The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-07-13
British Join in Air Battle Between
Two Teuton Flying
Squadrons.
ENEMY PULLS BAD BoNER
English Pilots JoyfuIly and Impartially
Render Assistance First to
One Side, Then to
the Other.

WIN the DritisH ATny In France
This is the story of battle royal
waged In the air between two flights
of German planes. 1t was an uninten-
tional but disastrous fight between
brother aviators, during which British
pilots joyfully and impartially rem
dered assistance first to the one side,
then to the other, until so many Of
the emperor's flyers had been de-
stroyed or damaged that the conflict
could not continue.
This extraordinary engagement be-
gan thus:
Two British officers In a fighting
machine were leading a patrol along
the lines when they sighted German
Halberstadt two-seater, which upon
their appearance fired green signal
light. The British leaders expected q
trap and waited to see what this un-
usual performance meant.
Too Many Come to Rescue.
In short time six German scouts
came wheeling out of the blue and
Joined the Halberstadt. Almost at
once six other enemy scouts dived
out of the sun onto their comrades,
whom they apparently mistook for a
British patrol about to attack the Hal
berstadt.
What had happened was this: The
Halberstadt had been acting as de-
coy, and the green light had been
meant as signal for assistance. But
there had been no expectation that
two flights of German planes would
respond at the same time.
Not being able to distinguish the
markings of their friends-and this
has happened not infrequently before
the newcomers Immediately began
a furious attack upon them. The Brit
ish leaders then guided their patrol
into this mad melee and took hand.
The Halberstadt was the first vic
tim and this was shot down by the
British commanding machine. Another
British fighter In the meantime had
accounted for two more enemy scouts,
which were sent swirling to destruc-
tion below.
All this time the German aircraft
were continuing their bitter battle
among themselves and several of them
were seen to go down out of con-
troll before the engagement finally
ended. The British leaders, by their
good judgment, had led the Huns into
their own trap.
Fifty Planes In Fight.
This undoubtedly was a unique 0c.
currence. but there are always plenty
of thrilling Incidents happening In
the air these days. Take. for instance
the case of British patrol OF about
eight battle planes which fought and
vanquished some forty enemy craft
q few days ago. This British patrol
under command Of a captain. wal
escorting bombing squadron wher
two score enemy machines were en-
countered. The British fighters and
the enemy Immediately raced In FOL
the attack.
Within a few seconds a fierce fgh
was In progress and the great fleet o.
nearly half a hundred airships were
swirling and diving madly against ont
another, while their machine gun,
Joined In the vicious chorus that swep
down to the troops on the ground lik'
: the noise from scores of steam trip
hammers.
The British outmaneuvered and out
fought the enemy and many Of th'
: Germans were sent spinning away
Whether they were merely frightened
: or were out of control. II was impos
sible to say, but at the conclusion o
the fight four German machines lay =
. crumpled masses on the earth and N
other had gone down In flames. ~