Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-10-31
ENSIGN TELLS OF
SEAPLANE FIGHT
Officer Describes How American
and British AviatorS Held
Off Superior Forces.
four MACHINES ATTACK 20
Interesting Account of an Exciting
Aerial Combat During the Late
War-Battle Enemy for
Several Hours.

Washington.-One of the most in
teresting accounts of an aerial combat
In the late war was made public re
Gently by the navy news bureau, which
has headquarters in the navy depart
ment in Washington.
The story is told in the report of
Ensign r. B. Reyes of the United
States Naval Flying corps to Admiral
Sims, and relates how four British
y seaplanes operated by American and
British ~aviators fought 20 German ma
chimes several hours in defense of q
British plane that had been forced to
descend to the water for repairs.
Ensign Reyes was the front gun
layer of one Of the machines, in which
Lieutenant Galvayne of the British
Royal Air force was second pilot. In
his report the aviator says:
"Our three machines from Felix
stowe rose from the water at noon
circled into patrol formation, and pro
ceeded along the coast to Yarmouth.
Here we were Joined by two more
planes. At n o'clock the squadron
turned east. Soon we perceived the
Dutch coast and followed the sandy
beaches Of Texolt and Vlieland islands
until we came to Terschelling.
Sighted German Planes.
"At Terscheiling we veered west
but we soon hadnto turn back because
one machine (Eaton's) had come to
the water with a broken petrol pipe.
We circled 1t, and Is minutes later
sighted FIVE German planes steering
west, which would soon bring them
upon us.
Lieutenant Galvayne was seated
near the wheel. His duty was to
kneel with eyes above the cowl and
direct the pilot. / was In the front
cockpit, with one gun and 400 rounds
Of ammunition. In the stern cockpit
the engineer and wireless ratings were
to handle three guns.
"We took battle formation and went
forward to meet the enemy machines,
but when almost within range they
turned and ran away from US. At
once we gave chase, but soon found
that they were too fast.
eve had chased these planes to keep
them away from the machine on the
water, which otherwise would have
been shot to pieces. Finding now that
they could keep out of our range, we
turned back and again circled the dis
abled plane.
"Soon the enemy once more came
close, and we gave chase q second
time. But instead of five machines
as before, there were only four.
Suddenly we discovered that a large
number of hostile planes were steering
toward us, not in the air with the four
planes. but very close to the water.
Ten machines were in this group, but
they were Joined in a few minutes by
five more.
"We swung into battle formation
and aimed for the middle Of the fleet.
When we were nearly within range
four planes on the port side and five
on the starboard side rose to our Level
Of 1900 feet. Two planes passed di
rectly beneath us, shooting upward
Firing was incessant from the begin
ming, and the air seemed blue witt
tracer smoke. The Germans used ex
plosive bullets. / gave most of m!
time to the four planes on u por
side, because they were exactly at oul
level and within good range, abou
200 yards.
"Once / looked round and noticed
that Lieutenant Galvayne was In
STOPPING position. By bending lower
I discovered that his head was lying
in a pool of blood.
"From this time on / have no cleal
idea Of just what u maneuverins
was. Evidently we put up a running
fight, steering east, then circling. Sud
denly / found that u machine hat
been cut off from the formation ant
we were surrounded by seven enem.
seaplanes. We were steering almos
southwest. We fought for ten mile
or so, until we drove the seven Ger
mans off. One Of them was driver
down out of control and made a yer,
poor landing. Another was badly hi
side-slipped, and crashed in flame
from a height of 1000 feet. All wer
severely punished.
Lieutenant GaIvayne Killed.
"The engagement had lasted abou
half an hour. We descended to tn
water at 4:45 p. m. ten miles north
west of Vlieland. There l loosene'
Lieutenant Galvayne's clothing, mad
his position easier, and felt for hi
heart, which 1 was sure was beatin.
feebly. Then we rose 1900 feet ant
sighted two Yarmouth planes. W
picked them up, swung into formation
and laid our course for Yarmouth. 4
ITO we sighted land, and 20 minute
after were resting in front of the Var
mouth slipway. We at once summoneC
medical aid, but found that nothing
could be done for Lieutenant Gal
wayne. A shot had gone through hi
head.
sour boat was riddled. A numbe
of shots had also torn the top betweel
the front cockpit and the beginnin
of the cowl. The duration of the figh
was seven hours and ten minutes"