American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-11-13
GERMAN FALCON KILLED IN
AIR-DUEL.

+ + + + + + + + - = i. i + + + + +
The old days when armies ceased
fighting to watch their TWO champions
in single combat have come back
again. 1t was on the western front, /
and the engagement that resulted in /
the death of Immelman the Falcon, /
Germanys most distinguished Ace /
was in very truth a duel-no chance /
meeting of men determined to slay one 4
another, but a formally arranged en- /
counter. following a regular challenge. /
and fought by prearrangement and
without interference. The battle was
Witnessed with breathless interest by
the men of both armies crouched in
+ the trenches, separated by only a few
/ feet of No Mans Land, while the fire
of the anti-aircraft guns on both sides
was stilled.
The victor in the spectacular fight
was Captain Ball, the youthful Eng
lish pilot who has only two notches
less on the frame of his fighting ma
chine than had the Falcon, who was
credited with fifty-one downs" The
story of the duel, which was declared
to have been one of the most sensation
al events of the war, is told in a letter
written by Col. William Macklin, of
the Canadian troops, to a friend in
Newark, y. j. Colonel Macklin. who
was one of the eye-witnesses of the
fight. writes in his letter which is
printed in the New York Tribune:
One morning Captain Ball who was
behind our sector. heard that Immel
man the Falcon, was opposite.
This is the chance I've been wait
ing for; I'm going to get him." de-
clared Ball. Friends tried to dissuade
him, saying the story of Immelman's
presence probably was untrue. Ball
would not listen
Getting into his machine he flew
over the German lines and dropped a
note which read:
Captain Immelman:
Il challenge you to a man-tO-man
fight, to take place this afternoon at
two o'clock. l will meet you over the
German lines. Have your anti-air
. craft guns withhold their fire while
we decide which is the better man.
The British guns will be silent
BALL"
About an hour afterward, a German
= aviator swung out across our lines.
, Immeiman's answer came. Translat-
ed it read:
Captain Ball:
. Your challenge is accepted The
/ German guns will not interfere.
= viii meet you promptly at two.
e "IAIMELMAN."
Z Just a few minutes before two
e o'clock the guns on both sides ceased
l firing. Il was as though the com
S manding officers had ordered a truce.
4 Long rows of heads popped up and
e all eyes watched Ball from behind the
e British lines shoot off and into the
I air minute or two later Immel-
mans machine was seen across No
p Mars Land.
p The letter describes the tail of the
Y German machine as painted red ITO
n represent the British and French
g blood il had spilled" while Balls had
5 streak of black paint to represent
l. the mourning for his victims. The
S machines ascended in a wide circle
II and them
e From cur trenches there were wild
e cheers for Ball. The Germans yelled
l. just as vigorously for Immelman.
% The cheers from the trenches con
2 tinued. The Germans increased il
volume; ours changed into cries o
h alarm.
4. Ball. thousands of feet above Us
1t and only a speck in the sky, was do
IS ing the craziest things imaginable
,e He was below Immelman and was
A. making no effort TO get above him, t
ss thus gain the advantage of position
a Rather he was swinging around. thi
le way ard that, attempting, it seemed
to to postpone the inevitable
is We saw the Germans machine dil
n over preparatory to starting the nos
dive
er Hes gone now" sobbed a youni
re soldier at my side. for he knew I'm
&c melman's gun would start its rakin
y. fire once it was being driven straigh
TO down.
Id Then. in the fraction of second. tn
TO tables were turned. Before Immel
to mans plane could get into firing posi-
n tion. Ball drove his machine into
- loop, getting above his adversary an
cutting loose with his gun and smash