The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-02-14

twice cited In the course OF the cam
palgn."
-Four Victories In Twelve Days.
On September z Quette badly dam
aged an enemy machine near the reser-
voir In the Aisne region. During a pa
troll September Q he attacked the Ger
man trenches with his machine gun.
On September 10 he destroyed an air
plane neal Filain; September 10 he
triumphed over another at the same
place; on September % he shot down
two Boche planes, n near Courteau,
the other near Corbeny-four official
victories In IL days!
The leading Italian "ace" 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 d
Calabria and Captain Baracchini ID
each. The Italian aviation Is far SUI
perior to the Austrian and there are
many Italian fiiers who have destroyed
J five or more Austrian machines.
Greatest Living Aviator.
Last, but not least, I 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. 10 . 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
wal enlisted In the Seventh Canadian
cavalry. On arriving In England he
was versed, at his demand, into the
royal flying corps. and came out 70 the
French front In January. 1915. Less
than three months later he was chief
Of escadrille and patrol commander. In
his first 81 combats he shot down q
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 q letter of fe
licitation from Sir Douglas Haig. TIL,
exploit which gained for Bishop thu
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 al
enemy airdrome, but on arriving Their
found no machines on the field. He con
: tlnued on to another aviation camp
20 kilometers within the Boche lines
: Seven airplanes were lined up In from
, of the hangers, with their motors turn
ing. Bishop descended to within TWEEN
ty meters of the ground and opene'
fire. A mechanic who was starting
motor was hit and fell over. One o
. the Boche pilots wished to avenge hin
and rose to pursue the daring Cans
dian. The latter let the Boche ar
proach, then fred Is cartridges. SEND
ing his enemy to earth.
Another Boche started to rise, bu
before his machine could leave tn
ground Bishop had wounded him S
, badly that he lost control of the all
: plane, which crashed into a tree.
!, BY this time two other German pilot
had got into their machines and cam
, after Bishop. The latter rose to
! higher altitude, getting his opponen,
separated, and then calmly shot the
to earth.
- Reaches His Lines Safely.
He started back for his own line
Four German airmen, who had see
from affair his exploits, escorted him
some 800 meters distance to within
20 kilometer of the trenches, but they d
not attempt an attack. On landin
nc Bishop found that his machine hi
N been literally riddled by bullets fro
~ the machine guns defending the &c
man aviation field.
Major Bishop returned to Canada
September OF three weeks leave
absence, and while there married Mi
Burden of Toronto. Just bfore goiI
q home he fell 1900 feet In a fiamil
airplane. When he crashed to ear
his clothes were afire. but he was u
- hurt. / am told that the British w
Office Is % keeping Major Bishop
-, In English aviation school, to tea
IN young pilots some of his marvelo