Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-27
BRITISH FLYERS
IN DARING FIGHT
German Battle Front and
-. = Return With Needed
Information.
BoCHE sWooPs UPON THEM
Hun Aviators Seek to Bar Way,
and Guns Begin Spit
ting Lead.

LONDON, January 2G.--This is a true
story OF two boys in the Royal Flying
Corps. Their orders--wcll. never mind
what precisely were their orders. IL
was ncccssary--nay, vital-that Ger
tain information should be obtained.
and the Hawk and the Gnat went out
10 get It.
As years vent. neither the Hawk nor
the Cnat could sing much Of a song
:hcir birthdays combined barely
cqualed tho number o. German planes
set to their credit on the list posted
1t hcadquortcrs--but in scrappins CT
nericnce you might run tho whole al
lied armies through sieve and you
wouldn't lind a couple of young sparks
with more 10 look bacl. on.
They reached the line, saw enough
OF what was going on Hunwards to
realize the importance Of getting back,
and then met Fate in grim aspect. for
out OF the mist swooped whole con-
voy OF Gothaa. -Four she: by them in
quick succession to bar the trackless
path homcward; ahead. above. around.
i've others Unanswered TO give the
death blow.
Maybe the British boys could have
shaken of pursuit by getting among
the clouds. but they had no mind TO
miss such fine prospect OF damaging
the German aerial serv;ce. and they
promptly set about reducing the odds.
'fhe frs, victim fcll 20 the Hawk. who
was pilot. Coming end on and simply
asking for trouble. Hun went down
IN wreath of flames.
Then the Gnat had 10 sting for ali
he was worth, as five Huns divcd to-
gcthe1. splitting lead like a potato
1t was a supreme moment. Bu, the
luck and pluck which had helped tho
Gnat in the landing a, Gallipol out
n the desert when the Senussi hordes
were bowling round an isolated British
uost. and in great foo, slosSin. stunt
through the German lines MP Serrc
way. stood by him, ana two o.. the five
went on divin. Unt!l they crashed 10
Garth.
EVERY TRICK KNOWN
IN FLYING REsoRTEn TO
All the while the B.!t:rb lssAcr W. s
Combining the s,i u, ia ., ,.,1r;-.
low with the gyrationa cf d tuniblcd
pigeon. Every movement known to
the craftsman Of the air and others Of
which the trick Eyer h;,i dreamed were
employed. :. terrific turn absolutely
vertical! showed the Gna; how two o:
his enemies had Jared. and the i:nowl-
edge. you may be sure" buched him
up no end When they had dropped
10 800 feet. the Hawk got his ,eadcn
talons into the vitals OF the fourth
which went down and added 10 the
litter OF the battle below.
!, was while the Hawis was cmgas-
ing tho Gf,h Gotha ;ha, TIE British
machine exceeded the limits OF posi-
bilty and began 10 fai! sideways
while. as the Gnat says, the earth
seemed hungry 10 sobLle them up
The remaining Huns divcd on them
rs they fell, pouring out lead with
reckless waste, and only a second o..
t~o remained. as It seemed. for tho
Hawk and tho Gnat 70 be among the
nortals.
Then miracle happened. twenty
feet OF the ground the machine ri:htcd
!tscit, and the Huns on foot. who had
scattered for the crash. were speech
less with amazemcnt When the
Hawk began TO make for home. how
ever. every sort OF gun in the German
held museum opened on them. Again
and again the machine was hit, but
not in vital part, and the boys
brought their craft 10 port and handed
in the report which the Huns we're so
y anxious TO intercept. "A damned fine
show" said the c. G.
They we're rotten shots" quoth the
;nat.