The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-10-04
BRITISH AIR FORCE
WORKS WITH ZEAL
Faint Idea OF Intense Activities Con-
ycycd by Routine Reports OF the
Days Doings
ADVENTURES CONTINUOUS
Swift and Terrible Death Melted Out
10 Ncnturesome Hun Aviators Who
Cross Lines without Extraordinary
Caution.

London, Eng. Oct. at is hardly
possible to convey an adequate
impression Of the intense ad-
,venturous activity Of the Roy
Al air force daily routine dur
ing the present offensive OPP
erations in France. The following
are typical incidents--so typical in
concerned as routine features of one
-- daet< work -tea-eaFfaenPia place to call
for any record And vet we have been
told the romance of war has ceased
10 be.
A pilot flying scout machine over
the German lines was able. upper
eeived. 10 tail on behind hostile for
nation of nine machines Just leaving
It's own aerodroine. He followed with
out being noticed till the Hun forna-
ton met British artillery ohserva-
tton machine on q lower level Two Of
the German machines left the forma-
ton and Owed to attack. instantly
the following English pilot swooped
on one of them, getting in burst
from his machine gun which caused
IL 10 side-slip into and interlock with
its companion. Following them ur
ne put in another hurst which sent
them both 10 earth IN flames.
Tina, night two British machines
detailed for the purpose Of watching
German aerodrome from which
ui2ht bombing machines worked
SIGHTED a hostile machine preparing
TO land The enemy Unanswered fran
ealy vainty trying 10 evade the
night hawks. Round and round the
drome they circied, until finally when
quite low down ore Of the British
y lots was able 10 bring his machine
gis to bear, The Germans banded
crashed and blazing machine.
ie the afternoon the enemy being
bsrd pressed nv allied rrooSa. and
fearing for The safejv NJ his 0bNerNa
I ca balloons. began to move these
hack. A British scout sighted two OF
tty "SauSa Ges" being towed hy teams
a. horses He was fyinE low. aud n
loaNy fire was directed al him from
tbe ground Needless Of this, how.
.r'@r. nc Owed still tower and surCeed-
ID setting one of them on fe.
DT,ven from the remaining balloon
~ the Increasing hail Of bullets. he
Nt directed his attention 10 an anti
tarx gun The gunners hastily lin
bored up, but his fire stampede their
'o8fu and the gun upset in ditch
r. this time. he had been wounded
~ -, but noticing various parties of
Infantry concentrating IN the vicinity
H. attacked and dispersed them be,
fore returning 10 his aerodrome
80oth0T Pilot seeing a party of
Germans collected in the open. de-
Ssended to investieats and found that
thNS were sxuitIng a&er a British MAJ
ch}Ne THAI had been brought down in
their ifueS y hoTub released from a
height Of only 90 feet effectively dis
per@ea them after which he dropped
three more bombs on other parties of
troops nearby During this perfor-
rJgEce. however. hfs machine was SO
eey ereiy damaged hv rife FIRE. that lie
coon had 30 descent alongside AN
Tn~lish cavalry outpost Not yet hav-
Ing exhausted his enthusiasm. he pro-
cured a rife and put IN some dis
mounted cavalry fighting before hor-
rev.ing a horse and retuEnlng 10 has
saTsssasorfe
IN American. pilot attached To a
Brush squadron WAS returning WITH
IA English observe from . hom bling
r4bi @hen they were attacked by two
formations of e3smy scouts. The first
German machine 10 close was at once
shot down in flames by the observer.
10 be followed closely 10 the same
fiesv end by another. which was at
taeStng from the rear IN the night
thas ensued two fcore hostile ma
chimes were SO damaged that they
81 un downwards and were setn to
crash Naturally. in such an encoun-
TOR :he British machine was badly
shat -ahouf, hut luckily neither nccu-
PAM WAS hit. ARA tho pilot was just
able 10 land his war worn craft safely
hehind our lines.
An English two-seater was on i'm
rortant reconnaissance work and, in
spite OF furious Archie" fire. remain
ed over the position to get the re-
CURED Information Al last shot
pierced the petrol tank, The petrol
epursed our and saturated the pilot.
F*aiizinc the instant danger of fire,
this observer climbed out in the lower
plane and succeeded In plugging the
hole with his glove. Banking and
sidsshpping To discorcert the gun
rers' aim. the pilot headed for the
British lines. still with his observer
csnging TO the plane and holding the
imrrevised rluc in place, Here he re-
NAMED until the rilot had safely
crossed the lines and was within a
minute of landing.
There are not exceptional Incl
dents, but are simply taken at ran
dom from the ROYAL air force routine
during the present offensive