The Wahpeton times., 1918-04-11

I o:,r,i c0lnDat. Iwice wounded aud
twice cited in the course of the cam
paign."
Fsur Victories In Twelve Days.
On September 2 Quette badly dam
aged an enemy machine near the reser-
vOir in the .Aisne region. During pa.
troll September 8 he attacked the Ger
man trenches with his machine gun.
On September 10 he destroyed an air
plane near I'ilain; September 16 he
triumphed over another ut the same
place; on September % he shot down
two Boche planes, one near Courteau.
the other near Corbeny-four official
victories in 12 days!
The leading Italian "ace" is Captain
Baracca. with p victories. Major Pic
clio. who is probably the dean of all the
fighting "aces"-he is forty years old
has II victories, and the Duke Ruff0 di
Calabria and Captain Baracchini IS
each. The Italian aviation is fur su-
periOr to the Austrian and there are
many Italian fliers who have destroyed
| 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, AZ
German airplanes. Major Bishop, who
is but twenty-five years old, is a Ca
madam, born at Owen Sound. Of Ca
natlian 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. 1915. Less
than three months later he was chief
of escadrille and patrol commander. In
his first 81 combats he shot down 21
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 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 TWEEN.
ty meters Of the ground and opened
fire. A mechanic who was starting q
motor was hit and fell over. One Of
the Boche pilots wishea 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 80
badly that he lost control of the air.
plane, which crashed into 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
I from afar his exploits, escorted him ut
I some 300 meters distance to within q
kilOmeter Of the trenches. but they did
not attempt an attack. On landing,
/ Bishop found that his machine had
been literally ritldled by bullets from
the machine guns defending the Ger
man nviutiOn field.
Major Bishop returned to Canada in
September on three weeks leave of
absence, and while there married Miss
Burden of Toronto. Just bfOre going
home he fell 1000 feet in flaming
airplane. When he crashed to earth
his clothes were afire, but he was un.
hurt. am told that the British war
office is now keeping Major Bishop at
| an English ayiatiOn school IN foo ch