselage, there being no other place
for him to sit. In the brief moments that
had elapsed between the firing of the revolver
and the descent of the shattered wreckage he
had swung his comrade's propeller, had called
contact, and had leaped astride the fuselage
at the moment the big bird was on the rise.
There was a rush by the Turks, who were yelling
excitedly ; incredible though it may seem,
not one of them fired a shot at the aviators,
who could have been killed outright. Instead,
they tried to seize the biplane, as though they
would pull her down to earth once more.
One or two, indeed, did manage to snatch
hold of her tail as she quivered to the purring
engine, but they were shaken off like so
many rats, and up into the clear blueness the
biplane went with her double burden — up
and out seaward, with the shrapnel bursting
all around her. The rescuer — it was Flight-
Squadion-Commander Richard Bell-Davies —
sat grimly in his seat and manoeuvred his

139

Thrilling Deeds

machine into the heights of safety, while the
rescued held on grimly to the fuselage with
hands and feet.

Commander Davies later received the V.C.,
and Lieutenant Smylie the D.S.O., and the
announcement of the awards referred to the
affair as "a feat of airmanship that can
seldom have been equalled for skill and
gallantry."

Captain S. Grant-Dalton (Yorks and R.F.C.),
on escort duty with a raiding party in Egypt,
was returning home at the head of his flock,
when one of the machines went gliding to
earth, badly mauled by gun-fire.

The Turkish gunners had been able to get
in a good deal of practice, seeing that the
British air-forces had not been idle. So their
shooting was not so bad, as Second-Lieutenant
Paris, observer to Captain Grant-Dalton,
realized when he heard the scream of flying
shells, and what was worse, saw the British
machine go dropping to earth. Lieutenant
Paris promptly informed his pilot of the mishap
and the Captain instantly made up his mind.

140

Rescued by Airmen

The machine must not be allowed to be cap-
tured by the Turks. It was evident that its
pilot was unable to get it to rise, for through
his binoculars Captain Grant-Dalton could
see him labouring bravely but vainly trying
to get it to start. There was nothing for it,
Captain Grant-Dalton decided, but to slide
down those intangible precipices, bomb the
stranded machine, and carry off its pilot.

Scarcely had Lieutenant Paris realized what
was in his pilot's mind, when the machine was
diving headlong to earth, the wind whistling
as it rushed past, and the Turks playing a rare
game with their ' Archies,' striving valiantly and
perseveringly to get the range, the speed of the
aeroplane making that no easy matter. This
was lucky, for it helped the airmen and their
machine to run the destructive gauntlet, and
they succeeded in landing on the ground near
to the derelict 'plane.

It did not take long for Captain Grant-
Dalton to put his plans into action. Having
satisfied himself that the fallen machine could
not be made to fly again in the time at his
disposal, he rendered it utterly useless to the

141

Thrilling Deeds

Turks, who he knew would soon be hurry mg
up to take possession of the booty. Then
with a cheery smile he took the pilot of the
destroyed machine aboard his own and car-
ried him safely away from danger to the home
aerodrome.

The venue of the little thrill which we are
about to record is given vaguely enough as
"the Eastern theatre of war," and the names
of the two officers concerned are hidden
behind the initials M. and F. However, the
absence of names cannot detract from the
dramatic interest of the story.

The story runs that Captain M. and
Captain F. went up on separate machines to
spy out the land and to take photographs
of a certain position. Long before they
reached their objective, they sighted two
black dots which they very quickly identified
as enemy machines. This meant that the
course of good photography would not run
smoothly, because the pilots of those black-
cross machines would have to be reckoned
with. Not that the British pilots particularly

142

Rescued by A irmen

objected to a few extra foes, and, as a matter
of fact, to have a ' scrap ' in mid-air is a much
better way of passing the time than to be
' strafed ' by some foohsh gunners in safety
beneath you.

So the British sailed in gaily with Lewis
guns ready for the fray, although they decided
to allow their enemies to go on with their
patrol unmolested as long as, in their turn,
they themselves were permitted to take photo-
graphs. But this did not meet with the
approval of their enemies, who made for the
two British machines, and a most exciting few
minutes followed, during which the aeroplanes
made circles around their opponents, or climbed
high or drove low — and always the machine-
guns rat-tatted at one another as they passed.
The time came when the foe decided they
had had enough for one day, and with a part-
ing drum they turned and made off, much
to the delight of the Britons, who thought
they could now proceed with their interrupted
snapshotting.

But man proposes and a bullet in a petrol
tank disposes, as Captain F. discovered. The

143

Thrilling Deeds

engine spluttered and tried to work, but
finally gave up in despair, and Captain F.,
positively sick over his hard luck, began to
spiral down. Below were many ant-like
figures, who were no doubt hugely delighted
at the spectacle of their enemy in forced
descent, for they thought that presently he
would have to land and be compelled to
surrender both himself and his machine.

But those men did not know of what stuff
Captain F. was made, and they did not know
that while he was corkscrewing through the
air he was working out a plan to frustrate his
foes, vowing that they should never lay hands
upon his machine or the photographs he had
taken.

Neither did the waiting enemies know
that the pilot of the untouched machine had
also formed a plan which, if it were suc-
cessful, would rob them of every scrap of
self-satisfaction.

Captain F. came to earth as lightly as a bird,
jumped out of his aeroplane, and looked it over
quickly to see if it was at all possible to tinker
it up and so slip away before the enemy,

144

Res a led by Airmen

whom he could see within a short distance
rushing toward him, could come up. He found
that there was no chance of doing anything
in the time at his disposal, and, determined
to snatch one prize at least from the foe, he
deliberately set fire to the derelict machine.
The leaping flames and the rising cloud of
smoke told the approaching foe what had
happened, and with yells of rage they increased
their speed, hoping to arrive in time to put
out the fire.

Captain F. stood near his burning mount,
waiting for the moment to come when he
would have to surrender. But that moment
never came. There was a droning roar over-
head, and looking up he saw the machine
piloted by Captain M. dropping toward him.
Instantly he realized what his comrade in-
tended, and needless to say his heart beat
quickly as the significance of it burst upon
him. The running enemies were so near now
that it seemed impossible for Captain M. to
reach his friend in time to pick him up, and
to fail meant the capture of the heroic
Captain F.

K 145

Thrilling Deeds

The aeroplane came to earth near to
Captain F. and its pilot gave a shout of
" Hurry ! " — as though the- stranded aviator
would need any exhortation ! He dashed
over the intervening yards as though on the
running track at school, and in a moment
was beside the now stationary 'plane. No
time for thanks yet — action, not words, was
desired. Because there was no other safe
place to which he could scramble in time,
Captain F., without undue flurry, mounted the
engine cowl and sat on it. Instantly Captain
M. let out his engine, and speeding along
the ground for some distance his machine
mounted into the air. The enemy, shout-
ing and roaring, tore madly toward the
escaping prey, and were only 200 yards away
when the machine rose like a bird, one man
manipulating the ' joy-stick ' and levers and the
other clinging on to the cowl !

146

CHAPTER XI

Talcs of the Coast Patrol

THE Navy which had for years
toasted ' The Day ' when it should
hold a reckoning with the sea-dogs of
Britain scurried to harbour when the war-
clouds burst, confining its activities to an
occasional dash upon unfortified towns or
harmless fishing vessels, save for a few raiders
that managed to elude British watchfulness
and the submarines that were to open a new
chapter of f rightfulness. When the High Seas
Fleet did come out in force at Jutland it was
defeated. The Germans, therefore, so far as
the North Sea is concerned, have done little
more than patrol the Belgian coast behind the
shelter of their mine-field. But, even these
patrol vessels have not been left in unchallenged
possession of the small area of water, for the
naval airmen of Britain have on several occa-
sions swooped out of the blue depths of sky
and fearlessly attacked them.

147

Thrilling Deeds

Such encounters are symbolical of the
new methods of warfare and provide the
naval counterpart of the spectacular incidents
which have taken place every day on land.
The fight of a seaplane, piloted by FHght-
Sub-Lieutenant James Ferrand, R.N., on
November 28th, 1915, against great odds well
illustrates the point.

Ferrand, with First-Class Air Mechanic
Oldfield as gunner, was on patrol duty off
the Belgian coast when he suddenly sighted
a German seaplane, for which he made, only
to discover that the foe was not alone, but
had four other machines keeping it company,
while far below on the wintry waters of the
North Sea there was an escorting destroyer.

To many men such odds would have
been sufficient to justify a hasty retreat, for,
after all, there is such a thing as discretion !
But to Ferrand the idea did not occur : he
reasoned that if there were so many sea-
planes about, with a destroyer escort, it was
not at all unlikely that work was afoot the
execution of which must be prevented if
possible. So, with Oldfield ready with his

148

Tales of the Coast Patrol

gun, the Lieutenant drove his machine at full
speed toward the nearest Hun. As the two
machines came within firing distance the
British gunner let rip a whole drum, and then,
as the German replied, Ferrand dived, then
circled and sped upward again to get position,
and Oldfield rammed in a second drum, which
he fired as rapidly as his gun would work
literally riddling the German seaplane. The
enemy machine gave a convulsive shudder
as the wind caught the planes, now useless,
for the engine was ruined and the pilot had
no control over it ; then, spinning over and over
as it went, it dropped toward the water, into
which it plunged, sinking immediately.

Meanwhile, the other four seaplanes and
the destroyer were at work with their guns,
although apparently the seaplanes were not
particularly anxious to get to close quarters.
What was happening was that the enemy
were trying to lure Ferrand nearer to the
coast, and in this they succeeded, for, being
intent upon tackling the more formidable
foe, the British pilot took little heed of the
seaplanes and endeavoured to get at the

149

Thrilling Deeds

destroyer, which, as soon as its commander
judged the time had come, opened with every
gun that could be trained upon the Briton.
Ferrand handled his machine with great skill,
and, circling round, came well over the destroyer,
upon which he dropped some bombs. There
seemed every prospect of a really good fight
with fair results, when from the shore there
came a resounding clap as of thunder, followed
by another and yet another.

The Germans' ruse had succeeded in drawing
the British machine within range of the shore
batteries, and their shells came screaming
past the seaplane ; and now that the odds were
greater in their favour, the German seaplanes
also swarmed to the attack.

The British machine-gun was worked heroic-
ally, bomb after bomb was launched at
the destroyer, and the gallant pilot and his
mechanic kept up the worthy fight until it was
evident that the odds were such that further
success was impossible. Then, and then only,
did Lieutenant Ferrand turn his seaplane up
into the mist above, away from the enemy's
guns. On the whole, he had reason to be

150

Tales of the Coast Patrol

pleased with what he had accompHshed,
although not a little disappointed that the
heavy shell fire had prevented him from coming
to a conclusion with the destroyer. He had
also reason to be pleased with the approval of
the authorities, who awarded him a D.S.O.

Both aeroplanes and airships have been
found of great value as aids in the work per-
formed by the Navy in connexion with the
German submarine menace. A submerged
submarine is invisible to the look-out of a ship,
but the airman overhead can distinguish the
steel fish at a depth of about thirty feet —
sometimes more, sometimes less, according to
the state of the weather — and many of the
U-boats which sallied out from bases along the
Belgian coast owed their capture or destruc-
tion to the ' spotting ' work of the aviators of
Britain and France. Naturally, the Germans
became aware, after a time, that their
murder-craft could be distinguished, and they
made various experiments in colouring : with
what success or non-success we must leave
untold.

151

Thrilling Deeds

The manner in which a Frenchman and a
Briton, flying together in a French biplane,
settled accounts with a U-boat which had, no
doubt, been preying upon shipping in the
North Sea, is typical of many other encounters.
It was on a Sunday in 1915, at about half-
past eleven, that Fhght-Sub-Lieutenant Viney,
R.N.A.S., and Lieutenant de Sin^ay of the
French Flying Service, left their aerodrome
and set out on a submarine hunt off Nieuport.
They were well supplied with suitable bombs,
and, by the time they were five miles west
of Nieuport, were flying at a height of some
3000 feet. Looking down, they saw what
seemed too good to be true. Two submarines
were lying side by side on the surface. The
airmen anticipated that immediately the drone
of their engine was heard by the German
crews the submarines would submerge. To
their astonishment, however, this did not
happen, and on closer scrutiny the aviators
saw gleaming through the water the bright
yellow of a sandbank, and they perceived that
there was not sufficient depth for the submarines
to dive. It was impossible to hope for a more

152

Tales of the Coast Patrol

favourable situation, and, prompt to seize their
opportunity, the airmen began a quick spiral
descent.

As they dropped signs were not wanting
that they had been noticed : men slipped
inside the hatches, which were shut down
quickly, and although they could not dive
the submarines began to try to get away
before the biplane could draw close enough
to drop bombs with effect. Viney and Sin9ay
held their missiles, preferring not to risk
missing, as they might have done had they
released from too great a height. This caution
allowed one submarine to escape, for it got
up speed and zigzagged on the surface in such
a way that, although the biplane was right
over it on several occasions, there was little
chance of hitting it.

The other, however, seemed to be un-
manageable. Perhaps her commander was
flustered at the thought of that swooping
bird of prey hovering so close above him.
True, the submarine moved, but though her
commander tried every trick that he knew
he could not get her outside of the circles

153

Thrilling Deeds

which the descending aeroplane was making.
Nearer and nearer the biplane dropped, and
while one lieutenant piloted, the other kept
his eyes fixed upon the squirming submarine,
waiting for the moment when he might begin
the attack. This moment came when the pilot
brought the machine to within 200 yards of
the surface directly over the U-boat. There
was a sharp click as the releasing gear let
slip one of the destructive balls ; almost imme-
diately there followed a sharp crash, and the
aviators saw that the first bomb had fallen
true, hitting the submarine's bridge and crump-
ling it up.

All the time the biplane was on the move,
of course, and as the bomb hit the mark the
machine continued in its circuit. Again it
came lound over the doomed craft and a second
bomb was released. There was a second
terrific explosion, the aviators saw a great
gaping hole torn in the steel skin and the
green water rush in. A moment later nothing
was to be seen upon the surface but a widely
spreading circle of oil, which indicated where
the U-boat had sunk.

154

A Seaplane ' Spotting ' a Submarine

IS4

Tales of the Coast Patrol

It was all very quickly done, necessarily so,
for not far off were enemy aeroplanes, whose
observers might see the circling biplane and
realize what was in progress out at sea. How-
ever, there was no interference from enemy
aviators, and remaining near the spot just long
enough to make sure that their prey had been
wounded to the death, Viney and Singay
reascended at full speed to the dizzy altitudes
whence they had swooped, and sailed home-
ward in high spirits, no doubt, at their
success.

Following the British official announcement
of the thrilling episode, came a wireless from
Berlin to the effect that "Competent German
authorities repeat that no German submarine
has been destroyed by a British aeroplane.
Papers point out that if the English report
is correct, either a British or a French
submarine has been destroyed." No doubt
this was reported immediately to the horse-
marines !

On May 21st, 1916, a number of German
raiding machines suddenly swooped out of the

155

Thrilling Deeds

sky and rained their exploding missiles over
Dunkirk. News quickly reached a certain
aerodrome, and several British machines of
the Coast Patrol darted up with the intention
of cutting off the raiders as they passed Nieu-
port on their return.

FHght-Sub-Lieutenant ' Anonymous ' of the
R.N.A.S., mounted on a Nieuport scout,
saw them as black specks in the distance, and
went out to meet them, rising till he was in a
position to attack and opening fire on* them
at a range of 400 yards. He sprayed the
passing machines and would have continued
the fight but for the fact that at that moment
he heard the roar of another engine above, and,
looking up, saw a black-crossed 'plane at about
300 yards distance and with the advantage of
position.

Lieutenant ' Anon37mous ' at once set his
elevators to ' rise ' and went after the new
enemy, chasing him out to sea until he was
within effective range, when he emptied a drum
into him. Reloading as quickly as possible
and still climbing, the intrepid airman reached
a height of 10,000 feet, his eyes still upon the

156

Tales of the Coast Patrol

fleeing foe, when he was suddenly attacked
by a large two-seater German machine which
opened fire at a long range.

One more foe did not matter much to
Lieutenant ' Anonymous/ who promptly replied
with his Lewis gun. He was able to see that
his aim had been remarkably good, even at
the long range at which the duel was being
fought.

Suddenly smoke began to issue from the
German machine, a smother of black cloud
which almost hid it from the eyes of the victor,
who, not without pleasure, saw the burning
'plane take a nose-dive to the sea.

Lieutenant ' Anonymous,' however, had little
time to enjoy the results of his triumph and
attack, for yet another enemy now appeared.
He proceeded to expend the remainder of his
ammunition upon the new foe, and the ' scrap '
only terminated when he had no more cartridges
to fire. The airman now decided that it was
high time to be going, and he arrived safely at
the aerodrome to learn, that a fellow-pilot
had witnessed his fight with the two-seater,
a burning example of the prowess and courage

157

Thrilling Deeds

of British airmen in general and of Lieutenant

* Anonymous ' in particular.

Another anonymous hero of the Coast Patrol
had a thrilling tale to tell, when, after the

* scrap ' in which he was wounded, he lay on a
hospital bed, in blessed contentment at having
plentifully ' strafed ' several Huns before being
put out of action.

The pilot, whose name doubtless has appeared
above a three-line paragraph which omitted
everything that would serve to make the story
real, was out on a bombing expedition over
Marcoing (south-west of Cambrai) on August
2nd, 1916, and after having deposited with
good effect the steel-cased explosives — the anti-
aircraft guns meantime making thunderous
music all about him — he banked, turned, and
headed for home.

But he was not to be allowed to get away
unmolested. The Germans, finding that their
batteries were not making good practice, sent
up aeroplanes. The first that the unnamed
pilot knew of this, however, was when he
turned and almost crashed into an L.V.G.

158

Tales of the Coast Patrol

scout — one of the latest of its type — which
was pelting toward him. It was a close shave,
the touch of a lever deciding the fate of both
aviators, but the Britisher was equal to the
occasion and swept upward, so missing the
Hun machine, which went roaring on beneath
him. As he passed, the British bomber, his
gun already unshipped, emptied a drum into
his enemy and quickly slipped in another
drum, intending to follow up his attack. While
thus attending to his gun, he saw another
British pilot bear down upon the German,
which probably hurt his feelings, because the
warriors of the air have a particular liking for
finishing off their foes without assistance.

However, the British officer need not have
felt annoyed at the thought of missing a * scrap,'
for, a moment later, a German Roland thun-
dered into action and let fly a stream of
missiles at him, to receive a full drum in return
as the British machine drove in. That pilot
experienced all the excitement he needed —
and maybe, although one can never tell with
these kings of the air ! a little more than
that, for while engaged with Hun Roland,

159

Thrilling Deeds

a violent storm seemed to crash down upon
him. Throwing a quick glance behind him,
the pilot saw no fewer than three other
Rolands hanging on to his tail and rattling
out hundreds of machine-gun bullets. No
matter how the pilot tried to shake them
off, they remained poised, as it were, directly
over the tail of his machine ; and the storm
of bullets was unpleasantly steady — far too
steady, for one riddled its way into the poor
fellow's leg and he had much ado to refrain
from yehing with the pain of it. Knowing
that more than ever his life depended on
keeping cool, he finished slipping in another
drum, of which he gave the Rolands the
benefit, much to their discomfiture, for the
Lewis gun swinging from side to side sprayed
them with good British bullets and convinced
their pilots that safety lay in putting as great
a distance as possible between themselves and
their snappy foe.

If they had only known !

Scarcely had the Germans winged out of
range than the engine of the stricken pilot
began to misfire and thus bang out its protest

i6o

Tales of the Coast Patrol

at being expected to work without a sufficient
supply of petrol. The airman, knowing the
signs, gave a hasty glance at his tank, and saw
a neat little hole, like a black spot, through
which the petrol was squirting.

A moment or so later the engine struck,
and the pilot, although he knew that to land
now would be to fall into the hands of the
enemy, had no other course open to him but
to make for earth. Sliding down gracefully,
but in a frightful temper at the fate that had
played him so scurvy a trick, he looked about
for a likely landing-place.

The petrol from the tank was flowing over
his left leg, and as it soaked through, the pilot
had a brilliant idea — he shoved his knee against
the hole and so stopped the flow ; then, think-
ing that if he got more pressure he might
even yet be able to get the engine to start
again, he pumped for all he was worth, glancing
anxiously at any movement of the needle of
the pressure gauge. Meanwhile the aeroplane
had been heading for the ground, which was
now only about 200 feet below, with many
Germans firing up in the hope of hastening its

L 161

Thrilling Deeds

descent. Suddenly, to the pilot's unfeigned
joy, he heard his engine grunt and then open
out into a protesting roar. It took but a
brief while to flatten out and set the head of
the machine for home — about fifteen miles
distance, by the way.

It was a thrilling affair. Pumping hard,
and keeping his knee over the hole to prevent
the petrol from leaking, the pilot kept up
the necessary pressure in the tank. It was
no easy matter to do the two things and at
the same time guide the machine. It was
impossible to get the aeroplane to rise, and
the intrepid pilot had to content himself with
flying at the altitude to which the engine
would lift him, about fifty feet.

Several times the engine seemed about to
give in again, but pumping harder than ever,
the pilot succeeded in keeping on the go. On
one of these occasions he gave up hope and
had flattened out to land, when suddenly the
engine resumed working when only a few
feet from the ground, and he was able to shove
his machine up a little higher.

By this time the pilot was feeling sick and

162

Talcs of the Coast Patrol

faint from loss of blood and exhausted through
the severe exertion of pumping. As he crossed
the German lines machine-guns below opened
out upon him and, seeing the low altitude
at which he was flying, it was a miracle that
he was not hit.

But, in due course, he succeeded in getting
away, only to come to a place which he did
not know. He was lost, and being so near
the ground could not pick out landmarks
by which to steer.

At length, however, he saw a French bi-
plane flying low. Following it, he saw where
it landed and made for the same spot, but
went to earth with a crash which damaged his
machine badly but fortunately did not injure
him. The landing was made just in time ;
the pilot was almost at the point of collapse
and a few more moments might have resulted
in disaster.

Before the war, spectators at Flying Exhibi-
tions held their breath as they saw some
intrepid airman deliberately make his machine
loop the loop. It seemed the acme of fool-

1O3

Thrilli7ig Deeds

hardiness, a courting of death, but such
experiments — for they were Httle more — added
to our knowledge of the factors which make
for air-worthiness, and in the Great War many
an aviator has no doubt owed his Hfe to the fact
that those who looped the loop lived to tell
of certain things which ought to be done to
make certain machines more stable. Tucked
in among the annals of our Flying Corps are
the brief details of a story which, when the
whole of it can be told, will be found to excel,
in no mere dramatic sense, most things that
have happened in the air.

The British pilot — name unknown, un-
fortunately— mounted in a single-seater scout,
was on May 14th, 19 15, chasing a German
machine, the pilot of which apparently did not
like the idea of joining issue with the foe who
persisted in hanging on his tail. The German
must have been brought to bay but for a
queer accident. The British aviator, having
splashed out a drum of cartridges, was in the
act of reloading his gun when by some mis-
fortune his machine temporarily got out of
control. It was only a momentary lapse,

164

Talcs of the Coast Patrol

but in the air even a second counts, and the
aeroplane, without any controlHng hand on
it, suddenly made a dive and turned com-
pletely over, remaining in that position as it
tumbled earthward.

A tremendous event that, for the earth
was 8000 feet below ; and it is not difficult
to imagine what thoughts must have flashed
through the officer's mind.

That he was not hurled out of the machine
to fall, a mangled mass, on the ground, is
little less than a miracle, particularly as the
safety-belt, with which every airman straps
himself into his machine, happened to be loose
and had slipped down over his legs. As the
aeroplane turned its dramatic somersault, the
airman but for his remarkable presence of
mind would have gone flying into space.

As the machine turned over the airman
clutched the rear centre-section struts and
gripped for dear life. The safety-belt held
his legs tight as in shackles, and while the
machine went on its terrible journey through
space, the unfortunate pilot, hanging head
downward, clung to the struts and tried to

165

Thrilling Deeds

disentangle his legs. Round and round like
a teetotum the aeroplane spun, and the
motion of it sickened the aviator, whose
blood ran into his head until he thought it
would burst. The strain on his arms was
tremendous and his struggles made the
machine shiver from wing to wing. He ex-
pected any moment to see the wings fold up,
and in that case the end would come only too
soon. The suspense was awful ; no less so
because it did not last many seconds. The
aviator's life depended upon his getting his
legs free of the leather shackles, since the
only hope of righting the machine — amazing
thing that in such circumstances any man
dared even hope to perform such a miracle ! —
lay in reaching the control levers with his
feet. With eyes staring, and above him only
the blurred mass of his overturned mount,
with his heart almost stopping, and yet, as
well as man can be in such a position, clear-
headed and of set purpose, the airman exerted
all his efforts, used all his cunning, and at last,
with a gasp of relief, felt first one leg and then
the other slip out of the strap.

i66

The R.N.A.S. at Work
A seaplane duel off the Belgian coast

l66

Talcs of the Coast Patrol

He did not know how near the ground he
might be ; all he knew was that he must have
fallen a tremendous distance, and that his
chance of life lay in immediate action. His
legs sought and found the control lever up
there in the fuselage, the control wires worked,
ailerons moved, the elevators of the machine
answered to the call, and, miracle of miracles !
the aeroplane began to bend over, as it were,
stood almost on its nose, then tilted, and at
last rose up and fell back into position.

And the airman found himself in his seat,
into which, as the machine righted itself, he
had automatically dropped, though he still
clutched the thin spar of salvation.

When in due time he returned to earth
the much-tried pilot had survived an experi-
ence the like of which few men have passed
through and come back to tell the tale.

One of the most dramatic episodes of the
Coast Patrol occurred on July 15th, 1916.
One of our Naval flying men, who had left
Dunkirk, was ten miles off the coast and
some 12,000 feet high when, as he was ap-

167

Thrilling Deeds

preaching Ostend, he encountered a German
seaplane, which was flying about 500 feet
below him.

The recognition was simultaneous, and there
began a matching of wits for position. The
German seaplane, a single-engined tractor,
banked and turned suddenly with intent to
get into position behind and below the Naval
machine. A second later both machines were
executing a steep glide, and but for the prompti-
tude of the Briton the German would have
succeeded in obtaining the tactical advantage.
There was but one way to counter the German's
move, and the Briton, with swift decision,
determined to loop the loop over his opponent.
Down went his ailerons at the bidding of the
control wires, and the aeroplane, to the amaze-
ment, no doubt, of the German (who probably
imagined that his enemy had lost control),
dipped, then rose again, and swept up and
round, until it turned completely over. When
the British machine righted itself, the sea-
plane had passed underneath it, and from
his favourable position behind the British
pilot opened fire at a range of 100 yards.

168

Tales of the Coast Patrol

It was quickly evident that some of the
bullets had got home, for the German pilot,
apparently wounded, lost control, and his
seaplane tipped over into a vertical nose-
dive. The petrol tank must have been holed,
for as the seaplane fell it caught fire, and the
British pilot's last vision of it was of a flaming
torch heading for the depths of the North
Sea.

1G9

CHAPTER XII

A Batch of V£.s

LIKE the other branches of the fighting
forces, the Royal Flying Corps and
the Royal Naval Air Service have
won their quota of Victoria Crosses in the
war, and in other chapters will be found the
stories of the marvellous feats by which some
of them were won. It goes without saying
that the V.C. is not won easily, as the follow-
ing accounts of almost superhuman bravery
will show.

Major Lance G. Hawker (R.E. and R.F.C.),
who won his Victoria Cross on July 25th,
1915, had about three months previously
been awarded the D.S.O. for a dash over the
German hues to Gontrode, where he attacked
an airship shed. The ' Archies ' were very
active that particular day, and a ring of
bursting shells seemed to be made around the
devoted airman as he droned within sight
of the Germans. He had been unable to take

170

A Batch of V.C.s

them by surprise, for over the position was
a captive balloon, the occupants of which
had heard and seen the on-coming aeroplane
long before the men at the guns had done so,
and had telephoned the news to those below.
But Lieutenant Hawker (he was Lieutenant in
those days) had not gone out on his expedition
without knowing that he had a difficult task
before him, and the balloon which had enabled
the Germans to prepare a warm welcome
for him was destined to assist him in his work,
for as he sailed into view of it the intrepid
airman by a stroke of genius decided to use
the ' sausage ' as a shield.

He was flying at a great height as he ap-
proached the shed, but knowing that in order
to drop his bombs effectively he must get
closer to his objective, the airman presently
began to descend at a speed which completely
baffled the gunners. As he drew nearer he
very skilfully manoeuvred so that he had the
balloon between his machine and the artillery.
This, of course, added to the difficulties of
the German gunners, who, naturally, had no
wish to send a screaming shell into the giant

171

Thrilling Deeds

gas-bag, from which was suspended a basket
containing some of their own comrades. The
Lieutenant found that dodging the shells was no
easy task, even when he was at a great height,
and when in due course he came within 200 feet
of the ground, it is not too much to say that it
was a case of ' touch and go.' Indeed, it was
remarkable that his machine was not smashed
to pieces. Only the utmost ingenuity in the
utilization of that captive balloon saved the
airman from destruction and enabled him to
wing into such a position that he could loose
his bombs with such a degree of accuracy
that they went crashing on to the airship shed,
to the consternation of the Germans who
had felt sure of their prey. The Lieutenant
was within so short a distance of the shed
that he felt the effects of his own bombs ;
but, cool-headed and calm, he kept his
machine under complete control and, while
the ' Archies ' boomed out at him, he set his
aeroplane climbing back into the giddy heights
and so away toward home. In such fashion
did he win the D.S.O.
And now to relate the manner in which he

172

A Batch of V.C.s

earned the little bronze Maltese cross — " For
Valour."

The official announcement of the award
began with, " For most conspicuous bravery
and very great ability," and, as the powers
that be do not indulge in superlatives without
ample reason, it is evident that the exploit
of Major Hawker, although officially described
in a ten-line notice, was something fairly
remarkable, to say the least. What really
happened, so far as we are permitted to know,
was that on July 25th, Major Hawker was
flying on reconnaissance duty " somewhere
in France," when suddenly he was attacked
simultaneously by three enemy aeroplanes.
The odds were greater than would at first
appear, for each of the hostile battle-planes
carried a pilot and an observer, both of whom
had machine-guns, while the gallant Major
was flying alone. It really meant, therefore,
six men to one and six guns to one, and yet
Major Hawker went gaily into the ' scrap.'
At a height of 10,000 feet he bore down upon
one of the machines, leaving the others to
do as they liked while he attended to their

Thrilling Deeds

companion. Needless to say, the two companion
machines tried their best to bring him down,
but Major Hawker concentrated his efforts
upon the one he had marked, and, after a short
yet severe tussle, he peppered the German
'plane all over, so badly mauling it that its
pilot lost control and had to make a dive for
the ground, where, unfortunately for him, he
landed with a crash inside the British lines.

While his crippled opponent was slipping
through airy spaces. Major Hawker was at
grips with a second one, and, despite a tre-
mendous ta-ta-ta-tatting of the two machine-
guns mounted on it, and the whistling of
bullets from the third machine which he
could not tackle for a little while, he manoeuvred
his aeroplane with such marked ability that
from the beginning it was evident the Huns
were outmatched. Before very long the Major
saw the second hostile machine bank, turn,
and then swoop away, heading for its own
lines. It had been so severely handled that
its pilot had all his work cut out to keep
control, but succeeded in doing so just long
enough to reach safet}^

174

A Batch of V.C.s

It was now time to deal with number three,
which Major Hawker treated as he had the
other two. He tackled it with vigour, poured
in a rapid fire of shots which tore through
the wings and the body, generally making
things so warm for the two German airmen
that, not at all relishing their treatment and
by no means eager to suffer the fate of their
companions, they turned and scurried away,
hotly pursued by Major Hawker, who, however,
was unable to bring them again to action.

Since the days when the Major performed
that feat many other airmen have done
similar things, and very many have been faced
by even greater odds ; yet it must be remem-
bered that in the early part of 1915 aerial
fighting may be said to have been in its in-
fancy : machines were not so air-worthy, the
armament of them was not so effective, and
altogether the danger and the difficulty were
relatively greater. With the improvements
made in aircraft, such an affair as a fight
between one machine and three became more
or less a minor matter, but that in nowise
diminishes the achievement of Major Hawker,

175

Thrillmg Deeds

who at later dates distinguished himself yet
more, and won the reputation of being one of
Britain's finest aerial fighters. Without much
doubt, the reports of the Air Board made
reference to his name in their repeated com-
mendations of * Major A.' and ' Major B.*
To the regret of very many, in 1916 his name
appeared in the list of ' Missing.'

About a week after Major Hawker had won
the V.C, one of his fellow-fliers. Captain John
Aidan Liddell (3rd Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders and R.F.C.), also won the dis-
tinction. On the last day of July, 1915,
Captain Liddell was on a flying reconnais-
sance over Ost end-Bruges-Ghent, when he
was wounded in the thigh by high-explosive
shrapnel from an anti-aircraft gun. His leg
was riddled with bullets, being wounded in
fifty places ! The observer, who saw his pilot
sag helplessly, and realized that he was sorely
wounded, had little time for thinking, for the
aeroplane immediately began to drop sheer
down. The shock had rendered Captain
Liddell unconscious, and he had been jammed

176

A Batch of V.Cs

between the steering-wheel and the side of
his seat. The machine was free to go its own
way — which was directly earthward — and the
jerk pitched the observer between the struts
and the machine-gun. As the aeroplane
dropped the rush of the wind was tremendous,
and the observer was never so thankful in
his life for being jammed up so that he could
not move, for the machine turned turtle and
then came right way up again, as it dropped
in a spin from which it appeared there could
be no recovery !

The unconscious pilot, it seemed, would
never come back to the world of feeling. The
observer well knew what happened in such
circumstances : he had seen machines crash
to earth when the pilot had lost control.
There is on record the story of two airmen
who found themselves in a similar plight to
that in which Captain Liddell and his comrade
were in, and the observer, unable to do any-
thing to right the machine, had to content
himself with trying to rouse his pilot by
banging as loudly as he could upon the frame-
work of the aeroplane ! Whether that had
M 177

Thrilling Deeds

any effect, or whether it was the uprush of
cold air which brought the pilot back to
consciousness, is not known, but the fact
remains that after the uncontrolled machine
had dropped 5000 feet, and when it was
within 2000 feet of the ground, the pilot re-
gained consciousness, and succeeded in getting
his mount under control again.

In like manner. Captain Liddell came round,
to find himself bleeding profusely, with a feeling
that if he moved his leg would drop off ; with
pain racking his body, his head throbbing,
and his machine slipping downward at a
speed amazing even to so skilled an airman.
The altimeter showed they had fallen 3000
feet, and it seemed impossible for him to pull
up, because in the moment that his eyes
opened he saw that the control wheel was
affected. How could he hope to get his
machine in hand ? He could see no way to
do so, and yet — such is the stuff of which
heroes are made — he attempted the seemingly
impossible. Only Captain Liddell himself
knows how he managed it, but the fact remains
that, growing weaker and weaker every second,

178

A Batch of V.C.s

and scarcely able to bear the pain, by fumbling
about in a half-dazed way with levers which
did not want to move, he succeeded at last in
getting the engine to answer. The elevators
worked and, with a convulsive shiver, as though
resenting the insolence of man daring to con-
trol it, the aeroplane began to slacken its pace,
pushed up its nose, and approached something
like an even keel.

Down below, German gunners who had
seen the headlong drop of the machine and
expected to see it crash itself to pieces on the
ground, were amazed to see it begin to fly
normally again. The whole thing seemed
incredible. Yet, that did not prevent them,
naturally, from doing their very best to bring
it down after all ; for, as Captain Liddell
turned toward the Belgian lines, where, many
miles away, was an aerodrome, the anti-aircraft
guns opened fire, and the cotton-wool whorls
appeared on every side. The gallant Captain
— who knew that he could not last long, be-
cause of the stream of blood which was dyeing
his machine red — fought against the desire
to lapse once more into a blissful state of

179

Thrilli7ig Deeds

unconsciousness, fought, not merely for his own
sake, but for the sake of the man who looked
to him to drive the machine back to safety,
and for the sake of the authorities who waited
somewhere behind the line for the report which
had been gathered during the first part of the
tragic flight.

Fortunately, he did not fight in vain. " Not-
withstanding his collapsed state," ran the
official announcement, " he succeeded, although
continually fired at, in completing his course,
and brought the aeroplane into our lines,
half an hour after he had been wounded. . . .

" The difficulties experienced by this officer
in saving his machine, and the life of his
observer, cannot readily be expressed, but as
the control wheel and throttle control were
smashed, and also one of the under-carriage
struts, it would seem incredible that he could
have accomplished his task."

Praise indeed : and heroism indeed !

" You must lift me out," Captain Liddell
said to those who rushed to his assistance
as he brought the machine to earth. " If
I move, I am afraid my leg will drop off."

i8o

A Batch of V.C.S

He was carried to hospital, but, although
everything possible was done for him, he did
not live to receive the Victoria Cross, which
was placed on his bier.

The official announcement of the award of
the Victoria Cross to Second-Lieutenant Gilbert
S. M. Insall (R.F.C.) stated that it was
bestowed " For most conspicuous bravery,
skill, and determination," and the high praise
was well deserved.

This gallant officer was on patrol duty on
November 7th, 1915, and his watch in the
air was after a while rewarded by the appear-
ance of a German aeroplane. The meeting
between the aviators took place near Achiet,
toward which town the British airman chased
the German, who apparently disliked the look
of the big Vickers fighting machine in which
Insall was mounted. With his engine putting
forth every possible ounce of power, the Teuton
sped through the air ; but he could not shake
off the Vickers 'plane, wliich hung relentlessly
at his tail. Finding that he could not escape,
the German aviator changed his course and,

181

Thrilling Deeds

although Insall did not know it until it was
too late, lured him toward a hidden battery.

The stern chase continued, and at last the
two aeroplanes were almost over the battery.
The first inkling Insall had of the danger was
a salvo from the guns below ; but, with
remarkable coolness, he dived from a giddy
height until he was almost touching the
German machine. His gunner, First-Class Air
Mechanic T. H. Donald, was on the qui vive,
waiting eagerly for the moment when he
could effectively let loose a stream of bullets
at the fleeing foe ; that moment came, and
Donald, taking cool aim as his machine swooped
down, opened fire. A whole drum of cart-
ridges was scattered upon the rival machine,
and the marksmanship was so good that its
engine was hit and stopped dead.

The German was now in a sorry plight, but
he knew that he had still a chance of escape
if he could but volplane to earth before his
antagonist regained position and attacked him
again. Below was a thick bank of cloud,
and into this, and through it, the German
dropped. Caring nothing for the danger that

182

A Batch of V.Cs

he knew must lie on the other side of the
cloud, Insall also dived into the mist-veil,
and, emerging from it, saw his enemy still
going earthward. Like a hawk pouncing upon
its prey the British machine swooped down,
a few breathless seconds ensued, and then
Donald once more opened fire, spraying the
German machine with a nickel hail which
literally shattered it, sending it hurtling into a
ploughed field a few miles south-east of Arras.
By little short of a miracle the aviators
escaped death. When their machine landed,
they scrambled out and very pluckily prepared
to engage the Vickers 'plane, now hovering
close above them.

Insall, when he saw that the Germans were
still bent on fighting, dropped yet lower,
till within 500 feet above the spot where the
wrecked machine lay. From this position
Donald let his machine-gun rip out its tattoo
of death, and the Germans finding the place
too hot for them wisely took to their heels.
One of them was wounded, but his comrade
gallantly kept with him and tried to help
him along to safety.

183

Thrilling Deeds

The British airmen, having defeated their
foes, now turned their attention to the destruc-
tion of the machine itself. Near at hand were
German trenches, the occupants of which were
firing rapidly at the Vickers machine, which,
however, merely completed its circle, and, as
it again passed over the German machine,
loosed an incendiary bomb from its rack.
There was a sharp report, a burst of flame
and smoke, and as he swept round and up
Insall's last glance showed the enemy machine
a total wreck.

The problem now before the victors was
how to get home. They were about 2000
feet above the ground, and in order to obtain
a higher speed than they were flying at, it
was necessary to dive down. This, however,
meant that they would come within easier
range of German riflemen in the trenches
over which they must pass ; but the plucky
Britishers took the risk, and improved the
occasion. To the utter astonishment of the
Germans, the aeroplane swooped toward them,
the roar of the engine sounding like thun-
der. They could not understand such tactics,

184

A Batch of V.C.s

and they could not imagine what the air-
men intended. They were soon enhghtened,
however, for as the British machine came
over the trenches its machine-gun opened fire,
and Donald raked the defence ditches with
disastrous effects upon their occupants.

Even as the aeroplane passed Insall pulled up
and set his elevators to rise, and as the machine
responded it was followed by a terrific burst
of fire from the Germans, who had speedily
recovered from their surprise. Bullets whistled
past the rising aeroplane, cut holes in its planes
and nacelle, and — worst luck of all — penetrated
the petrol tank. Insall, looking at his gauge,
realized that the oil was running out. To an
aeroplane, oil is what the blood is to the body,
and the Lieutenant knew that he must extract
from his engine all he possibly could within
the next few minutes if he were to get his
machine to safety. He resolved not to try
to fly to his station, but to ahght just within
the British lines. Scanning the country be-
neath and before him, he saw a wood not
far away, which he judged to be about 500
yards within the British lines, and thereabout

185

Thrilling Deeds

he decided to land. From behind him, as he
drove onward, German anti-aircraft guns con-
tinued to fire, and bursting shrapnel created
smoke-clouds in all directions, but the speed
at which the Vickers machine was flying and
the fact that it was now gliding earthward
disconcerted the gunners, so that nothing
happened to prevent Insall from guiding his
machine gracefully to rest beyond the friendly
wood.

The moment the aeroplane touched earth
Insall and his mechanic jumped out to see
what they could do with the petrol tank.
If they had hoped to be left unmolested,
they were disappointed ; for the Germans,
who had realized the purpose of the airmen,
promptly opened fire in the direction in which
the aeroplane had dropped. During the next
few hours no fewer than a hundred and fifty
shells were dropped, fired at the machine, but
not one of them caused any material damage.
In the face of the bombardment, however,
Insall and his companion found it impossible
to effect repairs during daylight, and so they
waited in the wood until night fell. Then,

i86

A Batch o/V.C.s

by the aid of screened lights, they overhauled
their machine, and found it badly knocked
about by rifle fire but still in a repairable
condition. It took them nearly all night to
effect these repairs, but at last they were done,
and at the break of day Insall and Donald
mounted their aerial steed again, taxied it along
the ground, and then drummed their way up-
ward and homeward, duly reaching their station
little the worse for their perilous adventure.

In another place we have told the story of
a dive to earth in a machine that was a mass
of flames, and here in this collection of tales
about the V.C. we must include that of
Sergeant Thomas Mottershead of the R.F.C.,
who passed through the terrif3dng experience
of dropping to earth in a blazing aeroplane.

It was one day in 1917 that Sergeant Mot-
tershead pushed up the nose of his machine
and drove to a height of 9000 feet, to enable
Lieutenant Gower, his companion, to make
observations of certain points in the enemy
lines. Hostile machines came out to meet
the target-marked 'plane, and a very severe

187

Thrilling Deeds

little ' scrap ' took place nearly two miles
above the ground. The Britishers were un-
fortunate, for a machine-gun in one of the
enemy 'planes sprayed the aeroplane with
bullets and tore a hole in the petrol tank.

Instantly, the fuel began to flow out and
down toward the engine. Lieutenant Gower
saw the first flash as the liquid caught light,
and he immediately endeavoured to beat out
the fire. It is no easy matter, however, to
subdue flaming petrol, and Gower realized
that the position was very serious.

Sergeant Mottershead realized this also, and
knew that it was useless to think of continuing
the fight. If he were to save the life of his
observer, whose information was wanted by
those in command below, he must immedi-
ately make for earth, trusting to the powers
who guard airmen that Lieutenant Gower
might be able to triumph over the fire.
There seemed little likelihood of that, how-
ever, seeing that the descent would have to
be made at top speed, which would cause the
air to fan the flames until they enveloped the
whole aeroplane.

i88

A Batch of V.Cs

This was just what happened as the intrepid
pilot sent his aerial mount plunging for earth.
The flowing petrol ran into the flames al-
ready kindled, the air, as the machine rushed
through it, drove the flames up to the tank,
and before many minutes had passed the aero-
plane was a blazing torch, with a stream of
fire leaping behind it and a trail of black
smoke.

A fearful sight to watch, and a fearful
experience for the aviators ! Throughout the
time the machine was falling. Lieutenant
Gower gallantly fought the flames, which he
noticed were being fanned by the air all around
the legs of the gallant pilot ; but his efforts
were unavailing.

Grim-faced, cool-headed, Mottershead sat in
his seat, with the flames scorching his uni-
form and burning his legs horribly — the legs
that he could not move out of the way be-
cause they were controlling the machine ; and
through the flames he was looking for a safe
landing-place.

He was suffering intensely ; the pain must
have been sufficient to drive an ordinary man

189

Thrillinp' Deeds

'^

mad, and the whole incident was terrific in
its horror. Yet the gallant Sergeant did not
lose his head : one thought only was present,
and that was that he must save Lieutenant
Gower.

The machine was slithering down the airy
spaces at a wonderful speed, thousands of
feet were dropped in an incredibly short time,
and Sergeant Mottershead now realized that
he must begin to flatten out for the landing,
in order to avoid a dive into the ground.
That this man could control himself to think
clearly in such circumstances is astounding,
and speaks volumes for his courage.

When Mottershead saw what he judged was
a likely place for landing, he flattened as well
as he could, considering the speed at which
the machine was travelHng and the fact that
some of its control wires had been burnt away
like so many cotton strands. It was a moment
filled with tense anxiety and dread possibilities.
Sergeant Mottershead, despite his bravery, was
almost at the breaking-point : his eyes were
bleared, the pain in his legs was terrible. Just
behind him the tank was blazing, making life

190

A Batch of V.C.s

unendurable. It seemed easier and better to
die than to live.

Then the climax that he had dreaded
happened. During that wild, mad descent
the thought had ever been present that, as
the struts had been burnt away, the machine
might at any moment collapse ; perhaps the
tail might drop off, and then . . . the result
was too awful to contemplate. Fortunate it
was for that gallant pilot and his observer
that the catastrophe happened when the
machine was within only a short distance
of the ground ; otherwise, neither would have
escaped death by being crashed to earth.
Even as it was, when the aeroplane suddenly
collapsed to the ground, a flaming mass still,
Sergeant Mottershead was pinned down by
the wreckage, and only by the promptitude of
some soldiers who had watched the awesome
spectacle was he brought out alive and con-
veyed to hospital, to die, alas ! before the
world learned of his brilliant exploit.

" Though suffering extreme torture from
burns Sergeant Mottershead showed the most
conspicuous presence of mind in the careful

191

Thrilling Deeds

selection of a landing-place, and his wonderful
endurance and fortitude undoubtedly saved
the life of his observer."

Thus testified the official announcement
chronicling the posthumous award of the
V.C. to this gallant pilot.

192

CHAPTER XIII

The Man who Broiiglit Down
Immelmann

THE aerial war has produced some fine
figliters amongst the various belli-
gerents, though it fell to the lot of
the German aviators to be given personal
credit long before the British airmen were
allowed to be known as gallant and successful
fighters in the air. Day after day the Berlin
communiques reported that Lieutenant So-
and-So had brought down his n\h. enemy
machine ; but although many British pilots
had quite as fine totals notched to their credit,
they were hidden behind the anonymity of
Lieutenant A, or Squadron-Commander B.
Amongst the German air heroes was Lieu-
tenant Immelmann, whose prowess the Teutons
were for ever singing ; they were never weary
of proclaiming to the world each victory gained
by him. There came a day, however, when
N 193

Thrilling Deeds

Immelmann fought his last fight— fought it
as became the brave man that he was. Yet,
amazing to relate, the man who vanquished
this vahant fighter figured in dispatches
for some time simply as " Lieutenant M'C."
Naturally, questions were asked when the news
of what was one of the greatest air fights of
the war filtered through, and a demand was
made that the identity of the hero should
be disclosed. Tardily, the information was
given, and the world which was thrilled by the
story, even when robbed of its personal features,
re-read it with deepened interest when it
was revealed that the conqueror was Second-
Lieutenant M'Cubbin, R.F.C.

Before telling the story of Lieutenant
Immelmann's tragic end, however, it might
be as well to recite the tale of a typical en-
counter with him. It is based upon a letter
written by one of the British aviators who
took part in it, Lieutenant Slade, who was
taken prisoner at the end of the combat.

This fine young officer was acting as observer
to Captain Darley of the R.F.C, and the pair
were flying, in a French-built machine, over

194

Man wJio broitglit doivn Immehnanji

the German lines when, suddenly, and as it
were from nowhere, a Fokker appeared.

Immelmann, the champion Fokker pilot of
Germany, was mounted in that sinister-look-
ing monoplane, and, following his customary
tactics, he came up from behind the Britishers
and they had no knowledge of his presence
until he was pouring in a stream of bullets,
which hterally riddled the petrol tank, and
made it about as useful as a sieve for holding
petrol. Captain Darley, the instant he realized
what was taking place, endeavoured to get out
of range of the deadly stream by tipping his
machine on to its nose, in the hope that the
bullets would go slithering past, and thus
allow him to manoeuvre for position from
which to fight the hovering foe. Immelmann,
however, was master of his machine, and had
perfected his system of attack. The rat-tat-
tat of his machine-gun went on, and many of
the bullets found their mark. Captain Darley
felt a stinging pain in his right arm,
and knew that a bullet had passed through
it ; the thumb of his left hand stopped a
shot which absolutely smashed it. But by a

195

Thrilling Deeds

perfect miracle Lieutenant Slade, although
his clothes were riddled with bullets, escaped
injury. When he saw the plight of his pilot,
he pulled out his penknife, leaned over,
and performed a surgical operation in mid-
air, amputating Captain Darley's thumb, the
while that Immelmann was keeping in deadly
line with the descending British aeroplane and
giving it the full benefit of belt after belt,
until he was assured that there was no chance
of the Britishers escaping. Then, like the
chivalrous foe that he was — and there was not
a man of the British Flying Services but had
a fine appreciation of the sporting instincts of
Immelmann — he desisted from firing, con-
tenting himself with flying within range and
watching his enemies make their descent.
Flight was out of the question, for the petrol
was leaking badly from the tank, and the
great danger was that which every man of the
air most dreads ; it was quite on the cards
that the escaping fuel might set fire to the
machine, and the occupants be cremated as
it fell a blazing mass. Fortunately for the
Captain and his companion this terrible thing

196

Man zvJio brought down Immehnann

did not happen, and although Captain Darley
had been wounded again in the left hand, so
that it was quite useless, he was able with his
right arm to keep control of the machine,
guiding it toward the earth, where he made an
admirable landing.

The instant the machine came to earth
Lieutenant Slade leapt out with the idea of
setting fire to the aeroplane before German
soldiers could rush up and capture it. Immel-
mann, however, had landed almost simultane-
ously and, knowing that the aviators would
endeavour to destroy their machine, he hurried
over, and claimed the pair as prisoners and
their machine as just trophy. There was, of
course, nothing to be done but to surrender
in the circumstances, and, after all, the un-
pleasant task was rendered less galling by
the courtesy of the German, who did all he
possibly could for the Britishers. Lieutenant
Slade, writing and describing the experience,
made reference to his enemy in these terms :
"He is a gentleman, and if ever we capture
him I hope he will be treated as such."

It was not to be Immelmann's fortune to be

197

Thrilling Deeds

taken prisoner ; he was destined to die while
engaged in the work of which he had become
a past master.

His last great battle took place in July
1 916, and it is interesting to note that his
antagonist, Second-Lieutenant M'Cubbin, had
never been in an aeroplane before the February
of that year.

Lieutenant M'Cubbin went up in an F.E.
machine between eight and nine o'clock, and
was accompanied by three other battle-planes,
one of them piloted by Lieutenant Savage.
The duty in hand was what the official report
termed " an offensive patrol " — ^that is, a trip
to bomb anything within the enemy lines
worth bombing, and at the same time deal
with any hostile aeroplanes met with.

When several thousand feet up, the British
airmen sighted a squadron of no fewer than
eleven enemy 'planes, including L.V.G.s,
Rolands, and Fokkers. Long odds, those !
But M'Cubbin and his comrades welcomed
the opportunity for a good fight, and sailed
into it with one heart. The leading Britisher
made a dive for an L.V.G., which promptly

198

Man zvho bro7ight dozu?i Imviclmann

turned tail and headed away east. Thus
foiled, the British airman swooped down
at a Fokker, there was a brisk interchange
of shots, much manoeuvring — and down to
earth went the Fokker. Thereupon one of the
Rolands attacked ; another short, sharp en-
counter followed — and the Roland went to
keep its companion company on the ground.

Meanwhile, the second British machine had
joined issue with a Roland. There was the
usual manoeuvring for position, much rat-
tatting of machine-guns, and this Roland also,
put out of control, went hurtling to earth. In
the midst of this particular fight, two Fokkers,
seeing that their comrade was in a tight corner
and likely to be beaten, came humming through
the air, intent on smashing the Britishers.
So anxious were they, however, that they
narrowly missed destruction themselves, only
the skill and coolness of their pilots averting
a collision in mid-air. This little episode in
the drama resulted in their being too late to
assist the doomed Roland.

M'Cubbin flying at 8000 feet had witnessed
these various incidents, and was hurrying to

199

Thrilling Deeds

the attack, when he caught sight of three
Fokkers hovering some 5000 feet above him,
and about to swoop down to attack Lieutenant
Savage. The latter was ready for them, and
when the first Fokker appeared he assailed
it vigorously and skilfully, sending it down
in a spinning nose - dive. Scarcely had
he disposed of this foe when he was attacked
by the other two Fokkers, which came sweep-
ing down toward him. Fokkers being de-
signed for sudden descents and fitted with
fixed machine-guns which spray their bullets
as the machine swoops down, it was necessary
for Lieutenant Savage to, out-manoeuvre his
opponents ; so, to avoid that first rush, and
to be ready to attack the Fokkers when oppor-
tunity offered, he suddenly dived to within
5500 feet of the ground. M'Cubbin reaHzed
what was in Savage's mind, and determined to
go to his assistance, although this called for a
sheer drop of 2500 feet if he was to get into
the zone of the battle.

Down went the Fokkers, straight and
steady as stones dropped from a balloon, and
following them in the wild dramatic dive was

200

Man zi'ho brought dozen Immelmamt

M'Cubbin. The machine-guns on the Fokkers
were spitting viciously, and M'Cubbin saw
Savage's machine suddenly swerve dangerously.
He knew what had happened ; the leading
Fokker, diving headlong for the tail of the
British battle-plane, had pelted it with nickel
missiles, one of which had evidently caught
the gallant Savage. The British pilot lost
control of his machine, the engine of which
had also been hit, and he plunged down to
earth and died the death of a defeated airman.
The Fokker which had brought about this
disaster was piloted by the redoubtable
Immelmann, who had once more played his
dangerous trick of spraying shots as he swooped ;
but he was to play the trick no more.
M'Cubbin, dropping plumb for his foe, reached
him before he had time to right the Fokker
after the triumphant encounter. Another man
might have given the order to fire while
still at a safe distance, but M'Cubbin, knowing
that he could rely upon the nerves of his
observer, who was manning the machine-gun,
and knowing too that as the Fokker's gun
was fixed it could not be brought to bear

201

Thrilling Deeds

unless the machine turned, sailed close into
Immelmann while the latter was still trying to
complete the wide circle which should bring
him into position to attack.

The great moment came when the F.E.
and Fokker were close together, so close that
they were almost touching each other, and
then M'Cubbin's observer fired. That en-
counter took place at something less than a
thousand feet above ground, and the first
round ended the battle. M'Cubbin's machine
was driving, like a wheel within a wheel, along-
side the unfortunate Immelmann, who, caught
off his guard, suddenly banked in the hope
of being able to outmanoeuvre the Briton ;
but it was a forlorn hope. A steady stream of
bullets poured into the Fokker, and Immel-
mann, wounded and incapacitated, could make
no effort to right the Fokker, which turned
clean over on its right side and fell like a stone
to the ground, where it burst into flames.

Immelmann had fought his last fight, had
brought down his last foe. Yet even as the
German went hurtling to his death, the second
Fokker swung round, with the evident intention

202

Man who brought down Immelmanyi

of getting at M'Cubbin before he could right
his F.E. But M'Cubbin was ready, for as he
saw Immehnann go shthering down to earth
he banked sharply, turned in an amazingly
short circle, and made direct for the Fokker.
The gallant Lieutenant knew all about Fokkers
and their disadvantages, even as he knew the
advantages they possessed if once their pilots
could obtain the right position. The Fokker
has such a short span of wing that it cannot be
banked to any great extent without developing
a nose-dive, so that at the end of a dive it
has to make a large circle. The F.E., on the
other hand, having a much wider span, can
practically " stand on its wing tips," which
enables it to turn in an exceedingly narrow
circle.

In just the same way that naval men have
worked out sea-tactics, so have our airmen
evolved air-tactics, and M'Cubbin was an
adept. He knew perfecth^ the capabilities
of his F.E., and as the Fokker reached the
end of its dive and began the wide swooping
circle. Lieutenant M'Cubbin steered his machine
into what may be termed the centre of that

203

Thrilling Deeds

circle. By steep banks and sudden turns he
kept his machine inside, while his observer
was slipping in fresh cartridges, merely waiting
for the exact moment to come when he could
fire.

Then the unexpected happened : the pilot
of the Fokker, evidently nervous of a man
who could out-class Immelmann, and realizing
that M'Cubbin's F.E. had the advantage in
powers plus that of position, instead of com-
pleting the circle which might have brought
him to where he could attack, suddenly gave
up the fight, and went sailing away to friendly
shelter, leaving M'Cubbin the victor in what
had been a thrilling battle !

M'Cubbin and his observer were both un-
injured, but their machine bore honourable
marks of the fight, its planes being holed in
numerous places, and its fuselage looking like
the top of a pepper-box.

A week later M'Cubbin fought another
battle, and was not so fortunate, although he
was almost as successful. In many respects
this second battle had in it more of the ele-
ments that thrill than that with Immelmann,

204

Man zuko brought dozvn hmnehnann

although because of the lauded prowess of
the German more glamour surrounded the
previous affair.

Lieutenant M'Cubbin with four other ma-
chines had been on a bombing expedition, and,
their work completed, the airmen were re-
turning home when a Fokker followed them
and attacked one of the British machines.
M'Cubbin was well in advance, but, looking
round, saw the Fokker coming ; so banking,
he swung round, recrossed our lines, and sailed
into the fight.

M'Cubbin used all his skill to obtain the
advantage of position, and the Fokker pilot
did his best to get above his foe and use the
tactics which had always proved so successful.
While the aeroplanes were engaged in lighting
for position, the machine-guns spat angrily,
bullets spattered through nacelles and ripped
their way through the planes. Almost simul-
taneously two bullets got home : one from
the British battle-plane hit the Fokker, which
toppled over and hurtled to destruction ;
the other, from the Fokker, smashed its
way through the nacelle, entered M'Cubbin's

205

Thrilling Deeds

shoulder, passed clean through the muscles,
and lodged in his forearm.

By a supreme effort M'Cubbin kept his
head ; the pain was terrible, and the arm
was rendered utterly useless ; blood flowed
freely, weakening him every minute. But to
descend then meant falling into the enemy's
hands, and M'Cubbin was determined that
that should not happen if it were humanly
possible to avoid doing so. He swung his
machine round and, his eyes misty, his head
swimming, he made a bolt for his own base.
Over the trenches filled with British soldiers,
who had breathlessly watched the combat
in mid-air, and had cheered enthusiastically
when they saw the Fokker go down ; over the
trenches and beyond to where the aerodrome
stood clearly marked out, M'Cubbin drove
his aerial steed. Every moment seemed an
age, every necessary touch of the ' joy-stick '
jolted the wounded arm; but M'Cubbin
held on, knowing that he must get his
machine to safety quickly lest the petrol
ran out owing to the tank having been
shot through. Onward and downward, in a

206

Man who broiight dozen Ivimelmann

beautiful volplane he went to meet the up-
rising ground, coming to rest as Hghtly as a
bird, and then collapsing through loss of
blood the moment his machine touched earth.
For his gallant conduct in these two en-
counters Lieutenant M'Cubbin received the
D.S.O.

207

CHAPTER XIV

Some Zeppelin Strafers

ON the night of March 31st- April ist,
1916, three ZeppeHns sailed over the
stormy wastes of the North Sea,
reached the East Coast, and then separated,
each to carry out the fell work assigned to
it by those safe in far-off Germany. One of
them, L15, in charge of Commander Breithaupt,
headed for the Metropolis. Breithaupt, who
had received the Iron Cross and the Order pour
le Merite for a previous raid on London in
September 1915, profiting by the knowledge
gained on that occasion, set a course which
he hoped would enable him to elude certain
batteries of the land defences. His guide
was Father Thames, and he steered his giant
gas-bag so skilfully that he penetrated some
considerable distance inland before he was
discovered. Probably he and his crew were
congratulating themselves upon their feat,
and expecting to be able to reach their ob-

208

Some Zeppelin Strafers

jective before being discovered. They were,
however, sadly disillusioned. Suddenly the
inky darkness was pierced by two brilliant
shafts of light which shot up and, with un-
erring aim, swathed the Zeppelin in a white
effulgence which dazzled the crew.

Realizing that searchlights were the pre-
lude to shrapnel, Breithaupt immediately took
action. He released the bombs intended for
London Town in order to lighten his craft and
enable him to rise quickly out of range of the
searchlights, and especially of the anti-aircraft
guns which he knew would presently open fire.

Even as the first bomb crashed thunderously
below, there came another sound from the
earth, and a shell, followed quickly by others,
went screaming up past the Zeppelin. A
circle of bursting stars seemed to be made
round the doomed airship, and one of them
burst right on top of the envelope, near the
tail, making a great hole in the fabric and
causing the gas to escape in large quantities.
The Zeppelin, despite the fact that her crew
frantically loosed most of her bombs, began
to fall. As she slowly descended, yet another
o 209

Thidlling Deeds

shell caught her, and Breithaupt, realizing that
he was in sore straits, swung his monstrous
craft round and tried to head her northward.
If he hoped to give the slip to the search-
lights, he was grievously disappointed, for
the pencils of light seemed glued on to L15,
never leaving her for a single second ; and
the batteries maintained a terrific fire. The
marksmanship on that night was remarkably
good, for yet another shell smashed one if not
two of the propellers of the Zeppelin, and
the watchers below saw that she was now
pursuing an erratic course, evidently being
quite out of control.

Meanwhile, ranging over the eastern coun-
ties, another raider was finding things rather
uncomfortable. Her commander had en-
deavoured to elude the outer defences of
London, but, unfortunately for him, the air-
ship had been ' spotted ' and very soon was
under heavy bombardment from the batteries
beneath. At the same time, above the roar
of the airship's engines there came to her
commander a sound which told him that not
only had he land defences threatening him,

210

Some Zeppelin Strafers

but that an aeroplane was also buzzing
around !

The pilot of this particular 'plane was Second-
Lieutenant A. de Bath Brandon, a young New
Zealander who had taken his ' ticket ' only a
brief three weeks before, and was totally in-
experienced in aerial fighting. The Germans,
however, were to discover that British airmen
are daring enough for anything ; for Lieu-
tenant Brandon, who had ascended from
his station immediately news of the raiders
had been received, catching sight of the
Zeppelin flying 3000 feet above, steered boldly
to the attack.

Now, it takes an aeroplane some minutes
to climb 3000 feet, and in the meantime the
pilot knew that it was not at all unlikely that
the Zeppelin might jettison its cargo of bombs
and, thus lightened, be able to escape scot-
free. Lieutenant Brandon determined that
this should not be ; so, getting every ounce of
power from his engine, and setting his machine
to climb at her fastest, he rose higher and
higher, until at last he was directly over the
gas-bag. On the top of the envelope some of

211

Thrilling Deeds

the Zeppelin crew were ready for him with
their machine-guns, while the airship's search-
lights were sweeping the darkness in an effort
to pick up the daring wasp that was so fool-
hardy as to attack the giant of the air.

Lieutenant Brandon, as soon as he was in
position favourable to attack, let loose several
bombs, some of which went whizzing past the
envelope, while one at least struck home, but
with what effect was uncertain.

What happened after that is not clear ; but
later that same night Lieutenant Brandon
was engaged in another attack on a Zeppelin,
and gave her the benefit of a couple more
bombs, hitting her on the nose. It seems
not at all unlikely that L15 which, as we
have seen, had received a nasty mauling from
the anti-aircraft batteries, was the identical
Zeppelin which felt the force of these latter
bombs. This much is certain, however : when
day broke, L15 was discovered by the steam
trawler Olivine (Lieutenant-Commander W. R.
Mackintosh, R.N.R.) floating near the Knock
Lightship with her back broken. Breithaupt
and his crew surrendered, but not before they

212

Some Zeppelin Stra/ers

had taken the precaution of placing a time-
bomb which destroyed the airship while her
captors were attempting to tow her into
harbour.

It is significant of the German attitude in
war, and of the kind of treatment that the
Huns expect as a just recompense for their
brutal crimes, that the prisoners were not a
little surprised at the humane treatment they
received ! Commander Breithaupt, indeed, as
though to palliate the crime of his crew, took
upon himself all responsibility, saying that his
men simply obeyed orders.
f It has taken the Germans a long time to
realize that Britons fight with clean hands,
even against a foe who does not hesitate to
use every means, foul or fair, in the pursuit
of his villainous designs.

For his fine feat, Lieutenant Brandon re-
ceived the D.S.O.

Following this raid, there were a number of
other visits over various English counties by
hostile airships ; but we have no space to
recount all the heroic deeds performed by
British airmen in driving off the raiders. A

213

Thrilling Deeds

few incidents may, however, be recounted,
as, for instance, the gallant attacks made
by Flight-Lieutenants Vincent Nicholl, F. G.
Darby Hards, and C. H. C. Smith, all of the
Royal Naval Air Service.

On April 25th, 1916, an unknown number of
airships visited Essex and Kent and, without
having committed any damage, were return-
ing to their base, when they were attacked by
our airmen. Flight-Lieut enants Nicholl and
Hards pursued one of them for sixty miles out
to sea. Coming up with her they dived until
they were within a few hundred feet of the
airship, when they attacked her with darts
and bombs, with what result did not transpire.
Flight-Lieutenant Smith, also, chased another
of the Zeppelins for fifty miles, hanging on to
her relentlessly until it was useless to proceed
any farther. He was returning to his base
when he sighted a fleet of enemy warships
accompanied by submarines. Naval airmen
are ready for anything that ploughs the seas
or sails through the air, and Lieutenant Smith
promptly attacked the submarines, dropping
his bombs with such accuracy that the undcrsea-

214 '

Some Zeppelin Sirafers

craft were very glad to clang down their hatches
and submerge, without waiting for the gallant
aviator to repeat the dose.

On July 31st other raiders appeared, and on
this occasion scattered bombs over a wide
area, but doing little material damage and
fortunately without inflicting any casualties.
It was during this raid that one of our aero-
planes, piloted by an officer whose name was
not given, pursued a Zeppelin for thirty miles
out to sea, and on coming within range attacked
her with his machine-gun. Then hard luck
came to him, for while he was still pulling the
trigger of his gun the weapon broke and a
portion of it crashed into him, stunning him
so badly that for a while he was unable to
control his machine, which began to drop.
The rush of the cool air revived the gallant
aviator, however, while the machine was still
well above the water, and he succeeded in
regaining control of it ; but of the enemy he
had hoped to ' strafe ' there was no sign. He
was therefore compelled to return to his station,
feeling, no doubt, pretty sore at the scurvy
trick that Fate had played him.

215

Thrilling Deeds

In another chapter we have told the story
of the briUiant way in which Lieutenant
Warneford destroyed a Zeppehn in flight, and
this performance was repeated over British soil
by Lieutenant W. L. Robinson on September
3rd, 1916. The moment was indeed a dramatic
one, for this was the first aerial monster to be
brought down in England, and the hundreds of
thousands of people who witnessed the thrilling
deed were fired with a righteous emotion born
of their knowledge that the victim was engaged
upon a dastardly attempt to murder their
loved ones.

On September 5th, 1916, the London Gazette
published the following announcement :

" H.M. the King has been graciously pleased
to award the V.C. to the undermentioned
officer :

" Lieutenant Wm. Leefe Robinson (Worcester
Regt. and R.F.C.), for most conspicuous
bravery.

" He attacked an enemy airship under cir-
cumstances of great difficulty and danger, and
sent it crashing to the ground as a flaming
wreck.

216

The Destruction of a Zeppelin at Cuffley by Lieut. Robinson

216

Some Zeppelin Strafers

" He had been in the air for more than two
hours, and had previously attacked another
airship during his flight."

That is the bald official announcement, which
goes into no details, and very wisely, because
the enemy would give much to know the means
whereby that airship and others which later met
the same doom were destroyed. It is possible,
however, to fill in a few items of interest which
may tend to increase the admiration of British
people for the man whom so many of them
regard as their deliverer.

Of the Lieutenant himself it may be said that
he was born at Tellidetta, South Coorg, South
India, and had not turned twenty-one when
he won his Victoria Cross. His father was Mr
Horace Robinson, ^on of Mr W. C. Robinson,
R.N., Chief Naval Constructor at Portsmouth
Dockyard. The hero of the great raid was
brought to England when he was six months
old, but returned to India when he was seven
years. At fourteen he was back in England, at
St Bees School, Cumberland, later going to
France and eventually entering Sandhurst.
That was in August 1914, just after the war

217

Thrilling Deeds

broke out, and on December i6th of that year he
was gazetted to the Worcestershire Regiment.
Joining the Flying Corps soon afterward, he
was in France as an observer from February
1 915 to May 9th, on which date he was wounded
in the arm by shrapnel while flying over Lille.
Returning to England, after convalescence
he went into training as a pilot, and took
his ' ticket ' on July 28th, 1915. Making a
speciality of night flying, he saw much service
and performed good work in connexion with
the air-raids over England during the seven
months preceding that ' one crowded hour of
glorious life ' when he brought down the
giant foe. Seven months later, during the
strenuous fighting which prepared the way for
the great British advance beyond Arras, and
which grew to proportions greater than those
of any previous battles in the air, he developed
motor trouble during a combat with the German
champion Festner, and was forced to descend
behind the enemy lines, where he was captured
by a number of German soldiers.

So much for the man. Now for the details
of his heroic deed.

218

Some Zeppelin Strafers

On September 2nd, 1916, Zeppelins came
over to England in force, and an official report
placed their number at thirteen and announced
that the raid was the most formidable Zeppelin
attack which had been made on Great Britain.
Unfortunately for the raiders, they paid their
visit just after the lighting precautions of London
and certain other areas had been improved, and
also at about the time when the defence or-
ganization generally had been perfected. The
result of the new lighting arrangements was that
the airships, " instead of steering a steady course
as in the raids of the spring and last autumn,
groped about in the darkness looking for a
safe avenue of approach to their objectives."

With the airships which directed their atten-
tions to the more eastern counties we are not
concerned here, our main interest being con-
nected with one of the three which were able
to approach within reach of London. The
first inkling that the people of the Metropolis
and the surrounding district had of the presence
of the raider was the crash of exploding bombs
and the barking of the anti-aircraft guns.
Where the bombs were failing the people wisely

219

Thrilling Deeds

kept within doors, remaining as calm as could
be expected under such circumstances ; but
farther away spectators were to be found
everywhere, peering up into the sky, and
following the pencil lines of light at the ends of
which the form of the airship was to be seen
clearly outlined. The bursting shells made
the sky beautiful, and many a cry and shout
went up that the raider was hit. Then after a
while there came a wonderful stillness, and
the people of London stood waiting, spellbound,
as though expecting something novel and
tremendous to happen. They were not dis-
appointed. The lines of light seemed to
have become immovably focused upon the
airship. A silence that seemed to last
hours, but which was really only of a few
moments' duration, and then the miracle
happened : a light spurted along the airship,
a light that could be seen for many miles, and
yet which was as the feeble flickering of a
guttering candle compared with the flare
that almost immediately followed. The whole
heavens were hghted up by a crimson glow,
which made it possible to read — if there had

220

Some Zeppelin Strafers

been anyone so nonchalant as to want to read ! —
even though the hour was between 2 and 3
in the morning. A moment's deathly silence,
as though the watching crowds could scarcely
realize what had happened, and then up rose
such a cheering, such a shouting as surely has
seldom been heard ; for the people of London
at last grasped the fact that some one, they
knew not who, had performed a miracle,
and had saved many of them from a tragic
fate.

Meanwhile, the stricken airship was falling
earthward, like a flaming dragon, nose down-
ward. As though her flaming, blazing envelope
were acting as a parachute, she fell slowly,
and not rapidly as many expected ; but she
fell, nevertheless, and, as an. eye-witness wrote,
" when yet some 5000 feet up, the light, especi-
ally at the lower end, turned to a brilliant
ruby, lightening away through crimson and
pink to an incandescent white at the top,
the following flames, above, being pale
yellow."

As the monster came nearer to earth, the
spectators in the immediate neighbourhood

221

Thrilling Deeds

heard a crackling as of exploding ammunition
(the cases of which were later found making
a track which indicated the path of the air-
ship's drift) ; and then, with a final plunge,
the raider dived to earth, falling near Hill
Farm Cottage, outside Cuffiey. Remarkable
to relate, the storekeeper in that farm heard
nothing ! He was sleeping the sleep of the
just, surely !

When at last the airship touched earth, and
the flames were mounting upward, those who
had witnessed the spectacle saw three coloured
lights, suspended, as it were, from the dome
of heaven itself, and they realized that some-
where up there the men who had braved the
machine-guns of the aerial foe were hovering,
as though looking down in triumph upon their
fallen enemy.

And what had happened up there ? How
had this great work been done ? Some day,
perhaps, the world will know the story in its
entirety ; but, meantime, we must be content
with the facts as they were allowed to be given
by those who took part in the great achieve-
ment. And we cannot do better than round

222

Some Zeppelin Strafers

off this story with the accounts of two officers,
one of them the man who later was to receive
the Victoria Cross for his personal part in the
affair.

Lieutenant Robinson soon after the event
said :

" I had been up something over an hour
when I saw the first Zeppelin. She was flying
high, and I followed her, climbing to get a
position above. But there was a heavy fog,
and she escaped me. I attacked her at long
range, but she made off before I could see if
I had done any damage. The next ship I saw
I determined I would attack from the first
position I found. I met her just after two
o'clock. She was flying 10,000 feet. Soon
she appeared to catch fire in her forward petrol
tank. The flames spread rapidly along her
body. She made off eastward on fire. In
several minutes she dipped by the nose and
dived slowly in flames to the earth. I was so
pleased that in my excitement I pulled the
' joy-stick ' and looped the loop several times.
Then I showed my signal to stop firing and
came back."

223

Thrilliiig Deeds

Later still, when he was presented with a
handsome cheque which had been promised
to the airman who should first bring down a
German air-ship over Britain, he made the
following modest speech to the enthusiastic
company assembled to do him honour :

" The thing that I had the good fortune to
do is a thing which anybody in the Corps,
you all know perfectly well, would have done
if they had had the same good fortune that
I had.

"I was not the only one to go up after that
Zeppelin. You must know that in the case
of every Zeppelin that has been over England
or near England there have been many airmen
who have gone up, and in far worse conditions
than I had, I think, that night — in conditions
that meant almost certain death.

" Many of them have met their death in
chasing these inhuman murderers who have
come over here.

" Men, friends of mine, have been maimed
for life by going up just on the off-chance
of ' strafing ' them on absolutely impossible
nights, nights when it has been exceedingly

224

Some Zeppelm Strafers

difficult to land, misty nights, nights when you
can't see the ground — you get up into the
mists and can see nothing of earth. All these
deeds I consider a hundred times more heroic
than the thing I did.

" It was, I must impress upon you all, merely
good fortune on my part. I feel a lot of honour
and glory have already been given me, and
I feel almost, I would not say criminal ; I
can't quite express my feelings on the subject,
but I know I don't deserve all this kindness —
all that you dear people have shown me.

" I just want to thank you, and am sorry
English is such a poor language. If I could
express myself as I could wish I should say a
good bit more, but I simply cannot."

One of those other of&cers, to whom Lieu-
tenant Robinson so handsomely referred, had
also a story to tell, which throws a little more
light upon the achievement of the hero of
the occasion. That particular officer, who
must be nameless, had gone up in a high-
powered biplane, and had to climb to nearly
10,000 feet before he could engage the raider,
which, harassed by two other aeroplanes, was
p 225

Thrilling Deeds

endeavouring to get away, at the same time
rapping out a hot fire with its machine-guns.
The airship, said the officer, "was travelhng
at top steed, first diving, and then ascend-
ing, and apparently Lieutenant Robinson, who
was the officer piloting the biplane which
had first attacked the raider, anticipated the
manoeuvre.

" The commander of the airship threw out
tremendous clouds of black smoke, which
completely hid him from our view, and in
which he managed to rise. A few seconds
later we saw the airship a couple of thousand
feet above us, and at the same altitude was
Lieutenant Robinson, although a matter of,
perhaps, half a mile away. Immediately
Robinson headed his machine for the raider,
^and flying at a terrific speed, it appeared that
he was going to charge the monster."

Then followed that brilliant spectacle of
the sky, and, as the airship fell in flames, a
second aerial monster approached the airmen,
who were ready for it. Evidently the sight
of the fate of his companion made the com-
mander of this airship decide to hurry off, for

226

Some Zeppeli7i Strafers

he promptly and swiftly turned his craft round
and " scurried off as fast as his engines would
enable him to travel. At such a height and in
the darkness it was impossible to pick him up."

All Britain was heartened by the brilliant
achievement of Lieutenant Robinson, for
until then there had been a feeling that our
successes against raiding aircraft were more
the result of good chance than anything else ;
the Cuffley episode proved that preparedness
and skill had been brought to such a pitch
that raiders could never again repeat their
easy murders of the past.

To tell the stories of the ' strafing ' of yet
four more Zeppelins during raids on Britain
would be to paraphrase the account of the
one just given, for in every particular, so
far as we are at present allowed to know,
the deeds of Second-Lieutenants F. Sowrey
and Alfred de Bath Brandon^ (both of the
Royal Flying Corps), when two Zeppelins
were brought down on September 24-25, were
duplicates of the achievement of Lieutenant

^ A previous exploit of Lieutenant Brandon's is described
at the beginning of this chapter.

227

Thrilling Deeds

Robinson. The Zeppelins were part of a
force which visited England on the date
named, and one of them, at least, was attacked
by Lieutenants Sowrey and Brandon and other
airmen, who chased her from the south of
London as she headed north and then turned
north-east. The airship, which was L32, was
flying higher than any of her predecessors had
flown over London. Such little details of the
event as were allowed to leak out show that
Lieutenant Sowrey, when he had climbed
high enough, attacked the Zeppelin and was
in turn attacked ; the giant ship manoeuvred
so that her machine-guns could be brought
to bear upon the aviator, who by wonderful
skill succeeded in obtaining a position so that,
in the manner which is the close secret of the
Flying Service, he was able to get in the blow
that set the Zeppelin on fire from end to end
and sent her swiftly to earth, a flaming wreck.
The second ship (L33) to meet disaster that
night was so badly knocked about by the gun-
fire of the London defences that, owing to
loss of gas, she had to descend near the
Essex coast, where the Germans blew up their

228

Sonic Zeppelin Stra/ers

craft and then marched along the quiet country
roads in quest of some one to whom they could
surrender. A special constable met them, and
they asked him the way to a certain town.
One of the party then volunteered the astound-
ing information : " Zeppelin engine exploded —
we crew — prisoners of war."

No doubt that ' special ' had about the
funniest sensation running riot through his
body, for naturally he did not know whether
they were armed and would turn upon him.
British to the backbone, however, he coolly
took the twenty odd men under his care and
piloted them toward the village post office,
being presently joined by other specials, and
here the prisoners were inspected. Eventually
the whole of the crew were taken into custody
by the military and removed to certain
barracks.

The attempt on the part of the comman-
der to blow up his airship was only partially
successful, so that when the dawn came
wondering spectators saw a tangled mass of
wreckage close on 700 feet long and over
threescore feet and ten in diameter. The un-

229

Thrilling Deeds

initiated would have supposed that such a
wreck could prove of little use to anyone,
but sufficient was left undamaged to enable
the authorities to obtain a very fair idea of
the construction of what was undoubtedly one
of Germany's latest airships.

Thus by gun-fire and aeroplane had two
more German raiders been accounted for,
and, about a week later — on October ist, to
be precise — yet another Zeppelin met a flaming
fate within a few miles of the Metropolis.

On the night in question, ten Zeppelins
crossed the East Coast, and one of them which
had London for her objective was com-
manded, as it was afterward discovered, by
Commander Mathy, a pilot who had previously
raided the City of our Empire, and had
given an account of his experience to an
American newspaper man. Just about mid-
night this Zeppelin was sighted approaching
London, and, with searchlights piercing the
skies and revealing her position to the artillery-
men below, the defences of the Metropolis
vigorously opened fire upon her. Hundreds
of thousands of people were watching the

230

Some Zeppelin Strafers

spectacle, and saw what they naturally did
not understand at first. Shells from the
anti-aircraft guns were throwing up a starry
curtain of fire, through which the Zeppelin
cither could not pass or dared not for fear of
what might happen. The searchlights were
evidently baffling the crew in her, and many
attempts were made to escape the white blaze
of light focused upon her. For what seemed
endless minutes — perhaps it was less than
half an hour — the raider was held in the
beams ; then she eluded them for a brief
while, during which the spectators watched
open-mouthed, not knowing where she would
next appear. With not a little relief they
presently saw her again, caught by the search-
lights, and once more the artillery boomed,
the shells bursting apparently in close proxi-
mity to the great envelope.

And then, silence and darkness : the search-
lights were shut off, the gun-fire ceased. The
people of London and the surrounding district
held their breath. Recollection of what had
happened a few seconds after such a silence
on the occasion of the destruction of the raider

231

Thrilling Deeds

at Cuffley came to the thousands who had
been in the streets on that historic night, and
men, women, and children waited with bated
breath — expectant, hopeful.

They were not disappointed. Suddenly
the intense darkness was broken by a curious
yellow light, which quickly developed into a
crimson blaze, illuminating the country for
miles around.

A momentary hovering in mid-air, and then
the airship, flaming from end to end, began
to fall, those spectators who were near enough
being able to see the white lines of her
aluminium framework clear-cut in the reddish
flame. Everybody knew what had happened :
somewhere up there, while they had been
watching and waiting in breathless anticipa-
tion, an airman had been at work in some
mysterious but effective way ; but it was not
until some time later that they knew who the
aviator was. His name was Second-Lieuten-
ant Wulstan Joseph Tempest. He had been
spending the evening with some friends, and
had been called away to meet the invaders.
He ascended 10,000 feet and waited in the

232

Some Zeppelin Strafers

air for over two hours before the ZeppeHn
appeared. He promptly attacked, pursuing
her until he was within striking range. Then
he had struck, and struck home.

Immediately after the Zeppelin caught fire
he had travelled the complete length of her,
parallel with her all the time. More than
once, in order to avoid colliding with the
burning mass of his victim, he had to nose-
dive. Eventually he landed in safety miles
away from the place where he had first taken
the air, and was driven back to his station in
a motor to receive a fine ovation from his com-
rades. Later he was awarded the D.S.O.

Because it tells, as plainly as may be told,
the nature of the experience of an aviator in
his fight with a Zeppelin, an airman's account
— it refers to the earlier days of aerial fighting
— published in the Fall Mall Gazette may be
quoted here.

" The pilot of the aeroplane has an instinc-
tive feeling that a Zeppelin is somewhere near
him. He cannot hear because of the noise of his
own engine, and he cannot see because of the
intensity of the darkness all around him. His

233

Thrilling Deeds

feeling is soon confirmed when he finds himself
the focus of two, three, four, or more search-
Hghts, and the anti-aircraft guns commence
to fire. This is another deadly danger he has
to contend with : there is as much chance,
sometimes more, of our own anti-aircraft
shells hitting him instead of the raiding
airship.

" By means of his wireless key, however,
he is able to communicate with his aerodrome,
who immediately telephone to the guns to
cease fire, but during the time that must
necessarily elapse before this comes to pass
he is in very grave danger. More so even
than the airship, for one direct hit would not,
in all probability, be sufficient to bring down
an airship, but most certainly would destroy
a frail and tiny aeroplane.

" The combat between the aeroplane and
the Zeppelin might be compared to that
between a British destroyer and the German
Dreadnoughts in the recent Jutland battle.
Dashing in with great rapidity and skill, the
tiny one-gunned aeroplane fires its broadside,
then makes off as fast as possible to get out

234

Some Zeppelin Strafers

of range of the comparatively heavy-armed
airship. From thence onward it develops
into a fight for the upper position, for once
above the Zeppelin the aeroplane pilot can
use his bombs/ and the broad back of the
gas-bag offers a target which can hardly be
missed.

" Again, some Zeppelins are not armed, as
were the very earliest fighting craft, with a
machine-gun above the envelope ; thus the
aeroplane has the Zepp at his mercy, and is
out of danger himself. Should he be unable
to climb above, the only other vulnerable spot
is the stern ; the airship machine-guns fire only
fore and amidships, and cannot fire aft.

" In manoeuvring, the aeroplane has the
great advantage of being remarkably quick in
turning, climbing, and coming down. The
Zeppelin, again, is very susceptible to flame
and explosion of any kind ; the gas in the
envelope, a mixture of hydrogen and air, forms
an extremely explosive mixture. The aero-
plane, owing to the fabric of which it is com-

^ This was the method of attack followed by Warncford
and some other of the earlier fighters with Zeppelins.

235

Thrillmg Deeds

posed, and the petrol needed for propulsion,
is to a certain degree inflammable, but not
nearly to the same extent as the airship. Fcy
contra, the airship possesses a distinct ad-
vantage in that it is able to shut off its engines,
and to hover, which it is impossible for an
aeroplane to do. Again, in the matter of
speed in a forward direction, and, for that
matter, backward also — for the Zeppelin's
engines are reversible — the aeroplane holds
the palm with an average speed of sixty miles
per hour, to the airship's fifty.

" The combat finished, the aeroplane pilot
has yet to make a landing, surely the most
dangerous and tricky manoeuvre of the whole
fight. The difficulties and dangers thus en-
countered are too obvious to need explana-
tion, further than to say that the landing has
to be effected in the dark, with only a blinding,
dazzHng electric ground-hght for guidance."

Commander Mathy, the pilot who met his
doom in the raid of October ist, told a re-
porter, amongst other things, that he was not
afraid of aeroplanes. " I think I could make
it interesting for them, unless there was a

236

Some Zeppelin Strafers

regular swarm." Well, Commander Mathy had
things made interesting for him, and the con-
tinued destruction of Zeppelins when they
have ventured over Britain is proof that those
who have charge of the defences are not sitting
twiddling their thumbs. No means of solving
the problem have been left untried, no pre-
cautions have been neglected, as a batch of
raiders discovered on November 27th, 1916,
after a pause of some weeks in their
activities. On that night a number of air-
ships approached the North-East Coast, most
carefully avoiding London, under the impres-
sion, no doubt, that by giving the Metropolis a
wide berth they would be outside the range of
effective defences.

They were disillusioned, however, and found
that not only around London but also in
other parts of the country there was danger
for raiders.

Four of the five airships which took part
in the raid attacked the North-East Coast,
dropping bombs on Durham and Yorkshire,
luckily with but little damage to life and
property. In exactly the same way as Lieu-

237

Thrilling Deeds

tenants Robinson and Tempest had attacked
their aerial foes, one of their comrades of the
Royal Flying Corps — Lieutenant I. V. Pyott
— drove into action with a raider on that
November night. There was a short but
none the less stern fight between the wasp
and the hawk, and then the London scenes
were re-enacted : the great airship caught
fire, the flames spread through its whole
length, and the blazing mass fell into the sea
while the night watchers shouted themselves
hoarse.

Boats were hastily put out to see if there
were any survivors, but nothing was seen of
the destroyed craft, not even when morning
came : all that betokened the great event
was a thick film of oil upon the surface of the
waters.

While Lieutenant Pyott was engaged push-
ing home his attack, away down the coast
other intrepid airmen were busy. The fifth
airship had struck inland toward the Mid-
lands, where she dropped several bombs. The
raider, however, was destined not to escape.
As she turned about and made off for the

238

Raiding the Raider
Our giant seaplanes taking the air to cut off a Zeppelin's retreat

138

Some Zeppelin Strafers

coast the batteries bombarded her, aeroplanes
pursued her, and she was apparently so
severely mauled that she had to come to a
standstill near the Norfolk coast to effect
temporary repairs. When the grey fingers
of the dawn began to creep into the eastern
sky she was plainly visible, and was noticed
to be travelling eastward, at a great height,
with several Royal Naval Air Service machines
in her wake. The fact that it was growing
light gave the crew of this Zeppelin advan-
tages which the raiders over London had not
possessed, for the former could easily see
the intrepid attackers approaching and turn
machine-guns upon them. The aviators were
not to be discouraged, however, and the people
lining the coast were given an exhibition of
aerial fighting at a height of 8000 feet.

It was a fight worth watching, too. Down
below an armed trawler was bombarding
the discomiited raider as she tried to shake
off her persistent foes, who were firing at her
as rapidly as possible. Three of the airmen
— Lieutenant Egbert Cadbury and Sub-Lieu-
tenants E. L. Pulling and G. W. R. Fane —

239

Thrilling Deeds

drove in as closely as possible, sweeping past
the Zeppelin's machine-guns, rising above
her, swooping down and performing amazing
evolutions around her, all the time firing
vigorously, and hitting her repeatedly, until
at last the giant envelope caught fire, the
flames roared their way along her whole length,
and she went plunging into the sea.

240

CHAPTER XV

On Fire!

SITTING in the trenches which scar the
once fair fields of Flanders, British
Tommies have seen the great flying
battle in progress thousands of times, and
probably few of these men of the trenches,
who live in the hell of high explosive and
shrapnel, would willingly change places with
the bird-men. One sight alone is sufficient
to make the strongest-nerved watcher shiver —
the sight of an aeroplane falling a flaming
mass through the air, carrying, probably two
men, certainly one, to what seems to be an
awful death.

Here is a story of such a spectacle — one
only of hundreds that have been vouchsafed
to men who never want to witness the thrilling
drama again.

Away back in June 1915 (to be exact,
Friday the i8th), one of our machines, driven
by Second-Lieutenant W. H. Dyke Acland
Q 241

Thrilling Deeds

(Royal Devon Yeomanry and R.F.C.) accom-
panied by an officer observer, was reconnoit-
ring over Poelcappelle at a height of 4000 feet,
when a large German aeroplane approached,
and thundering in close proximity began to
attack. Now, that German machine was no
adversary to be treated lightly : it was double-
engined, had two propellers and a double
fuselage, and could work up a speed which
enabled it to make rings round our machine.
This it promptly did, loosing a hurricane of
machine-gun bullets as it did so, although,
apparently, without inflicting any damage
upon the British aeroplane, thanks to the
brilliant way in which Lieutenant Dyke
Acland handled his mount. The ' scrap '
took place at a range of about 200 yards ;
and after the Germans had thus fruitlessly
squandered their ammunition. Dyke Acland's
companion, who had been waiting for the
opportune moment, ripped in about fifty
rounds from his machine-gun, several of
which apparently got home, for immediately
afterward the German machine began to waver
in its headlong course, the roar of its engines

242

Oft Fire !

ceased, the aeroplane gave a nasty tilt, and
then tipped its nose downward. For a sheer
2000 feet that monster 'plane nose-dived,
seemingly out of control, and Lieutenant
Acland and his observer were not a little
' bucked ' at the thought that they had so suc-
cessfully tackled their big antagonist. Their
delight subsided somewhat when presently
they saw the German machine flatten out
somewhere about half a mile below them, and
then begin to stagger along, flying slowly and
erratically, evidently just able to keep an even
keel for sufficient time to enable it to get to
safety.

As the Britishers had a certain object in
view, which was to reconnoitre German
positions, they made no attempt to finish off
their enemy, although it seemed a shame
to leave a job uncompleted. However, they
had done remarkably well to have scared the
German away, and were free to go ahead with
their immediate work, which they promptly
did.

But, alas, what the German aeroplane had
been unable to accomplish, German anti-

243

Thrillmo- Deeds

<b

aircraft guns succeeded in doing ; for while
Lieutenant Dyke Acland was steering his
machine, a big shell whoofed up into the air,
burst with a nasty crash, and sent out a
multitude of singing bullets which tore holes
in the planes and perforated the petrol tank.
As the job was almost finished, the airmen
decided that, in view of the precious informa-
tion they had obtained, it was better to wing
homeward than to wait for another of those
unpleasant messengers of death. They were,
moreover, in an exceedingly critical condition,
because the petrol leaking from the tank
had caught fire. In such circumstances, it
does not take long for control wires to be
burnt away or for the tail of the machine to be
caught by the flames. The consequences were
too awful to contemplate ; and men who had
seen aeroplanes slip through space like burning
torches had no pressing desire to be the occu-
pants of a machine presenting such a spectacle
to a jubilant enemy.

So Lieutenant Acland promptly stood his
machine on its nose and dived for the earth.
The result was that the petrol, instead of

244

On Fire !

running back toward the engine, began to
run down the front of the body, the roaring
lire gathering in intensity as the machine
shpped through space, so that in a very
few seconds the aeroplane was enveloped in
flames.

From below it must have been a thrilling
spectacle. To those in the machine it was a
horrifying experience. The fire hcked round
their legs, burning them badly ; the heat
cracked the glass in the pilot's goggles and
burnt away the surrounding fabric ; but,
although suffering severely, the Lieutenant
stuck to his seat, resisting, as did his observer,
the temptation to which some men have
succumbed : to risk all in a leap from what
might easily prove to be a cremating furnace !
Down, down, the machine dropped, not
erraticall3^ but steadily in answer to the
touch of the cool-headed yet scorching pilot ;
while to add to the terrors of the moment, the
rounds of ammunition which had not been
pumped into the big German aeroplane went
off in a rattle, accompanied by the popping of
the cartridges in the pilot's revolver !

245

Thrilling Deeds

To those who watched, and to those who
were watched, it seemed as though the down-
ward journey would never end, or, if it did,
that the passengers would be incinerated.
Long before the machine reached the ground
a good part of its framework was burnt, and
the remainder was blazing ; at any second
the tail might simply drop off. The blades
of the propeller, made of hard wood, were
"so much burnt that the propeller ceased to
revolve in the rush of air."

Mother Earth was reached at long last, a
perfect landing was made, and the aviators,
scarcely believing in their good fortune, leaped
out of the furnace : as they did so, the tail of
the machine dropped off ; while Lieutenant
Dyke Acland, as though he had not suffered
sufficiently already, tripped over a wire stay,
fell, and sprained his knee ! Fortunately he
had been able, by his plucky coolness, to bring
his wrecked machine into the British lines ;
otherwise, both he and his observer would
have been taken prisoner. As it was, the
German guns out yonder blazed away at them
with shrapnel while willing hands were col-

246

On Fire !

lecting those parts of the machine which could
be utilized again.

Badly burnt as he was (although he had
fortunately not received any fatal injury)
Lieutenant Dyke Acland, before he would go
into hospital, calmly sat down and wrote out
his report, winding up with a brief account of
the flaming descent, and summing up his
impressions in the laconic sentence: "The
whole of the nacelle seemed to be in flames."
Then, because it might be needed by some
keeper of the records, he gave geographical
details of the spot where he had landed !

For his magnificent courage and devotion
to duty, Lieutenant Dyke Acland had bestowed
upon him the Order of St George by the Tsar
of Russia.

247

CHAPTER XVI

The Battle of Seventy Aeroplanes

WHEN, before the war, artistic pro-
phets dared to depict squadrons
of aeroplanes fighting in mid-air,
most of us poured scorn on their predictions.
We were most of us content to beUeve that
there might, * in the next war,' be occasional
duels between two rival machines with the
whole space of the heavens to manoeuvre in ;
but the greater thing was declared to be
utterly impossible, because, it was explained,
men scarcely knew how to handle an aeroplane
in a 'joy trip,' let alone pilot one in the midst
of dozens of other machines with their guns
all firing as rapidly as their marksmen could
feed them with cartridges. As a matter of
fact, many months of the Great War had passed
before the rival aerial fleets had arrived at a
degree of efficiency to warrant such tactics ;
but those who believed in the possibilities of
the new fighting arm had little doubt that

248

The Battle of Seventy Aeroplanes

the day would come when, even as squadrons
of cruisers can manceuvre in the waters, so
aeroplanes would go forth in squadrons and
engage their rivals.

Stage by stage, the new method of warfare
evolved on experimental lines. The single
scouter took to itself a companion ; the two
grew into several, some of them to act merely
as scouts, but others battle-planes, designed
and armed to fight the strongest hostile
machines ; until, in November 1916 — nearly
twenty-eight months after the opening of the
Great War — there came the first great crash
between rival air-squadrons in large force.

The Allies had won the ascendancy of the
air, and their airmen were incessantly winging
their way over the German lines, scouting,
observing, bombing, fighting, patrolling and
driving back the would-be aerial raiders. The
Germans, utterly outclassed, scarcely dared
take the air for some time ; and then came a
renewal of activity on their part. The Somme
battle had been fought and won, and away in
the rear the Germans were busy making fresh
fortifications which were, so they boasted, to

249

Thrilliitg Deeds

hold up any further ' push ' that the Allies
might try to make. Naturally, the German
soldiers labouring at their gigantic task — the
like of which had never been undertaken in
warfare before — were not allowed much peace.
Allied aeroplanes constantly sped overhead,
bombing whatever was worth bombing, and
at last this incessant annoyance roused the
Germans to action. Once again their airmen
went aloft, in force this time, to try to put an
end to the pestering of their foes.

The crash came on November 9th, and it
came over the German lines, in the direction
of Vaulx-Vraucourt, to the north-east of
Bapaume, that strategically important point
in the curved German front. With the
military depots at Vaulx-Vraucourt as their
objective, a number of our bombing machines,
escorted by several battle-planes, totalling
thirty in all, set off in a formation which had
been proved effective, some flying higher than
the others and with fighting 'planes covering
the bombers at all points to prevent enemy
machines from attacking the less formidable
'planes.

250

Tlic Battle of Seventy Aeroplanes

They had gone some distance, and were
just outside Vaulx - Vraucourt, when the
escort sighted a squadron of German fighting
machines already in the air. They too were in
formation for attack, and were, moreover, in
superior numbers, there being probably forty
of them. They were barring the way to
the place where the bombers were to deposit
their devastating loads. That being so, the
tricolour - marked battle - planes let their
engines all out and swept forward to the
combat, which they were determined should
take place as near their objective as possible,
so that when it was all over the bomb-carriers
would not have far to go to accomplish their
task.

There was a strong westerly wind blowing
at the time, which aided the Allies in the be-
ginning, but was no friend to some later on ;
for those of our machines which were winged
during the conflict were carried in their de-
scent farther over the German positions.

It goes without saying that aerial combats
are matters of seconds almost. There is no
time for leisurely decision, leisurely move-

251

Thrilling Deeds

ments ; everything is done, if it is done at all,
at the rush ; and in that fashion the raiding
machines went to meet their foes.

As soon as they judged they were in range,
each pilot engaged the enemy which he had
selected — some of them, of course, had more
than one to contend against — and there
followed such a battle royal as the world had
never known before.

Such a large number of aeroplanes, of various
types, engaged in a fight to the death at an
average height of 5000 feet, makes an im-
pressive sight. To those who are watching
below, some look Hke balls of gold as the sun
catches them ; others, like big, black birds
of prey swooping to the attack of smaller fry,
which latter, speedier than the birds of the
air, roar defiantly as they drive to an encounter
which may spell destruction. Neither the
artist's brush nor the writer's pen can paint
that picture as it should be painted, and the
imagination of the man who has not looked
upon such a scene reels at the very idea of it.

Those of our machines which were above
the Germans swooped down upon them, firing

252

Tlie Battle of Scz^enty Aeroplanes

as they went, while the Teutons, with the
wicked-looking muzzles of their machine-guns
pointing upward, spat hundreds of bullets
at them as they came. It is impossible to
follow in detail the twenty minutes' fight,
seeing that it was mostly a series of isolated
actions — one can but give a general idea of
it. Our two-gunned machines simultaneously
tackled circling Germans, dived down like
hawks, spitting fire as they went, slithered, as
it were, down over the planes of German
machines as the latter banked and turned
and tried to slip away underneath to come up
behind their down-sweeping foes. How many
men looped the loop that day in order to save
their lives or in order to come round to position
for effective attack none can say. As fast as
one German 'plane was driven off and down,
another would roar to the attack ; and the
noise of the battle was as the noise of an en-
gineering shop in which all the plant had run
out of gear !

Think of it : seventy engines droning madly
— seventy propellers humming till the air
seems filled with super-bees — while scores of

253

Thrilling Deeds

machine-guns, pitched, as it were, in different
keys, are rattUng out their discordant songs
of hate ! And picture it : great winging birds
of man's make darting and whirHng in majes-
tic swoops, circHng with graceful ease — while
ever and anon one goes tumbling to earth
like a shot pheasant — and, still more awful
sight, shot-drilled tanks let their petrol flow
and a machine catches fire and dives down a
flaming mass, as though some fabled monster
striving to storm the gates of Heaven had been
struck by the fire of the gods !

In the midst of that battle of the kings of
the air, many were the thrilling escapes
from sudden death. Here, for instance, is a
biplane rushing toward an enemy travelling
at terrific speed in the opposite direction ; it
is a moment filled with horrific possibihties,
not merely because both machines have a
grim-faced man sitting with his hand clutch-
ing the trigger of a gun which can spit out
hundreds of deaths a minute, but because
the difference of a fraction of an inch in the
downward push or the upward pull of a ' joy-
stick/ or the slightest overthrust to right or

254

Tlie Battle of Seventy Aeroplanes

left, may result in a splintering, pounding
crash as the two machines meet in a collision
which will end in both going headlong to
the earth below. Another aeroplane, diving
to the attack, may — who knows ? — be caught
between the on-rushing machines, and the
disaster be more terrible still. The margin
between life and death is extremely small in
such circumstances, and a man needs a cool
head and a quick brain !

Not merely one storm of the death-hail,
but scores, were breaking in fury, and machines
not immediately engaged caught some of the
bullets as they missed their real objective and
went speeding through the air. Stray bullets
were indeed a danger in that battle, if ever
they were ! And yet, the airmen did not
worry about them : each man sought his
opponent and fought him until he had driven
him off, or perhaps, until some other enemy
swooped for his tail from above or, coming up
below, raked the full length of his machine
with bullets.

A very whirlwind of a fight ! Here and
there machines darted to and fro, first tackling

255

Thrilling Deeds

this foe and then that, banking with startHng
suddenness and amazing skill, turning in
apparent frenzied haste to out-manceuvre a
rival, only to come up against yet another
who must be tackled before the enemy who
had been given the slip could come up again !

In such fashion did this battle of the air
rage ; but at last it was over, and those of
the Germans who had their machines under
control were pelting for safety, leaving the
conquerors of the air to go about their busi-
ness. No fewer than six of the enemy
machines had been driven down, most of
them out of control, and in one at least the
pilot was sagging limp and lifeless in his seat ;
while of those others which flew away, their
formation utterly broken, who can say how
many were able again to take the air, or who
knows how many of their crew went back un-
injured ? These things are hidden somewhere
in the records of the German Flying Corps, grim
reminders of the first great aerial battle.

As for our own casualties, four machines
were lost to us, because, being winged, and
at the mercy of the westerly wind, they had

256

The Battle of Seventy Ae^^'oplanes

to descend at the nearest spot and were
captured by the Germans. One of the re-
turning aeroplanes was the funeral chariot of
a dead observer, and two others were the
ambulances of their pilots, who, wounded
though they were, piloted their machines
against the driving wind, bringing them
eventually to their desired haven. But the
victorious warriors did not return home until
they had sailed on past the scene of their
triumph, and their bombers had planted their
explosives on the munition dumps and supply-
depots at Vaulx-Vraucourt. Thus the enemy's
attempt to drive off the attackers had proved
a costly failure.

B 257

CHAPTER XVII

On Patrol

A WIND that whistled between the
planes, strummed like a harper
upon struts and wiring, and drove
sheets of water into the aviator, as he sped
in the teeth of the storm — such was the
accompaniment to one of the fine feats of
Captain R. H. G. Neville (Duke of Cornwall's
Light Infantry and R.F.C.), a member of
the air patrol between British and enemy-
trenches.

The Captain's work was to scare off any
enemy machines, or, if they were not to be
scared off, then to fight them off ; in any case,
they were not to be permitted to get behind
the British lines and fix prying eyes upon
what was being done there.

On this particular day in the latter part of
1916, Captain Neville, who was one of our
most skilful pilots, found his task exceedingly
difficult. To remain up in such a stormy

258

On Patrol

wind was in itself no easy achievement : add
to that the constant vigil necessary in case
some daring foe should manage to slip past the
patrol, and you have all the elements of a
most exciting experience ! Despite the fact
that he was wrapped up to the very top of his
head, with only his eyes showing through his
goggles. Captain Neville was by no means
so comfortable physically as he could wish ;
and without doubt the lonely, uninteresting
patrol was just a little monotonous — until the
droning of the engine, striving, as it were, to
outdo the noise of the storm, was broken
by what seemed to be a hurricane of sound.
A quick glance showed Captain Neville some-
thing which almost took away his breath :
plunging out of the storm was a big enemy
'plane, which had succeeded in getting quite
close before being seen.

For a moment it seemed to Captain Neville
that the end of all things had come, because
when he sighted the enemy the two machines
were so close that it appeared impossible to
avoid a collision, and the strength of the
storm caused the Captain to fear that his

259

Thrilling Deeds

machine might not answer quickly enough
to the touch on the levers.

Captain Neville gave his controls a jerk
which made the aeroplane shiver from end
to end ; the machine banked steeply, and
standing at a dangerous angle, drove round
— and as it did so, the enemy aeroplane swept
by, the planes of it barely missing the British
machine.

And then, before his opponent could grasp
what was in the mind of the Britisher, the
latter had completed the circle and, coming
back, was opening out at the enemy machine.
Captain Neville had the advantage of position,
and raked the foe fore and aft so plentifully
and with such accuracy that his opponent,
finding he had entirely lost the advantage of
surprise, turned and, giving up all hope of
crossing the British lines, made off toward
his own.

Then began a stern chase. Captain Neville,
when he saw the enemy turn tail, realized that
he was probably suffering badly from * cold
feet,' and he resolved to pursue him to the
bitter end. Out and away from the British

260

On Patrol

lines, the enemy tore through the rain ; after
him went the Captain, hanging grimly just
behind his tail, like some vengeful bird
relentless in pursuit of a monster foe. Show-
ing grey through the driving rain, the earth
seemed to be receding at a terrific rate.
Although he could see but little, Captain
Neville was quickly notified when he was over
the German lines ; for the appearance of the
two machines scudding along, the aeroplane
marked with the tricoloured target chasing
the one with the black cross, showed the men
at the ' Archies ' that one of their own kin
was in danger. They immediately opened
fire at the British machine, and the rat-tat-
tatting of Captain Neville's Lewis gun was
drowned by the crash of bursting shells.

In spite of the shells the Captain still held
on — held on like grim death ; and though
he tried every device, the enemy could not
shake him off. Captain Neville was running a
dreadful gauntlet of fire, and many a gun
which had almost found the ever-changing
range, narrowly missed bringing the chase to
a sudden end. The enemy fled over batteries

261

Thrilling Deeds

with whose position he was conversant, in
the hope that the pursuer might be hit and
brought down in flames ; but the Britisher
flinched from nothing, and seemed to be in-
vulnerable ! On and on through the never-
ceasing storm, far over the German lines,
until at last Captain Neville realized that his
quarry was gliding for earth. That meant
one of several things : the enemy's petrol had
given out ; or perhaps he was nearing his
home aerodrome ; or again, it might be that
he was utterly scared and was going down,
taking all chance where he landed.

As the scenery below grew more distinct,
Captain Neville saw that the second of these
conjectures was the correct one ; for presently
there loomed the hangars of an aerodrome,
toward which the foe was frantically making.
The British pilot now called upon his engine
for every ounce of power, as he was determined
to bring his quarry to bay ; and after a few
anxious moments caused by the guns below,
he succeeded in doing so. He went into the
attack with a vehemence that startled the
German, who, finding that at last he must

262

On Patrol

fight, replied ineffectually to the fire of his
rival ; and eventually Captain Neville, by a
sharp manoeuvre, obtained the advantage of
position, from which he emptied a belt of
cartridges into his opponent, whose, machine
was so badly mauled that it began to drop.
The Captain, following it down as far as it was
discreet to do, had the gratification of seeing it
crash to earth, half a mile from its aerodrome.
The chase had not been in vain, and for
this and much other fine work on patrol.
Captain Neville received his Military Cross.

Here is a brief story, but one which con-
tains heroism and drama as full-blooded as
many a longer one.

Captain Dixon (Yorks LT. and R.F.C.),
scouring the air on what may be called offensive
patrol, adopted tactics with which he com-
pletely hoodwinked a certain German airman
who fell into a most distressing trap. The gallant
Captain, whose task was to keep the enemy
from getting over the British lines, instead of
going for this particular Hun in the regular
British fashion of pressing home a stiff attack,

263

Thrilling Deeds

cunningly led that German on a wild-goose
chase through the skies, behaving generally
in such a manner that Herr Hun firmly be-
lieved that his antagonist was scarcely worthy
of his mettle ; yet, every British bird bagged
was one less to annoy the ' brass hats ' in the
rear of the German lines. Therefore, the
German swooped upon Captain Dixon, and
showering his bullets all about the machine,
fully expected to see the tricolour-marked
'plane go hurtling to the ground. But a far
different thing from that happened.

Captain Dixon, with the knowledge that a
couple of other British machines were up
after the Teuton, had deliberately turned
himself into a decoy ; and all his strange
antics — his fighting and flying away, his
apparent helplessness and his evident nervous-
ness, which made the German sure of him —
had been most admirable fooling, deliberately
designed to lead the enemy on, distract his
attention, and allow the two other 'planes to
get well above without being seen.

The design succeeded beyond the Captain's
hopes. The British 'planes, tiny specks in

264

On Patrol

the distance, mounted higher and higher, and
through their binoculars the occupants could
just see the chase taking place. Up and up,
and still up they soared, till they were lost in
the void — and never an inkling did the Teuton
have of the swift destruction awaiting him.

All his attention was taken up by the foe
who was so hopelessly out-matched in every
way ; never was man so surprised as he
when, as though from nowhere, there came
two smothering storms of shot which tore
through fuselage and planes and — worse than
all — struck his engine and petrol tank, so that
he went spinning down.

And, as his rival fell. Captain Dixon's
machine performed queer antics in the air to
celebrate the triumph, in the which there
presently joined the two victorious aeroplanes
which he had so cunningly assisted.

Second-Lieutenant H. S. Shield, R.F.C.,
won his Military Cross on September 13th,
1915, by attacking a German Albatross when
flying over Bois-de-Biez. He was 10,000 feet
up, when his observer. Corporal T. Bennett,

265

Thrilling Deeds

sighted the Albatross flying some 3000 feet
below. Losing no time, the British machine
dived to the attack. As it dropped, the
* Archies ' were crashing furiously, and the
machine seemed to be slipping through a maze
of bursting shells, which fortunately did no
damage, so that Lieutenant Shield was able to
get into contact with the Albatross, a biplane
whose Mercedes engine could drive her along
at a terrific pace and whose machine-gun was
mounted in such a way that it could be brought
into action at almost any angle. " Very con-
veniently mounted," the official report says of
that gun, and it called for considerable skill
on the part of Lieutenant Shield to manoeuvre
his machine so that Corporal Bennett could
attack with the minimum of risk from the
stream of bullets which the German gunner
was pouring in. The British machine swept
down, then circled to the assault. The German
sailed on, but the Britishers were relentless,
hanging on to the cross-marked tail and
splattering their shots upon the body of the
Albatross, and trying to hit the engine, which
was almost completely covered in.

266

07t Patrol

Not the least part of Lieutenant Shield's
work lay in steering his machine so that the
Albatross should serve as a protection from
the German anti-aircraft guns, and in evading
tricks of the Albatross to lure him to posi-
tions where the ' Archies ' could get him. The
Lewis gun chattered away, the bullets ' pinked '
all about the Albatross, dotted its wings with
holes, and — best of all — struck the machine
in a vital part. Of a sudden. Corporal Bennett
saw it make a dramatic side-slip, saw its
pilot endeavour to right it before that fatal
second came when worse should befall ; and
then, as all the German's efforts failed, the
Albatross tilted up its tail, stood on its nose —
and dived through 7000 feet, crashing to earth
inside the British lines !

Captain Leslie R. Aizlcwood (Yorkshire and
Lancashire Rifles, attached to R.F.C.) swept
along on his aerial duties between the German
and British lines, with shell-holed ' No Man's
Land ' scudding beneath him, the boom of
far-off guns trembling in the air and ' woolly
bears ' breaking into fantastic shapes as the

267

Thrilling Deeds

' Archies ' barked angrily. He was on patrol
work, which called for eyes everywhere, lest
out of the blue depths enemy machines
should suddenly swoop and effect his destruc-
tion, or endeavour to slip past him and fly
over our lines to spot certain things which the
High Command desired to keep from the foe.

For a while the Captain saw nothing out
of the ordinary, heard nothing more ominous
than the roar of his engine and the muffled
thunder of the opposing artillery, then there
abruptly appeared, as it were from nowhere,
five machines, heading directly for the British
lines. Their appearance was the signal for
Captain Aizlewood to pull his * joy-stick,*
manipulate his elevators, and so drive his
machine higher than the oncoming aeroplanes,
on whose wings were clearly marked the black
crosses of the Hun. Up and up he went,
while the Germans winged forward and in due
course swept under the watchful pilot, whose
idea had been to get between the Germans
and their lines, and drive them back. With
his Lewis gun ready, Captain Aizlewood was
waiting for them, and with his engine going

268

On Patrol

all out, he dived at an appalling speed at
one of the foes.

Resisting the temptation to fire as he dropped,
Captain Aizlewood, in order to make sure of
his victim, held his fire until he was within so
short a distance as twenty yards ; then he
let his Lewis gun spit its vicious rain of bullets,
sweeping the German machine from tip to
tip, plugging holes here and there, snapping
contact wires, and damaging the aeroplane
so effectually that its pilot lost control. The
machine tilted and side-slipped, and then
began to nose-dive — the beginning of the end
of another enemy.

But the tale is not finished. That down-
ward sweep to such close quarters, and the
amazing success of the firing, held elements
of danger for Captain Aizlewood, who — so
much is aerial fighting a matter of seconds —
could not flatten out quickly enough to soar
triumphantly over the now helpless enemy
but went plunging down toward it. A breath-
less moment indeed ! It is easy to imagine
the cool-headed Captain manipulating the
levers of fate and the wires of life and death

269

Thrilling Deeds

in the hope of flattening out before the coming
of what might be a fatal coUision. But it was
not to be : the British machine sped through
the short space intervening, its wildly revolv-
ing propeller caught in the enemy aeroplane,
there was a ripping and tearing, a deafening,
maddening roar of engines, something went
flying into space — it was part of Aizlewood's
propeller — and then, the astonished pilot found
his machine free from that of his victim, and
the latter went on its way to destruction.

It was an unenviable plight in which the
British aviator now found himself. His pro-
peller was broken, his machine had received
considerable mauling in that terrific mid-air
collision, and somewhere in the blue were four
other German airmen who would jump at
the chance of tackling what they would con-
sider a lame duck. Captain Aizlewood, his head
clear as ever, tested his machine as best he
could, found that it was not altogether out of
control, although very nearly so, and with the
British lines in front of and below him, the airman
headed for the ground. It was a descent perilous
enough to try the strongest nerves ; and yet,

270

On Patrol

with a machine that would not readily answer
to touch, and that indeed might at any moment
refuse to answer at all and so send him nose-
diving to death, he swept toward the up-
rushing ground — and made a safe landing !

"For conspicuous gallantry and skill," began
the official paragraph which announced the
award of the Military Cross to the intrepid
aviator.

271

CHAPTER XVIII

Against Great Odds

THE way in which our airmen won
the ascendancy of the air was char-
acteristic of the Briton. It mattered
not how many hostile machines might be
barring the way to an objective, the British
machine would drive in among them and
break up their formation, and in many
cases send some of their number crashing
down to the ground. Time and time again
the reports of the Flying Services contained
short paragraphs stating in cold official
language that " Lieutenant A. attacked a
flight of ten enemy aeroplanes, completely
breaking up their formation." Sometimes
there were more than ten ! As a rule, that
was all the information made public. Nothing
of the swift rush to the tune of a roaring
engine, nothing of the gathering of the foes
in an encircling movement, nothing of the
cheating of death by the amazing skill and

272

Against Gi'eat Odds

staggering pluck of the pilot, nothing of the
cool-headedness of a man sitting with a machine-
gun spitting out its stream of lead — while from
all sides the enemy were striving to plug the
engine with shot or cut away the ever-moving
tail of the machine with the red, white, and
blue circles.

Occasionally, however, some interesting
details were published — as in the case of
Captain W. A. Summers (Highlanders and
R.F.C.) and Lieutenant Tudor-Hart (North-
umberland Fusiliers and R.F.C), who in
the summer of 1916 when on patrol duty
somewhere over the troubled front in France,
took the offensive against a flight of no fewer
than ten German machines. They were
coming toward the British lines to spy out
the land, and intending no doubt to leave
behind them a few mementoes of such a
wonderful feat as having braved the crossing
of the lines ; for those were the days when
generally German aviators merely hovered
over their own positions, fearing to cross ' No
Man's Land.'

Being so superior in numbers to the single
s 273

Thrilling Deeds

battle-plane, which was a fine two-seater with
a couple of guns, the German squadron for
once held on its way when the Britisher ap-
proached with its engine roaring out a challenge
to mortal combat. For a while the Germans
thought they had the British machine at their
mercy, but they were very sadly disillusioned.
Captain Summers, who was the pilot of the
two-seater, steered his 'plane so skilfully and
worked his Lewis gun so effectively, at the
same time that Lieutenant Tudor-Hart with
an expertness gained in many an aerial ' scrap '
manned the second machine-gun, that despite
their strength in numbers, the Germans could
neither drive off the British machine nor
inflict vital damage on it.

It goes without saying that the British
machine did not escape punishment — and
pretty heavy punishment, too ! What else
could be expected, in view of the fact that very
often it was engaged in a sharp fight against
four machines at once, and formed, as it were,
the pivot around which the circling enemies
turned, the centre to which streams of bullets
pelted with hissing anger ? Captain Summers,

274

Against Great Odds

his begoggled eyes missing very little of what
his immediate antagonists were doing, or the
others were manoeuvring to do, made his
machine perform miracles of evolution —
darting hither and thither, swooping down
upon some luckless German, or swinging at
top speed between two enemies and peppering
them with his Lewis gun as he went.

Imagine the fierceness of the fight : the
narrow escapes from disaster in the great
gamble with death in mid-air ! Captain
Summers, who knew that only by taking risks
could victory be achieved, piloted his machine
in such a way that very often it was within
fifteen feet of its immediate opponent. For
several long drawn-out seconds collision seemed
imminent and impossible to avoid, as the
wide-spreading 'planes swept close together,
then, with a sharp bank Captain Summers
circled round the foe while Lieutenant Tudor-
Hart sprinkled the nickel bullets over the
German. Then, back again the British machine
swept to the attack, which was maintained until
the observer noticed that another foe was
approaching from above.

275

Thrilling Deeds

Such a moment called for instantaneous
action ; and Captain Summers was equal to
the occasion. Even while his observer was
emptying a belt of destructive missiles the
pilot pushed the ' joy-stick ' over to the right ;
'the machine banked at so perilous an angle
that it seemed it could never right itself again,
recovered, and then went round in a roaring
whirl which carried it out of range of the enemy
overhead. A tug of the * joy-stick ' once
more sent it rising steeply, so that in a few
seconds the foe, all unprepared for such a
swift and courageous manoeuvre, was being
showered with bullets from above. Then the
coming of another Hun from the rear dis-
tracted the attention of the Britishers and
called for yet further evolutions, each more
amazing than its predecessors. Once there
came an attack from two foes while the Britons
were engaged with a third, and as the enemies
swept from front and rear it seemed that
escape this time was impossible. But the
miracle happened : as the Huns approached,
their machine-guns spitting angrily, the British
battle-plane suddenly dived, leaving the

276

Against Great Odds

enemies rushing madly toward each other
while Captain Summers drove his machine
straight for another foe which had been coming
up to the attack from below.

In such a way did the hopelessly out-num-
bered British pilot carry out his self-imposed
attack, and so vigorous was the assault that
the German formation was smashed and the
various machines began a helter-skelter flight
to their lines, followed by their redoubtable
foe, who chased them many miles over the
German positions and only thought of re-
turning home when ammunition had run out.

Then the Britisher merely turned and sailed
away, and no Hun machine could stop it, no
* Archie ' could bring it down.

277

CHAPTER XIX

Some Anonymous Heroes

THE pre-war novelist used to sit down
and imagine all manner of wonderful
things in the way of aerial fighting,
and many queer and amazing exploits were
narrated. But truth has proved stranger than
even the wildest fiction, as the various stories
told in this book will prove. Here is a story
which, if it had been told before the war,
would have been laughed at as being at least
improbable, if not impossible.

Toward the end of 1915, British airmen on
reconnaissance work over and behind the
German lines in the neighbourhood of Bruges
and Nieuport, frequently noticed an enemy
motor-car of great speed racing along the roads
as if on urgent business. Whenever this
particular car appeared, all other traffic gave
place to it, so as to enable it to dash along at
full speed. That car became a kind of lode-
stone to the British aviators, many of whom

278

Sonic Anonymoics Heroes

tried to put it out of action. Time after time
they failed ; but one day an airman who,
hke many others, had frequently attacked
the car, made up his mind that he would
settle accounts with it. Previously, like his
comrades, he had used bombs ; but it is not
easy to bomb a speeding motor-car !

The British aviator does not like to be
worsted, and this particular one had decided
that the very next time he set eyes on it he
would at all risks disable that car.

The day came when, flying at a considerable
height in company with another machine, the
aviator saw the motor-car tearing along the
road in the direction opposite to that in which
the British aeroplanes were flying. The pilot
suddenly turned his machine from his com-
panion 'plane, and set off in pursuit of the
car. His observer, who understood his pilot's
ambition, realized what was afoot, and knew
that this time bombs were to give place to
the machine-gun.

The occupants in the car had seen the target-
marked aeroplane in the distance and they
were not at all surprised when it turned and

279

Thrilling Deeds

gave chase, past experience having told them
to expect this. However, as they had over and
over again successfully eluded such pursuing
craft, they probably smiled as they told
themselves that they were in little danger.
Their car was speedy, and such a rapidly moving
target was not easy to hit with bombs. The
chauffeur sat at his wheel and drove the machine
along at a terrific pace ; while ever and anon
the officers whom he was driving turned and
looked at the closely pursuing aeroplane. It
was drawing nearer, and suddenly to their
consternation the Germans realized that this
particular machine was adopting tactics
utterly different from those tried by aviators
in previous attacks. Instead of content-
ing himself with travelling over the car and
dropping bombs, the pilot of the present
craft was coming down in a swift steep dive
which it was only too evident to the Germans
would bring it immediately over their motor,
unless they could get more power out of the
engine. But the chauffeur had already opened
that out, and not another ounce of pressure
could be obtained ; so that compared with

280

Some Anonymous Heroes

the speed at which the aeroplane was making
its descent the motor-car seemed to be
standing still.

The startled Germans had but one hope:
the aeroplane was making so steep a dive
that it seemed impossible for it to escape
crashing to the ground.

But the British pilot had his machine under
superb control. He had worked out the whole
manoeuvre to a nicety, had judged the speed
at which he and the car were travelhng, while
his observer was ready with his machine-gun,
and when the throbbing biplane was within
a few yards of the pelting motor-car he opened
a hot fire at the occupants. So close was the
aeroplane that the aviators could see every
action of the Germans. The chauffeur was
bending over his wheel, one of the officers
was crouching as if hoping to escape the
stream of bullets, while another, more coura-
geous, was actually standing up, revolver in
hand, and firing for all he was worth in an
attempt to drive off the attackers. These,
however, were not to be driven off. With
revolver bullets boring holes in their planes

281

Thrilling Deeds

and singing unmusically about their ears, the
Britishers held on to the tail of the fleeing car,
the biplane still at an angle which threatened
to send it nose-diving into the ground. Even
the British observer was not feeling at all
comfortable during those last few moments in
which his pilot kept the tail of the machine
up. Though the feat of levelling up the
aeroplane seemed impossible, the pilot pulled
his ' joy-stick ' toward him, the biplane gave
a quick convulsive shiver as the elevators felt
the changed pressure of the air, the whole
machine rocked like a storm-tossed ship, its nose
went up, and the next instant the aeroplane
was pelting along in safety, leaving — what ? A
German motor-car lying helpless upon its side !
For, just as the British pilot sent his steed
mounting, the chauffeur of the motor-car,
badly wounded by the machine-gun fire, lost
control, and the car made a dash for the bank
at the side of the road. There were shouts
of dismay from the German officers as their
doomed machine crashed into the bank,
pitching them headlong into a ploughed
field, and putting the finishing touch to their

282

Sojne Anonymious Heroes

little misadventure by turning a complete
somersault !

It was a very satisfied pair of aviators who
flew back to their companion machine and
so, as Pepys has it — home.

In this little story we will call the pilot
Smithson and the observer Jones, and hope,
for the sake of escaping the ire of those who
would object, that we have not by any chance
hit upon the correct names. Smithson and
Jones went up, on a certain day in December
1915, to take photographs of German positions ;
and in view of the fact that the whole neigh-
bourhood was alive with ' Archibalds ' it was
a hazardous task that lay before the aviators.
Every clump of wood that dotted the country-
side had its hidden anti-aircraft gun, and a
startling number of fleecy whorls appeared
in the sky at the appearance of the British
biplane — an F.E., by the way.

However, as aviators live to the accom-
paniment of such things, Smithson and Jones
were not unduly depressed ; in fact, their
spirits rose as their machine carried them up

283

Thrilling Deeds

into more chilly heights. The air seemed to
be full of aeroplanes, all of them belonging to
the Allies, for the Germans were not so active
in the air just then as they had been at various
other times. Not that a swift-moving Fokker
might not suddenly appear out of the nowhere,
swoop down wagging its tail and spraying a
leaden hurricane, and make things generally
lively.

Nine thousand feet did Smithson and
his comrade climb in about an hour, during
which time the splendid camera worked by the
observer took such photographs as were con-
sidered worth while. After rising for another
1000 feet, Jones, looking toward the east,
saw a thrilling spectacle — a fast monoplane
chasing a biplane — and he thought that it
might be a British comrade engaged with a
German daring enough to approach the British
lines. The chase was going on some good
distance away, and about 2500 feet below the
F.E., but Smithson pointed his machine's
nose in that direction and hastened to take
part in the little affair, if it were not unfor-
tunately all over by the time he arrived. As

284

Some A?ionymous Heroes

it happened, he arrived in time ; and, judging
his position to a nicety, Smithson put up his
tail till the machine was almost vertical in
the air, and nose-dived for about 2000 feet
at a rate with which the air speed-indicator
could not cope, being designed to register no
more than a hundred and sixty miles an hour !
It was a hair-raising drop, and Smithson would
not have been at all astonished if the F.E.
had folded up its wings and dropped . like a
stone. Smithson had little time for medi-
tation, for on approaching he realized that
the monoplane was German and, owing to its
speed, had the advantage of what was un-
mistakably a British biplane. So well had
Smithson worked out things that when his
machine was 500 feet from the two combatants
the latter were almost directly underneath him,
the monoplane threshing out its bullets at the
biplane from a range of about fifty yards.

Smithson let his 'plane dive sheer until it
was within 200 feet of the Hun, and then
began to flatten it out gradually, in order to
avoid straining it too much by a sudden jerk,
which might have upset all his calculations.

285

Thrilling Deeds

The result of this manoeuvre placed the F.E.,
when at a distance of about sixty feet off, just
above and behind the monoplane ; where-
upon the Lewis gun began to rattle, and twenty
rounds of nickel were slipped into the German.
Evidently this was the first inkling Herr Hun
had of the F.E.'s presence, and when he
realized it he banked sharply and swung
round to meet the newcomer, sweeping im-
mediately beneath him and firing as he did
so. The tactics of the German made it
necessary for the F.E. to bank almost per-
pendicularly so as to make a complete circle
and thus keep an eye upon the monoplane.
The German repeatedly made wide, sweeping
circles round the F.E., which was executing
smaller circles, Jones meanwhile trying vainly
to bring his machine-gun to bear. The
difficulty with the gun was afterward ex-
plained by the gentleman whom we have
christened Smithson, who said : " Owing to the
fact that we were doing complete turns in
about twice the length of our machine, the
centrifugal force was so great that Jones
couldn't hold the machine-gun on its mounting ;

286

Some Anonym Otis Heroes

it swung round, and though the whole gun only
weighs 28 lb., he could not pull it square."

Naturally, this was a handicap, especially
as the German, in his larger circles, was able
to bring his gun into action ; and things might
have assumed a serious aspect if the monoplane
had not suddenly decided to hit the unmarked
trail for home, probably because he could see
in the blue three more British machines pound-
ing toward him. The German made a sudden
dive for Mother Earth, and after him went
the F.E. with Jones working his gun for all
he was worth and spraying the fleeing foe.
It was a ticklish moment, for the ' Archies '
were having a good deal to say, and the dis-
tance from the earth was rapidly decreasing.
Smithson was wondering how long the down-
ward chase would last, when suddenly some-
thing happened : the monoplane wavered,
side-slipped, dived, and then turned a somer-
sault which brought its wheels uppermost
— and the Britishers knew that one of those
last bullets had gone home, evidently killing
the German pilot.

There was a 7000-feet drop before that

287

Thrilling Deeds

monoplane, and it made it in a curious, awe-
inspiring fashion, the full significance of which
only an aviator can realize. " The evolutions
which that machine described falling 7000
feet — with no man at the wheel — were
extraordinary, viewed from above," wrote
Smithson ; " first, wheels up ; then right way
again ; a loop, several cart-wheels, a nose-
dive ; more loops, and several turns on to
and off its back, sideways, until it was lost
to sight almost on the ground."

Thirty-five seconds only did the monoplane
take to drop those 7000 feet, and every one
of them was filled with the lusty cheering of
delighted Tommies, who in a long stretch of
four miles of trenches were standing up and
waving their hats and shouting themselves
hoarse. A number of the cheering soldiers,
however, suddenly made a dive for a dug-out,
because it occurred to them that the falling
Hun was heading straight for them. They
just managed to scurry in like rabbits, when
there was a crash upon the tree trunks
forming the roof of the dug-out, and the nose
of the monoplane buried itself in the bottom

288

Some Anonymous Heroes

of the ' funk-hole,' the impact telescoping
the greater part of the machine. The engine
caught fire, the dug-out was filled with smoke,
and the four men who had rushed to safety
there were all slightly wounded.

Smithson looked at his watch, and found
that a lot of valuable time which should have
been spent in taking photographs had been
taken up in fighting, so he set the F.E. climbing
again ; but before many feet were registered,
the engine shirked, and refused to do any
more work. This necessitated giving up all
hopes of finishing the allotted work ; and so
the F.E. was turned toward home, where
Smithson and Jones, when they arrived, re-
ceived a rousing tribute, and discovered that
the observer of the biplane to the rescue of
which they had opportunely raced had been
badly wounded.

After devouring a substantial lunch, Smith-
son and his comrade motored up to the
front line, where the machine had fallen —
the German front trenches being about a
hundred yards away — and there found a few
interesting little articles which were carried
T 289

Thrilling Deeds

away as mementoes of an aerial ' scrap ' which
they knew might possibly have had a different
ending.

In the far-off Garden of Eden things hap-
pened during the Great War the like of which
Father Adam never dreamed of, and not the
least impressive of them were the doings of
certain airmen, unnamed.

In the early days of war in Mesopotamia,
before it was realized that there would be a
protracted campaign, our aviators had no-
where to stable their machines, and the result
was that constant exposure to rain and fierce
sun ruined them ; but, as the campaign
progressed and the fighting developed into
a counterpart, on a small scale, of the war-
fare of the Western front, aerodromes were
established, and a regular system of bombing
expeditions was instituted.

The Flying Corps worked in conjunction
with cavalry, and the enemy's irregular horse,
their raiders, or their companies of thieves^
knew to their cost how effective an arm of
warfare the Flying Service was. The lurking-

290

Some Ano7iymo7is Heroes

places of the raiders were swept by machine-
guns from aeroplanes, and even squadrons
of Turkish cavalry were chased by the flying
men — in very truth a ' flying column,' but
in a far different sense from what had pre-
viously been understood by the term.

It is on record that a raid on our camel trans-
port was unsuccessful primarily because the
airmen had often before struck terror into the
hearts of the enemy, by literally raking them
with machine-guns.

Flying in Mesopotamia is by no means a
pleasure. A newspaper correspondent with our
forces, describing prevailing conditions, said :

" In the hot weather, the conditions for
flying are very trying. At night and in the
early morning the air at 500 feet is far hotter
. than on the ground, and it becomes hotter
and hotter until you reach 3500 feet. You
must go up 6000 feet before you begin to feel
cool. The intense heat thins the oil ; you
can never run your motor full out or it will
get red-hot. You lose 20 h.p. at a tempe-
rature of 115 degrees. Long flights are
impossible. After 9 a.m. the heat makes

291

Thrilling Deeds

conditions most adverse for flying, and there is
nothing to be done in the evening. The wood
warps and shrinks in the sun. New machines
have to be re-rigged when they come out, and
the dust chokes the engines. The sand rises
in clouds and blows as high as 4000 feet.

" During the rainy season mud sometimes
put our machines out of action. After a
single day's rain at Oran, a 90-h.p. engine
and eight men could not move an aeroplane
in the driest part of the aerodrome in the driest
part of the camp.

*' Then there are the floods. An aeroplane
at Kurna, or Nasiriyeh, between April and
July had the same difficulty in finding a dry
spot as Noah's dove. And it is much easier
to land than to get away. At the beginning
of the campaign, when we were operating in
country where the tribesmen were in the pay
of the Turks, the landing difficulty increased
the odds against the aviators."

As an instance showing how the floods
affected the aviation, the following story is
worth telling. Like so many of the good
yarns of the air, the name of the chief char-

292

Some Anony?jio2cs Heroes

acter is unknown. It was in July, 1915, and
the anonymous airman, who had gone up to
Nasiriyeh, was compelled to descend at the
earliest moment ; but peer as intently as he
might, he could see nothing beneath save
water. The whole country was under flood —
and as the airman was flying a machine not
built to do the work of a seaplane, the task
was not particularly enchanting, especially
as the airman knew that where he must
eventually land there were a number of Arabs.
Now, as on one side of the river the Arabs
were friendly, and on the other were hostile,
a great deal depended upon which side the
aviator landed. It called for some skilful
manoeuvring to ensure bringing the machine
down in the right place, but eventually he
succeeded in landing on what he thought was
the friendly side. No sooner had he alighted,
however, than a number of hostile Arabs
appeared, rushing down toward the river-
bank, and evidently intent upon bagging the
great mechanical bird. After all he had come
down on the wrong side ! The position was
far from a comfortable one for the unfortunate

«

293

Thrilling Deeds

aviator, for he was knee-deep in water and he
had only his revolver to defend himself with,
but he determined to put up a good fight. He
was just about to let fly at the foremost of the
thieving crowd, who were now close to the
machine, when to his surprise a series of rifle
reports rang out and a number of the enemy
went tumbling over, while the rest promptly
scattered in all directions.

The aviator presently descried a number of
friendly Arabs on the other side of the river,
and he knew that help was at hand — help
which, as it turned out, meant the saving of
the derelict machine ; for after the ' friendUes '
had poured in a goodly amount of fire, they
waded out to where the aeroplane was lying
and very soon had drawn it out of danger.

Some day we shall have the full story of
the work of our airmen in Mesopotamia, and
it will contain many thrilling chapters !

294

CHAPTER XX

The Train Bo7nbers

ONE of the uses of aircraft in war is
to disorganize the enemy's hnes of
communication, a direction in which
much good work has been done by British
airmen who have bombed transport columns
and cut railway lines.

To illustrate the kind of work done the
following stories may be told, beginning with
the exploit of Second-Lieutenant H. Long
(Durham Light Infantry and R.F.C.). Before
going on to the recital of this adventur«e, how-
ever, we will first record another incident in
which the gallant Lieutenant was concerned.

On September loth, 1915, he sped across the
British lines, over ' No Man's Land ' and beyond
the German trenches, to tackle an enemy
observation balloon-shed, the balloon in which,
from the British point of view, had on seve-
ral occasions proved too useful to the German
artillery. Lieutenant Long carried a special

295

Thrilling Deeds

bomb, weighing one hundred pounds. Al-
though he was fired at very vigorously by the
German batteries as he passed, the airman
succeeded in arriving well over the shed
without being hit, and prepared to drop his
bomb. He was flying in circles and taking
aim, when an anti-aircraft battery close by the
shed made his position so hot that he decided
to deal with the guns and leave the original
objective for the time being. So, mounting
as high as was practicable, consistently with
good aim, he darted toward the battery, and,
as he passed over it, released his bomb, which
fell plumb upon the guns. Exploding with a
terrific roar, it reduced the battery to a mass
of useless metal, killing some of the gunners
and wounding others.

Not a little pleased at his success, the intrepid
airman now flew back to his base and loaded
up with another huge bomb, with which he
returned to settle accounts with the balloon-
shed. The Germans were probably far from
expecting that the airman would make a second
visit. They were engaged in packing up their
balloon when the dramatic reappearance of

296

Tlie Train Bombers

the aviator caused something Hke consternation.
Long lost no time in getting to business : as
he swooped over the spot where the men,
looking like flies, were tugging at ropes to
haul down the captive monster, he let loose
his giant bomb, and as he whirred away there
came up to him the resonant roar of the
explosion. Looking down, he saw that his aim
had not been so good as on the previous
occasion : the bomb had missed its objective,
although only by a very few yards. No little
damage was done in the neighbourhood,
however, which was some comfort to the
plucky Lieutenant.

Three days later Lieutenant Long set out
on a different adventure. Information had
been received that a number of enemy trains
were being moved up toward the front, and
it was desirable that they should be stopped.
The mark presented by a moving train is not
as easy as the uninitiated might imagine,
any more than two sets of gleaming rails are
quite the best targets. In order not to throw
away his bombs. Lieutenant Long, when he
came within sight of the speeding trains,

297

Thrilling Deeds

dropped to an altitude of only 500 feet, at
which, naturally, he afforded a fine mark
for anti-aircraft guns and even for riflemen.
He kept pace with the trains, which, on the
appearance of the aerial enemy, had increased
their speed ; but his bombs missed the quarry
and ploughed up the ground alongside the track.
Determined not to be frustrated, the airman
flew back to his base for a further supply of
bombs, and then, concentrating upon the
foremost train, he returned to the attack no
fewer than three times, on each occasion flying
at a greater height in order to make the best
use of his bomb-sight. It was a case of rapid
travelling, quick manoeuvring and nice calcula-
tion of the relative speed of the train and the
aeroplane ; a case, too, of taking hazards of
being struck by the incessant fire directed at
him while over the train, and especially while
returning for supplies of bombs. But the
Lieutenant courageously faced these perils,
worked out his plans, and carried them into
execution, with the result that after three
journeys he had torn up the railway lines in
two places, and so for a time at any rate had

298

The Train Bombers

prevented troops from being transported to
where they were sorely needed.

His success encouraged Lieutenant Long to
essay a similar feat two days later, when he
attacked a crowded train from a height of
500 feet. Although pestered by concentrated
rifle-fire, he managed by most careful sighting
to tear up many yards of rails.

Then, as though he had not done enough
for one day, that very evening, when the
ever-watchful observers reported that troop
trains were moving twenty-five miles away.
Lieutenant Long gallantly volunteered for
further duty.

Again winging his flight over the enemy
front trenches, he made for the trains, but a
terrific rainstorm, the gathering darkness, and
the gusty weather were against him this time,
and he was unable to reach the trains in time
to hold them up. Not to be denied, however,
the airman turned his machine and raced to-
ward Peronne Station — a vitally important
strategic point.

It was a flight filled with many dramatic
moments, for in the raging storm the elements

299

Thrilling Deeds

seemed to be combining to destroy the intrepid
human who dared to ignore their power. Long
held on tenaciously, and presently, as he drew
near to Peronne, other enemies joined in the
struggle and he found himself faced by a
veritable curtain of fire which barred the
approach to the station. The roar of the ele-
ments was outdone by the crash of exploding
shells, and the darkness was brightened by
red-glowing stars from whose beauty death
might come swiftly at any moment. So in-
cessant was the fire, so menacing was the ever-
changing pattern of the curtain in the sky,
that the aviator perforce gave up his self-
imposed task, and, sweeping round, steered
away from the darkened station. But not
to go home ; the explosives he carried had
not been used, and the intrepid pilot scorned
to carry them back with him ! So, climbing
rapidly to about 1500 feet, he made for a rocket
battery, sent his bomb hurtling downward,
and heard it explode. Then the sudden cessa-
tion of fire from one of the guns of the battery
told that the aim had been true ; he had put
at least one gun out of action, and the evening's

300

TJie Train Bombers

danger had been justified, even although he
had not succeeded in his first objectives.

On a certain day in the autumn of 1916 a
bombing ' flight ' of aeroplanes set off to
harass the enemy on his lines of communica-
tion. Among the British pilots were Captain
Eric J. Tyson (General List, R.F.C.) and
Lieutenant John R. Philpott (General List,
R.F.C). At length, after many miles had
been covered, what looked like a big black
worm was seen in the distance.

The two British machines darted off toward
the crawling thing, for they knew that it was an
enemy train, hurrying up either munitions or
troops. Captain Tyson reached the spot first,
and dived from a tremendous height until he was
within about 300 feet of the train. The droning
of his engine had been heard ; anti-aircraft guns
barked at him, and riflemen sent up a perfect
hurricane of bullets. It was a pretty picture
for the artist, but a none too pleasant experi-
ence for the man sitting in the frail steed of
the air. Suddenly, when right over the train.
Captain Tyson loosed his bombs, which fell

301

Thrilling Deeds

with resounding crashes and effectually stopped
the progress of the train, many of the carriages
of which were in ruins.

Captain Tyson was in a tight corner, however.
In addition to the firing from the ground he
had now to face several enemy aeroplanes
which came rushing upon the scene and opened
fire as he was dodging ' woolly bears ' and
rifle bullets. Meantime Lieutenant Philpott
had come up and found that the train had been
wrecked. Apparently there was nothing for
him to do there. Not far off, however, lay
the railway station — fair mark for any hostile
aviator. He sailed right over, dropping his
bombs as he went, banked, turned, and made
back to where Captain Tyson was engaged with
the enemy machines. During the fight the
Captain had been severely wounded and his
engine had been struck by an unlucky shot,
so that it would not fire properly, and was a
source of annoyance and danger t o it s pilot . The
Captain, however, promptly shed his annoyance
and forgot the danger in " the stern joy that
warriors feel " when they meet their opponents.
Ably seconded by Lieutenant Philpott, he

302

TJic Traill Bombers

fought a good fight — too good for the Germans,
who received such a mauUng that they very
soon scudded to earth.

Meantime the Germans below were endea-
vouring to start another of their machines.
Neither the Captain nor the Lieutenant were
inchned to allow them to effect their purpose,
and, as though they read each other's thoughts,
they both dived toward the earth, braving a
tornado of bursting shrapnel and singing
bullets. Feverishly the Germans toiled at
their task, hoping against hope to get their
machine up before the dare-devil British should
come within effective range : and hoping, too,
that one of their own guns might plant a shell
where it would put an end to the flying of at
least one of the machines.

They hoped in vain. With engines roaring
— the Captain's making weird protestations at
being worked at all — the two assailants thun-
dered into range, and gave the Huns a few
missiles which scattered them in all directions
and dashed their hope of sending up the aero-
plane. Then up again, and with the wind
whistling merrily through the holed planes, with

303

Thrilling Deeds

crashing guns below them and screaming shells
behind them, the Captain and his comrade took
the unmapped trail for home. It is pleasant to
add that later they were awarded the Military
Cross, an honour which they had certainly
earned.

Another officer who won the Military Cross
for train-bombing was Lieutenant A. L. Gordon-
Kidd (Special List, R.F.C.), who from a height
of 7500 feet sighted an enemy ammunition
train — good mark, and fair prey to the hawk
of the Flying Corps. Down went the gallant
pilot in a breathless dive which carried him
to within 900 feet of his quarry. Then, at a
touch of the pilot's hand, a bomb went whizzing
through the air and crashed into the heart of
that train-load of explosives. The destructive
missile had been well and truly sighted ! There
was an upward rush of air, the force of which
affected the British machine, and made it
difficult for the aviator to keep the aero-
plane on an even keel. Below, however,
was a sight to hold any man enthralled :
the bomb had exploded the ammunition,

304

The Train Bombers

and what was left of the train was blazing
furiously.

Another successful attack upon a train was
the work of Lieutenant D. A. Colquhoun,
R.F.C. This time the train was freighted with
horses — probably intended to haul heavy
artillery or to serve as draught animals for
commissariat wagons. But, whatever their
destined use may have been, few of them
lived to serve it, for suddenly out of the sky
came humming the deadly aeroplane with
tricoloured circles on its wings. The engine-
driver opened the throttle of his iron steed,
the fireman stoked till the sweat rolled off
him. All in vain, the dreaded bird of ill-omen
swooped like an eagle from its tremendous height,
and with such impetus that it seemed it must
crash into the racing train. The pilot, however,
had his machine well in hand, and when at a
height of about 500 feet he released a bomb
which fell with devastating effect full upon
the unfortunate train. Many of the trucks
were instantly destroyed, and the aviator,
from his comparatively short distance, saw
u 305

ThriUmg Deeds

the bodies of horses flung into the air and far
away from the train.

Second-Lieutenant F. S. Moller (General List,
R.F.C.) is another hero of the air whose MiH-
tary Cross was awarded for bombing a train.
Together with several other airmen he took
part in a raid with the object of harassing
enemy communications and effecting as much
damage as possible to the ' dumps ' containing
accumulated stores of ammunition. Each man
knew what he was expected to do, and when,
in due course, the raiders arrived over the
scene of their proposed activities. Lieutenant
Moller set to work. Far below he could see a
train on the move, heading toward the British
lines, and he knew that there was a fair chance
of its being well laden.

Through his binoculars. Lieutenant Moller,
as he dived to the attack, made out certain
things which convinced him that the train
was carrying ammunition, and continuing his
descent until he was only about 300 yards up,
he began to loose his bombs. The angry
* Archies ' barked out their protests at the

306

The Train Bombers

daripg aviator, who, however, took httle notice
of them, and the ammunition train soon felt
the destructive power of British explosives.
Lieutenant Moller, having noted the success
of his attack, now darted in pursuit of three
other similarly laden trains, the drivers of which
were obviously attempting to put as much
space as possible between their freights and
the airman. No doubt there was not a man
on those trains who did not know that if a
bomb from the raider with the tricoloured
targets should fall upon the swaying line of
cars there would be an explosion from which
few, if any, of them would escape. But a
railway train is at a disadvantage as regards
speed when compared with an aeroplane, and
Lieutenant Moller had no trouble in catching
up with his foes ; shells burst around him as
he flew, and shrapnel clattered upon the body
of his machine. Undeterred, he came up with
the rearmost train, swooped, sighted, and his
bombs fell with a resounding crash. Spending
no further time on the crippled train, the
airman caught up with first one and then the
other train, treating them with similar severity.

307

Thrilling Deeds

It was a very satisfied British airman who
now returned to his base, and not even
the incessant fire of the anti-aircraft guns
which battered his machine spoiled his
enjoyment.

308

CHAPTER XXI

A Chajupion Aerial Fighter

FOUR months at the front, and a hundred
fights in the air ! Such is the bald
statement of facts regarding the record
of Captain and FUght-Commander Ball, D.S.O.,
M.C. Add to this the fact that by the time he
had completed those first four months on active
service Captain Ball was only nineteen years
of age, and one has some idea of the kind
of men comprising Britain's aerial fighting
force.

It is impossible here to relate even a tithe
of his many fights, and we must content our-
selves with telling one or two of the exploits
of this stern- jawed, keen-eyed king of the
air.

He was a Second-Lieutenant (Temporary
Lieutenant) when, on a day in the autumn
of 1915, he destroyed an enemy kite-balloon.
Now, in order to bring down a kite-balloon
one has to be over the enemy's lines and well

309

Thrilling Deeds

within range of artillery ; and although the
weird-looking sausage is a fairly large target,
compared, say, with a Fokker, it is no easy
task to drop bombs with any degree of
accuracy : the bomb has to hit fairly and
squarely. When Lieutenant Ball spotted the
kite-balloon he instantly made for it, swoop-
ing down upon it as an eagle swoops on
its prey. When immediately over it, he
loosed his first bomb, which went hurtling
down to explode harmlessly on the ground.
From below, the anti-aircraft guns began to
pepper him ; but Ball stuck to his task
and bombarded that balloon until he had
exhausted his bombs, though, to his chagrin,
without having done any damage to his
objective.

Driving his machine out of the danger zone,
the pilot swept back to his aerodrome be-
hind our lines, loaded up with further bombs,
and without wasting a moment of time, took
the air again and hied him out across country
to the far side of the German lines. There
was the kite-balloon, still tugging at its ground
lines as though taunting him for his failure.

310

A Champion Aerial Fighter

Lieutenant Ball repeated his previous tac-
tics, but with this difference : one of the
bombs struck home. Immediately the balloon
burst into flames, and with a tail of fire
roaring behind it, the basket fell rapidly to
earth.

The official announcement of the award of
the M.C., " for conspicuous skill and gallantry
on many occasions," contained, after a brief
account of this exploit, the following cold
statement : "He has done great execution
among enemy aeroplanes. On one occa-
sion he attacked six in one flight, forced
down two and drove the others off. This
occurred several miles over the enemy's
lines."

How one wishes for an amplification of that
little paragraph, with all its details filled in !
But the lack in this instance is somewhat atoned
for in the official accounts of how Lieutenant
Ball earned his D.S.O., and the two bars
thereto.

The day on which he won the D.S.O. was a
very eventful one for Lieutenant Ball. First
he espied seven enemy machines in attacking

311

Thrilling Deeds

formation, and made a dive for them, separating
one from the others and driving toward it at a
terrific rate until he was within some fifteen
yards. At such short distance there is Httle
chance of manoeuvring for position, and it is
a case of fighting right away. The Britisher
set his machine-gun ta-tat-tatting, and from
the German machine came an answering song
of hate. Bullets from the guns plunked into
the machines, flipped through planes, snipped
wires which twanged to the rush of air ; but,
although Ball had many a mark to show sub-
sequently, none of the enemy's shots got home
vitally, or caused sufiicient damage to put
his machine out of control. On the other
hand, the German got it hot — the spraying
bullets from Ball's gun dealt severe punish-
ment to the Teuton and his aeroplane. The
Hun machine was suddenly seen to shiver ;
do what the pilot would he could not get
back control of it ; and presently it slithered
through the air and crashed to earth.

This was quite sufiicient for the other half-
dozen Germans, who promptly made off !

The air was full of hostile machines that day,

312

A Champion Aerial Fighter

and scarcely had the gallant Ball finished the
fight just described when five fresh antagonists
appeared in sight. Having still a fair supply
of ammunition, Ball went gallantly to the
attack, adopting similar tactics and concen-
trating upon the machine nearest him, which
he approached at rapid speed until he was
within ten yards of it. For a second time
that day he was successful ; well-aimed shots
hit the German's petrol tank and played havoc
with the engine, so that the machine went
nose-diving to earth with flames issuing forth
from its fuselage.

There was little time to exult over his victory,
for Lieutenant Ball during his attack on this
machine had been subjected to a rapid fire
from another enemy, to whom he now turned
his undivided attention. Quick as lightning
he swung round to the attack, firing his bullets
into the German, and giving his foe neither
rest nor respite until he had afforded him
the full benefit of every cartridge in his
possession. Once again, the enemy machine,
badly holed and quite out of control, crashed
down on the top of a house in a village

313

Tkrilline' Deeds

<s

over which the latter part of the fight had
taken place.

Having used up all his ammunition, Lieu-
tenant Ball winged his way to the nearest
aerodrome within our lines, took in a supply,
and with a cheery wave of the hand was off
up into the air again, looking for more ene-
mies— and finding them. What happened
later on was a fitting climax to a brilliant series
of encounters ; for, meeting three enemy
machines, he attacked them so vigorously that
the Germans, utterly demoralized, scudded for
earth and safety : anywhere, to get out of
range of this fearless fighter !

" Then," says the communique laconically,
" Lieutenant Ball, being short of petrol, came
home. His own machine was badly shot
about in these fights."

On the day that he won the first bar to his
D.S.O. Captain Ball was on escort duty to a
squadron of bombing 'planes, and in the course
of the flight he espied four German machines
in formation, waiting to attack the British
raiders. Instead of giving them the opening
they wanted, the Lieutenant took the initiative,

314

A Champion Aerial Fighter

and being at a greater height than the enemy
aeroplanes, dived toward them at such a speed
that, in order to avoid colhsion, the Germans
had to break up their formation — which was
just what Ball wanted. Before his foes could
recover position, he was upon the nearest one,
spraying the machine with his bullets and
causing such havoc that it went tumbling down
to bury its nose in the ground, a complete wreck.
Captain Ball seems to have been fond of
smashing formations of German aeroplanes,
for the announcement gazetting this first D.S.O.
bar contains an account of another exploit, in
which he went boldly to the attack of no fewer
than twelve enemy 'planes ! Adopting his
usual tactics, he dived and scattered the enemy
forces, firing at the nearest one with such good
effect that it was put out of control and
went spinning over and over to destruction.
He had little opportunity for observing his
enemy's end, however, for he had scarcely
succeeded in sending the first machine to
earth before three others were upon him,
attacking from different angles. It was a
desperately tight corner, in which an instant's

315

Thrilling Deeds

loss of self-control, the slightest negligence,
meant disaster ! Clear-headed and daring, the
pilot darted into the attack, first at one foe
and then at another, driving one away —
probably too scared to come again within range
of such a doughty fighter — and putting a second
one out of control so that it went earthward
to keep its shattered companion company.

Ball now found himself in anything but a
fit condition to continue the fight, for his
machine had been badly handled by the
enemy, and he had emptied his gun of its
last cartridge, whereas he knew that the third
machine, which was now coming toward him
intent on trying conclusions, was probably
well supplied with ammunition The British
pilot was under no delusions as to what might
be about to happen, and told himself that
his flying days were probably over, for the
German was humming toward him, with his
machine-gun fully trained upon the foe. A
few more yards and the spraying bullets would
be spattering all about him ... a few more
minutes and his machine would perhaps go
spinning to destruction. . . .

316

A Champion Aerial Fighter

Ball, with his eyes fixed upon his onrushing
foe, did not try to avoid the combat, for — he
had his revolver fulty loaded ! A revolver
against a machine-gun spitting death at the rate
of hundreds of bullets a minute ! It makes
one hold one's breath even to think of it !

Fortunately, that Teuton did not know the
straits his enemy was in, or no doubt he would
have acted far differently from what he did.
As he drew near Lieutenant Ball noticed that
the German was seized with a nervous shaking.
Probably the fierce onslaughts upon his com-
panions had utterly unnerved him. As
becomes a warrior, whether he fights on land
or sea or in the air, Captain Ball was quick
to seize his chance : he opened fire with his
revolver and emptied it full in the face of
his foe. A grim dramatic moment ! Yet not
so dramatic as the moment that followed,
for the impetus of his swift flight carried
the German on a little way, and then — his
machine turned over, and went down . . .
down !

Very cautiously the victor banked and
turned ; then, flying very low owing to the

317

TJirilling Deeds

fact that his machine had been badly mauled,
Captain Ball returned safely home.

Much more might be told of Captain Ball's
achievements, for he had a most remarkable
record in the air. In the course of his many
adventures he had accounted for no fewer
than forty-two enemy machines. Then came
disaster. Early in May 1917 it was announced
that this gallant officer had been missing since
the evening of the 7th of that month. He
had gone up with ten other airmen, on a flight
the purpose of which was not revealed, and
the last that was seen of him was when he was
a little way over the enemy lines. Then the
light failed, and the aviator, hero of so many
fights, took his place upon the tragic list of
' missing,' a list which has contained the names
of few men more entitled to the admiration
of their countrymen.

THE LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

Santa Barbara

THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE
STAMPED BELOW.

Series 9482

DC SOLfTHrRrj RrnifiPjii i moAny r ,^... .^,

AA 000 379 189 4

:f

Hi