Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-12-15
DARING DEEDS IN AIR.
British Avators Participate in Thrill
ing Eseapades.


Behind British Lines In France, Nov
30-Stories of daring escapades OF
British aviators, exciting aerial COM
bats from which the air-fghters es-
capped alive seemingly only by miracle
and Of brilliantly executed raids upon
German aerodromes and troops behind
the German lines are narrated in the
reports of the Royal Flying Corps COW
er!ng the activities about one week
Hair raising incidents Of fierce con-
ficts above the clouds or low over the
German communication lines are des-
criUed in these Succinct reports with
out bombast, as tho these narrow es-
capes from death were commonplace
and all in the days work Of the air
fighter.
For example, there was the case OF
a British aviation officer who, when
nearly a mile above the earth, was at
tackled by two enemy aircraft. He shot
down one of them out Of control but
was wounded and tainted while still
high in the air. Recovering conscious
ness he found his machine upside
down at an elevation of 1000 feet with
one enemy aircraft still firing at him,
L
struggle to right his machine and
land safety.
In a somewhat similar instance, a
German scout attacked a British air
plane carrying a pilot and observer.
One of the Germans bullets passed
thru the gasoline tank Of the British
pilot The British observer, however,
pumped a full double drum Of bullets
at the enemy scout at very close quar-
tiers and the German went to the
ground with a crash
Meanwhile the British pilot had
tainted and fallen against the steering
stick in such fashion as to throw
the airplane into spin. The British
observer climbed over the side and for
ward along the plane to the pilots
cockpit, lifted the pilot to his seat and,
still standing on the wing of the plane
released the steering gear. brought the
machine out of the spin and safely to
the ground.
Two British officers were returning
from an expedition over the enemy
lines to locate hostile batteries when
their machine was hit by anti-air-
craft fire and the engine damaged.
V
yards from the British lines. the an
plane turned over and the aviators
were hurled out on the German siue
Of a canal Running along the beach
under heavy fire from rifles and ma
chine-guns, the aviators dived into the
canal only to find 1t full Of barbed
wire but managed to reach the British
lines in safety.
Many instances illustrating the
reckless, daring Of the British aviators
sent over the German lines to obtain
information, destroy aerodromes and
harry the German reserves are con-
tanned in the official narratives. one
pilot who crossed the lines at Ypres,
threw off two attacking machines
bombed the Heule aerodrome near
Lille and was fired upon by two ma
chine guns. He dived at one OF them
firing with both guns Of the British
airplane, drove the Germans from their
guns, fired upon the aerodrome again.
attacked and scattered a column OF
200 German dnfantrymen on the road
A German two-seater airplane was
circling 500 feet above him for an at
tack. II zoomed up under its tall and
fred into it." writes the British aviator.
1T crashed down onto the railway
Another British pilot had fred
hundred rounds on German troops on
the march when he was interrupted by
two enemy airplanes. He attacked
them and drove both down and then
| finished the job Of driving the Ger
man infantry into trenches and shell
holes. II
i Flying at the neisht off zee Feet
/ british aviator engaged in revolver
duel with two German officers in
| motor and while doing 80 ran int
.ome lines Of telegraph wires but for
tunately his machine cut them. A few
minutes later he attacked German IN.
fantry which escaped his gun only b.
diving into . pond. - ;