New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-07
German Sought Desperately
to Gain Own Lines Wa.
Outwitted by British Filler
Hero Declines Credi. 70,
Downing Adversary Who
Would not Accept Chanc.
to Surrender
By Floyd Gibbons

WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES X
THE FIELD, Oct. Ain the first pl,,,
he was bashful; that alone should h,7.
marked him upon our minds az Ii.
star flyer Of the serodrome We were
visiting. He had smiled most smisblv
upon introduction, but he seemed 10
hang back in silence a. our party WAS
ushered from one giant hangar to an.
other.
We stopped in the csyernous en.rsne.
Of ono hangar whose canvss-coyered
frames gave il the appearance Of
train shed. A cursory glance over
four or five aeroplanes, with their silver
and blue tinted wings and oninous ma
chine guns poised above the upper
planes, convinced US that the interior
was but little different from many 9th.
ers we had inspected. But something
strangely black drew my gaze to the
dim upper region Of the big structure
Nailed 20 the rafters, just as a taxi.
dermist might extend the pinions o.
some feathered trophy, were two black,
small wings, representing the upper
plane of German Taube. Stamped |,
one corner, in small white letters, vas
a date, the name ola place and Ii.
legend. Brought down by Captain -
r. F. C."
The name was that of thu bashfu,
aviator, and he actually b!ushed as ".
demanded the story. He demurred like
a schoolboy at his first game Of post.
Office" We pleaded in the mans Of III,
American press and were denied. Gu;
press officer spoke in the name Of the
King and the case was won.
The story Of the thrilling fight In
the air was told in the officers club Of
the aerodrome, where the squadron
commander initiated US.
81 deserve no credit for bringing him
down." began the bashful fier with
reference 20 the German who had
flown the black winged plane. Il hst
all the advantage Of him. He deserves
much credit for his pluck | gave hin
opportunity TO land safe in our lines
and stand for a capture, but he would
rot accept, so had TO shoot and bring
down. He was only wounded. he
is we and well to-day prisoner.
Outwitted Clever Adversary
His plane was speedy and Light !
had seen him before, so on the day OF
the fight / adopted different tactics TO
get him. | first spotted him i've thou
sand feet above me. headed for our
lines. Instead of climbing toward him,
| climbed under him and in the diree'
ton of the German lines. just opposite
to his course. | believe this manpuyrs
had the desired effect, because u made
him think | had not seen HIM. Nhbt
he took observations from his position
/ kept getting height and deyeloplngi
position between him and his own lines
His position on his descent was
lower than mine. His gun, therefore
was pointed downward and away from
me. Ny position was higher than HIS
but az the same time my machine was
pointing on his. In other words, | mac
the drop on him. He was the under
man; | had the advantage. Our angles
of descent kept conyerglng, until W.
were hardly a hundred yards apart. !
could see his features distinctly as ne
looked up TO me.
He saw the gun pointing on him,
and he knew, o! course, that my hard
was on the trigger button. | could have
riddled him at any minute. He realized
that. There was nothing left for him
TO do but swerve of his course. That
was what wanted, because now he
was headed from his own lines sne
over our territory
Had Visions Of q Capture
"But he had different ideas. He re-
sorted to maneuvres, and went DOVE
for fast thoussnd-toot drop
plunged with him, and when no cane
out of it our respective positions WeN
unchanged. l was still over him. ms
disadvantage was increasing oeeau"
every second both Of us were losing
height and getting closer 70 land, ahe
it was on my side of the line. ! was
still above him and between him ana
his own lines. He knew that az sooh
as he headed under me for his OWE
lines ! could bring my gun ~ bear OF
him Immediately and let him nave ~
II could see he was puzzled, but ne
was far from giving up the sponge ne
tried a course parallel 10 our lines, sha
I stuck with him, never losing my 81.
nerior positiou. He looked backward
and upward toward me, and actually
smiled. Then Re made sudden turh
toward the German lines. | tipped me
pointed gun on him. I was LOOKING
right down the gun sight into his face,
He had all the pluck in the world. !
didn't want 70 shoot. | even held ths
control lever in my knees and wEssee'
him back with one hand over the ius'
lage.
"He was willing 70 take the chance
Of my missing a dead bead. | had y
let him have il. / pressed the bu''olI
and a drum Of bullets-'ifty-seyen o.
them-sped down on him. ! saw tm
look on his face change and kne" ~
was hit
He swerved off tina, homeSar;
course, took hesitatirg dive az
landed behind our lines on some ro'SI
ground. .,,,
"One bullet had broken his right let
and another had broken his LETT stI
and two had gone through his snos.
ders. The plane was riddled, as W.
can see from the wings Of the ksVtISs'
as they hang out there IN the sne''
Seaman Tells of U-Boat