ABOVE THE BALKANS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3142, 21 July 1917, Page 3

ABOVE THE BALKANS

THRILLING STORY OF AN AIR FIGHT BY AVIATOR NOW IN WELLINGTON night-Lieutenant E. T. Shand, who was wounded in air action on the Salonika, front, is in Wellington at present, getting into condition prior to essaying another round with Fate. With certain other Neit Zealand troops he was ! transferred from Syria's burning strand I to Salonika, where he struck the real thing. His thrilling story was related before a large audience at tho Concert Chamber on Thursday evening, when it is safe to say that everyone present learned a little more than they knew before about the science of air lighting, daily becoming a more and more potent factor in the great war everyone wishes to see at an end. Lieutenant Shaiul said that it was at the request of Major iSleomau that he told the story of the action iu which he was wjmnded. As a rule airmen, did not like to talk about their own "stunts"—it was ahvsiys about the other fellow's. When he went to Salonika the British forces had no very fast machines, but he was fortunate in being provided with a beauty by tho French, who also provided him witii one of the best pilots in tho world, a Frenchman who had been mechanic and pilot to Gustave Jlamel. His first duty was to escort a reconnaissance machine; that is to say, he was to go up with the reconnaissance machine, follow it round, and engage any enemy craft that might wish to interfere with, the work of tho,. reconnaissance officer. It is all important that he should be at liberty to do his work thoroughly and bring back the information, 60 escorts were provided to fight off any possible attack. He had got up pretty high—one- had to in the Balkans, as the mountains were from 11,000 to 12,000 feet high. He was Hying about 12,090 feet up, and the reconnaissance machine was about 9000 feet high, with the "archies" from the moun. tain anti-aircraft guus "going a treat" Tho reconnaissance officer takes no notice of the escorting machine—it is for the latter lo follow the flight of the former and get between him and the enemy. Thev were dodging along behind the enemy lines s when he spotted an enemy Aviatik about three miles off and above him. In a moment or two we were within range and for a few minutes had a rare old "go." Then we "stalled" for position. Thai is, wo stood the machine up on her tail, which stops the flight, after whicli there is a drop. It was a case of "hane pn," for it was a sickening sensation, like falling into nothing—really a rotten sensation. He had at that time "got one," which bad put his shoulder out of commission, but beyond a numb sensation no pain was felt. When the machine righted they new TOiuid and round, but could not find the reconnaissance machine at all, and had not the faintest notion what had become of it. Then the Aviatik came on again., with a Fokker to Kelp him, and there was another good "scrap" at about 150 feet apart, each machine pouring a shower of bullets into the other. Tho last he saw of the. i-viatik was t(ho machine tnose-divinjr to the earth, but whether it was because of the engino or that the pilot was shot he could not tell. Ho had been -shot twice in tho fingers—one through the trigger finger—and the pilot was,shot through the arm. The controls cut, and things looked pretty blue.- At that time ho was 11,000 feet up in the air,- ten miles aoros3 tho Bulgar linjfes, and at least 2j miles from the nearest- landing ground. With tho old machine bumping along as best she could, controls mostly gone, and the under-oarriage riddled with bullets, the pilot, etuck her nose for home. Fortunately tho engine was all right, and they soon got out of range of tho "archie" h're. In the lower air, where tho density increased, the iniichine bumped very badly, but they managed to flatten out—fly level with the ground. At last they landed with a shock—the pilot (who wiis stropped in) on his feet and ho himself with his feet pointing skyward. Ho. had been hanging on to tho epado-bandles of his gun, and had fortunately been caught by one of tho stays.of the grai. They were all over blood and dust, and the crowd of Frenchmen that ran to meet them concluded that they were both dead. Tho pilot retained consciousness until after tho landing, nnd then fainted dead away, and the relater was feeling very sick through loss of blood. After they found that the "dead" were alive, the "French soldiers picked them lip, kissed them, and propedd them up against tho machine to be photographed. "Those Frenchmen treated me better than I have ever been treated in my life, and after the way I fared ■I. shall always have the greatest respect, admiration, and love for the French!"