The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-02-22
hard combat. Twice wounded and
twice cited In the course Of the CAM
paign."
Four Victories In Twelve Days.

twice cited In the course of the CAM
paign."
Four Victories In Twelve Days.
On September Quette badly DAM
aged an enemy machine near the reser-
voir In the Aisne region. During pa
troll September he attacked the Ger
man trenches with his machine gun.
On September 10 he destroyed an air.
plane near Filain; September 16 he
triumphed over another at the same
place; on September % he shot down
two Boche planes, one near Courteau,
the other near Corbeny-four official
victories in - daysl
The leading italian lace" is Captain
Baracca, with 81 victories. Major Pic
clio, who is probably the dean of all the
fighting "aces"-he is forty years old
has Is victories, and the Duke Ruffo di
Calabria and Captain Baracchini 13
each. The italian aviation is far SUI
perior to the Austrian and there are
many italian f1iers who have destroyed
five or more Austrian machines.
Greatest Living Aviator.
Last, but not least, / speak Of Maj.
w. A. Bishop, the greatest living war
aviator, who has shot down and de-
stroyed, by the British official count, Al
German airplanes. Major Bishop, who
is but twenty-five years old, Is a Ca
madam, born at Owen Sound, Of Ca
madam parentage. He graduated with
the class Of 1914 at the Kingston Mill
tary college and on the outbreak Of
war enlisted in the Seventh Canadian
cavalry. On arriving In England he
was versed, at his demand, into the
royal flying corps, and came out to the
French front in January, 1916. Less
than three months later he was chief
Of escadrille and patrol commander. In
his first 81 combats he shot down 81
enemy airplanes and two observation
balloons.
Major Bishop is the only Canadian
officer who has received the military
cross, the distinguished service order,
the Victoria cross, and a letter Of fe-
licitation from Sir Douglas Haig. The
exploit which gained for Bishop the
Victoria cross is almost unbelievable,
and unique in the annals of aviation.
Biggest Feat of the War.
One morning he set out alone on pa
troll. He directed himself toward an
enemy airdrome, but on arriving there
found no machines on the field. He con-
tinued on to another aviation camp,
20 kilometers within the Boche lines.
Seven airplanes were lined up in front
Of the hangers, with their motors turn
ing. Bishop descended to within twen-
ty meters Of the ground and opened
fire. A mechanic who was starting a
motor was hit and fell over. One Of
the Boche pilots wished to avenge him,
and rose to pursue the daring Cana
dian. The latter let the Boche ap-
proach, then fired Is cartridges, send
ing his enemy to earth.
Another Boche started to rise, but
before his machine could leave the
ground Bishop had wounded him so
badly that he lost control of the air.
plane, which crashed into a tree.
By this time two other German pilots
had got into their machines and came
after Bishop. The latter rose to a
higher altitude, getting his opponents
separated, and then calmly shot them
to earth.
Reaches His Lines Safely.
He started back for his own lines.
Four German airmen, who had seen
from afar his exploits, escorted him at
some 300 meters distance to within
kilometer Of the trenches, but they did
not attempt an attack. On landing,
Bishop found that his machine had
been literally riddled by bullets from
he machine guns defending the Ger
nan aviation field.
Major Bishop returned to Canada in
September on three weeks leave Of
lbsence, and while there married Miss
Burden of Toronto. Just bfore going
lone he fell 1000 feet in flaming
irplane. When he crashed to earth
lis clothes were afire, but he was I'M
urt. | am told that the British war
ffice is now keeping Major Bishop at
n English aviation school, to teach
Dung pilots some of his marvellous
uhtinO poothodc