The Hope pioneer., 1919-03-20
British Airman Has One of Most
Remarkable Experiences
of World War.
Was OUT on A LONE HUNT
Destroys Four Hun Machines, DisabIes
Six, Suffers Three Gripping
Wounds and Brings Back
Machine in Repairable
Condition.

American Press Headquarters, Brit.
ish Front.-The war over, great
many accounts of individual bravery
will be heard for the first time, but
none will excel this extraordinary tale
Of a British flying major, now recover
ing in hospital.
The major, in a fast, single-seater
scout, was out over the lines on lone
hunt. Discovering an enemy twO-seat-
er machine at 21,O00 feet over the for
est of Normal, the major began climb.
ing sharply to overtake him, got under
his tail, fired at point-blank range and
saw the two-seater break in pieces and
fall, one occupant diving out in para
chute.
While watching the two-seater crash,
the major suddenly heard bullets snap.
ping and kissing about him. Under
him was Fokker biplane. Before he
could make a turn he was wounded in
the thigh, the shock stunning him for
q moment so that his machine fell in
an aimless spin.
Surrounded by Foes.
When he had recovered control he
found himself surrounded by Is FOX.
kers in attack formation. He drove at
the nearest and the two were at once
jockeying for favorable positions in
terrific manuevers that carried them
through the other IA. Chance shots
during these evolutions sent down two
of the majors adversaries, and ther
at ten yards he 'got on the tail' of the
first Fokker, probably the squadron
leader, and shot him down in flames.
Then the major was wounded a sec
ond time. this bullet shattering the
bone of his left thigh. In dead faint
with his engine running at top speed
the Britisher fell in wild sweeping
circles, until he once again regainee
his senses and was able to pilot hi:
scout.
But the major was again set upor
by another squadron of Is Fokkers.
He charged straight at the machine
ahead of him, firing at the same time
The Fokker burst into smoke and fell
Then the other Germans now centerel
fire on him, riddling his machine ant
shattering his left elbow so that the
arm hung useless. Unconscious again
when he came to he believed his lef
arm to have been shot away, as it was
Tapping behind him.
Again he was attacked by another
squadron. Smoke came from his ma
chine and he believed himself on fire
He used all his strength to try for {
collision once more, and was still able
to fire feebly. His success was repeat
ed. A Fokker went down in flames a
three yards range.
Makes Dive for Safety.
AS he was now too dizzy to see, HI
diyed to within few thousand feet O:
the ground, just over the lines, his en-
gine going full out" so that 1t is s
miracle his machine stood the strain
and again he was attacked, this time
by eight enemy scouts.
The terrible descent seemed to brace
him. British observers saw him gt
through the most amazing spins, spir
ais. zooms and all the tricks of the
British scout fighter. In a 12-minutt
engagement he drove down two Ger
mans out of control, broke free Of tn.
others and came home skimming tree.
and trenches. He probably will pull
through.
In less than an hour the major hac
engaged fifty to sixty enemies, destroy
Ing four, disabling four to six, sufferet
three crippling wounds and brough,