AN EPIC AIR FIGHT.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16434, 30 January 1919, Page 8

AN EPIC AIR FIGHT.

How after being surrounded W Fokkers and fainting twice in the' air from wounds in both lees and left arm, ■ Major W. G. Barker (now a « V.C.) • broke up the enemy formation and ' reached our lines in safety is told in ° a crapplement to the "London Gazette." V (- Seeing an enemy two-seater over the I. Foret de Mormal, he attacked it, and „■ after a short burst it broke up in tiie . air. At the same time a Fokkor > biplane attacked him and Be , was 1 wounded in the right thigh, but'mon- •' aged to shoot down the enemy aeroj plane. _ <. He then found himself, in the middle 1 of a large formation of Fokkets, who • attacked him from all directions, and.' > was again severely wounded, in the left s thigh. | V _ He lost consciousness after this,, and' • • 1 ■ his machine fell out of control.. On .ref covery he found himself again attacked F. heavily by a large formation, and, sing- " ling out one machine, he charged and i (drove it down in flames. " During this flight his left elbow was . shattered and he again fainted, and , on regaining consciousness he fonnd himself still attacked, but, notwitfc- \ standing that he was now severely wounded in both legs and his left arm. shattered, he dived on the nearest niv»' dime. Greatly exhausted, he dived, ont of . the fight to regain our lines, tat Was .. met by another which attacked and endeavoured to cut h|m off, but after a hard fight he broke up this formation and reached out lineb. This combat, in. which Major Barker , ' destroyed _ four enemy machines ■ (three .■' of them in flames), brought his total : ," successes up to fifty enemy machines. destroyed. ' >: Major Barker, who has already won • i vc with two bars, and a bar to. tlie D.5.0., is attached to No 201' Squadron It.A.F. ' r ' ?.; '