FOR VALOUR IN THE AIR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 192, 3 May 1918, Page 5

FOR VALOUR IN THE AIR

TWO V.C. AWARDS. (Bee. May 2, 7 p.m.) -..,-_. ~.. ~ .. , London, May ]. I , list l< light Lieutenant Forrnro has been awarded tho Victoria Cross in recognition of a wonderful series of air flights, which included a single-handed attack on nineteen machines around an ononiy aerodrome fifty feot abovo the ground. Ho had destroyed threo of the onemys machines lvlion tho retreat was ordered, ami although wounded )io turned repeatedly ami attacked tho pursuing ranch iocs until overwhelmed by irambora and driven to tho ground. Second Flight Lieutenant Alan Jf'Leod wne also awarded tho Victoria Cross. When assailed by eight of tho enemy's biplanes his skilful manoeuvring enabled his observer, Lieutcnnnt Tfnmmnnd, to shoot down threo of thnm. With :i bulidt througi) hid l-uik, liis aeroplane in flainos, and although himself wounded fivo limoti, ll'Lcod maiingcd (o control his mnnhino so as to keep tho (lames on one sidu, Ihus enabling Hammond to continue his gunfire till tho.v rracliod the ground. MT,eod then dragged Hammond, who was eiilVoi'ing from six lvounds, from Iho burning wrccknj;", ninid n heavy machine-gun fire, to si place of safoly. lln «-n.s himself again wounded before he Ml from exhaustion.—Aue.-N.Z. Cable Ai-sn.-Keutcr.