AN AERIAL COMBAT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2600, 23 October 1915, Page 12

AN AERIAL COMBAT

"HEROIC PROVOCATION." Jl. Montague, a special writer of "Le Telegramme," describes in tis journal an aerial- combat t'hat he witnessed at the front. "Towards four o'clock a French aeroplane, piloted by an airman already famous for his 'marvellous skill and bravery, arrived from the hangars behind the firing-rime and made towards tho German lines. It was but a matter of seconds before the 'Bodies' opened a fierce fire on the machine., Tho Frenchman, flying very low, continued- calmly on liis way. His attitude may be described as 'heroic provocation.' Leaving our underground shelters and trenches, wo raised oursolves just above the parapet to watch the movements of our aeroplane. We counted the missiles that were being aimed at him by tho German batteries. We counted up to 351 missiles, and still our gallant aviator was above the enemy's lines, safe and sound as when he left the hangar. At last the German guns ceased firing, evidently seeing the usclessness of it. What a Tage the German artillerymen must liavo been in! And the aviator —like a triumphant eagle—continued to fly about over the Gorman lines, wliila our cheers rang out loud and long. "One day this same pilot had the sangfroid to drop a number of pamphlets on to tlio artillery of tile Germans. On theso pamphlets was written in ink: 'You fire too ebort; you fire too long; you cannot touch' me before I am gone!' " .