The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-02-07
British Altman Has One of Most
Remarkable Experiences s''
of World War.
WAS OUT ON A LONE HUNT
Destroys Four Hun Machines, DissbIes
Six, Suffers Three Gripping
Wounds and Brings Back
Machine in Repairabe
Condition.

American Press Headquarters. Brit
iSh Front-The war over great
many accounts of individual bravery
will he heard for the first time, but
none will excel this extraordinary tale
Of Il British flying major, now recover
ing in Il hospital.
The major. in a fast. singlcseater
scout, was out over the lines on a lone
hunt. Discovering an enemy two-seat.
or machine at 21,000 feet over the for
est of Normal, the major began climb
ing sharply to overtake him. got under
his tail, fired at poInt.bianE range and
saw the two-seater break in pieces and
fall, one occupant diving out in a para
chute. 'N
While Watching the two-seater crash,
the major suddenly heard bullets snap
ping and kissing about him. Under
him wasa Fokker bIplane Before he
could make TURN lie was wounded in
the thigh, the shock stunning him, for
a moment so that his aehine fell in
an aimleSs spin.
Surrounded by Foes.
When he had recovered control he
found himself surrounded by 10 FOX
kers in attack formation. He drove ut
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 eyolutions sent down two
of the majors adversaries, and then
at ten yards he got on the TAIL of the
first Fokkcr, probably the squadron
leader, ana shot him down in flames.
Then the major was wounded Il sec.
ond TING, this bullet SCATTERING the
bone Of his left thigh. In u dead fnint,
with his engine running at top speed,
lilhe. BritisbeF fell in wiidfsweep
. circles, until he once again regQined
his senses and was able to pilot his
scout.
But the major was again set upon
by another squadron Of 10 Fokkers.
He charged straight at the machine
ahead Of him. firing at the same time
The Fokkcr burst into smoke and fen
Then the other Germans now centered
fire on him, riddling his machine and
SCATTERING his lett elbow so that the
arm hung useless. Unconscious again
| when he came to he believed his left
arm To have heen shot away rs it was
Tapping bulIind him. rpr
Again he was attacked by another
squadron. Smoke came from his ma
chine and he believed himself on fire
/ He used all his strength 10 try for 4
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, h
Owed to within few thousand feet oi
the ground, just over the lines, his en-
CINE going full out" so that it is /
miracle his machine stood the strait.
ana again ne was attacked, inns III
by eight enemy scouts.
The terrible descent seemed to brace
him. British observers saw him -
through the most amazing spins, spir
ais, ICONS and all the tricks of thu
British scout fighter. In 12.minut'
engagement he drove down two Ger
mans out OF control, broke free Of tn,
others and came home Swimming tree
und trenches. He probably will puI
through.
in less than an hour the major hat
engaged fifty 70 sixty enemies, destroy
ing four, disabling four TO six, sufferei
three crippling wounds and brough
I'LL. LII. llAi,an Ia, ,.n.,n ..AIli