South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-08-05
USE INITIATIVE
IN FLYING CORPS
This Thriller From Western
Front Shows Aviator
VeritabIe Army.

LONDON. Aug. An no branch
Of the British army does personal
initiative count more than in the
flying corps In no branch of the
service has il been more encouraged.
The British plot held the German
in check by sheer inherent man
power when machine suprem-
acy was undeniably with the
Germans. Now that this SUI
premacy has been neutralized by
the increasing effectiveness of the
British aeroplane. British pilots are
given greater liberty Of action still,
and many Of them act in what might
be called a free lance capacity,
says a British official statement.
one of those rowing airmen was
over the battle line early one morn
ing with no other purpose than that
of sending 20 destruction any hostile
plane which ne might chance TO
meet when the singular scarcity Of
possible opponents decided him 10
push further afield.
Then the German gunners con-
centrated their attention on him.
Clouds Of ant-aircraft shrapnel
festooned his course, and flaming
onions"-inhamm shells design
ed TO set fire 10 an acceptance
groaned up from below and burst in
groups But all the efforts Of the
German gunners were in vain. Now
4 crfr
soaring sllyward, the British air
man pirouetted his way through the
poisonous hame-starred mist, and
broke clear 10 the fresh cloudy
heavens out Of range.
Safe past this zone of the Ar
chies" he spied a German aviator
high above him watching for a
chance 10 come down on the tail"
Of an unsuspecting pilot, a favorite
method of attack with Hun airmen.
The Briton decided 20 rid himself
of the menace without more ado.
Descending a thousand feet or so,
ne deliberately slid under a bank OF
clouds and there circled slowly,
waiting for the German TO drop on
him. Like a yacht driving through
the spindrift of a breaking wave, the
hostile aeroplane broke through the
encircIing midst and drove straight
down on his antagonist. Down went
the nose Of the British machine. AS
If held together by an Invisible stay,
these two giant hawks dashed earth
ward Suddenly the foremost ma
chine swooped upward and the ia
NOUS side-loOp manoeuvre was per-
formed Ere the German realized
what had happened, his intended
victim had reversed the order of the
dive and a well-directed burst of
machine gun fire sent the one-time
pursucr crashing to the earth.
Rid of his adversary. the British
airman assembled and flew eastward.
Through the cloud patches, he saw
the German aerodrome which was
his objection Earthward he swoop-
ed.
The Germans saw him coming,
and frantic airmen tried 10 get aloft
before his arrival one left the
ground. but a splash of machine gun
bullets killed its pilot and it slipped
To destruction Another made the
attempt. but ere il had risen so
feet. il shared the fate of the other
machines.
4 group of mechanics struggled
with a third plane. A spray of bull
lets swept over them and they strug-
gIed no longer.
There was silence i'm that aero
drome. and a stiffness. and no living
man was TO be seen. The British
machine droned lazily up above
while its pilot recuhed a jammed
machine gun Then il swept over
the hangers Kidding them and tho
aeroplaues within. Content with
his work the Briton turned home
ward
More than 10 miles away were the
British lines one German attempt
ed % intercept him. He boldly vol
planned down. the German machine
sun began 90 stutter then the Ger
man pilot banked and cived. He was
afraid 10 fight alone.
Again the Archie" clusters blur
red the sky. but the range was too
great for them 20 be dangerous. a
few minutes later the adventurous
voyage ended and the Briton was
safe. The results of this sole effort
were three hostile aeroplanes de-
stroyed. and whole squadron. with
It's aerodrome, wiped of the German
lighting strength for days 10 come.
TOXIC. Aug. Contracts have
been placed with the Osaka Iron
works. newly formed company.
and other shipbunding yards in
Japan hy the Nippon Yusen Kaisha
for 10 steamers. aggregating $500
CONS Tnax- fr,-ot,r-