AIR THRILLS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 151, 21 March 1919, Page 6

AIR THRILLS

SOME AERIAL COMBATS

MAJOR A. DE B. BRANDON

HOME AGAIN

ON IMPERIAL DUTY

Major .A. de B. Brandon, D.5.0., M.C., of the Royal Air Force, and son of Mr. A\ do 13. Brandon, the well-known barrister and solicitor, was among those to arrivo here yesterday morning by the Atheuic. Major Brandon, who returns homo with honours thick upon him, conies to New Zealand 1 iu the service of tho. Imperial Government as an r.ide to Lieutenant-Colonel A. BetUngton, R.A.F., who is to report on aviation matters in New Zealand from the standpoint of defence, a mission which shows tho important light in which the aerial arm is now hold by tho military authorities. .Major Brandon, who wears tho horizon blue uniform and double wings of the Hoyal Air Force, left Wellington in 1915 with tho fixed determination of "going into tho air." Ho wasted no time on arrival in England (whero ho had been educated). Ho wont through the Flying School at Hendon and then the Military Flying School at Harrow in good stylo. After receiving his commission ho underwont further "experience" training, and with otliors was placed upon gunrd duty in tho vicinity uf Loiuion, when the "Zepp." raids became troublesome. i Sinks a Zeppelin. It was on March 31, 1916, that Major Brandon has his first personal contact with a Zepp. Ho was stationed a few miles out of London when at 9.30 p.ui. came the Yarning of an airship raid. It was a clear starlight night. Major Brandon (then a subnltern) was instructed to ascend, nnd after fifteen minutes climb lie found himself over the aerodrome with a lot of shells exploding in mid-air, and a "Zepp." floating placidly along in tho beam of a. searchlight. Almost immediately the "Zepp." dodged tho beam, and Major Brandon set off on a voyage of discover}', hoping to intercept tho 'invader. In lesi than two minutes —things happen quickly in the air—he. had picked up the airship again some distance above him and out of earth range. He followed, climbing steadily, until ho got above the German machine, which he gavo three explosive darts. He fancied at first that he had made a direct hit, but subsequent reports he heard raised doubts. Then he realised that at last they were firing at him from the airship, and he mado a good target as ho had omitted to switch his lights off. He immediately "doused the glim," and at once the "Zepp." guns ccased to fire. So far, so good. "Over the Top" Again. Tho intrepid airman thereupon resolved to return to the attack, and manoeuvred until, he again got the advantage over tho top of the big invader. He volplaned down towards the "Zepp.," when ho found with some consternation that it was impossible to get the bomb he. intended to drop into the R.L. tubo and at the same time wntch the Zeppelin. It must bo remembered that it was pitch dark, and the airman could not see j what he was doing, handling the levers, of course, by sense of location and touch. On looking down he saw that he was directly over the airship, so liberated six more darts, hut not hearing them explode was unable to tell if they had dono their work. "Got Her!" .After letting tho darts go Major Brandon's engine failed to .pick up for a few seconds, and ho lost, the airship in tho niglu. Finally he picked un with some 'pfanes about fifteen miles away from his own aerodrome, and made a safo landing. Later he learned that a "Zepp." liad fallen into the estuary of the Thames, and he and the guns wore both credited with having brought it down. -The fight took place at an altitude of 9000 ft. That is how Major Brandon won the Military Cross. The Official Report, The official report of the episode was as follows:— ■ Lieutenant Brandon, Royal Hying Corps, on rising to 6COOft.. at 9.45 p.m., saw a Zeppelin about 30011 ft. above him. At DtiOOft. he ?ot oyer it and attacked, dropping several bombs, three of which he believed took effect. At 10 p.m. he got over the airship again, and let off two more bombs ' over her nose. His own machine was hit manv times by machine-gun bullets. This may have been the Zeppelin which dropped tho machine-gun ammunition, petrol-tank, and machinery, or possibly that which came down off the Thames Estuary. Two "Zepps." in One Ninht. To meet and fight at night one airship as long as an Atlantic liner is a daring enough exploit, but when it comes to two a night there is something doing. Such, however, was Major Brandon's experience in September, 1916. when London was getting pretty tired of death from the clouds. He was patrolling at night near London, when.having chased one Zeppelin he fell in with another which had been caught in the rays of tho searchlights. He, however, managed to pick it up again, and climbed after it until he found himself Tight underneath it, being then from 11,000 to 12,000 feet above the ground. He managed to put a drum and a quarter of Lewis machine-gun bullets into the bulging bulk above him, when his gun jammed. He then climbed above the airship, intending tt> use explosive rockets, but lost her outline against the background of a cloud. After that ho cut out tho engino, and 'planed down to about SCCOft., when he started the . engine again preparatory to returning to the aerodrome. A few minutes later, he was surprised to seo another "Zepp.," and, going after it, lie saw another airman firing straight, into it, and. the German machine burst into ftame.s, and sank to earth. The airman of that stunt was Major F. Somey. A little later Major Brandon was awarded the D.S.O. for distinguished service generally. Collision With a Cliff. Having helped to dispose of the "Zepps." Major Brandon was about to leave for France on active service when ho had tho misfortune to run into a cliff-face whilst flying in a fog. The result of the accident was a broken leg which caused him a great deal of trouble and debarred him from participating in the campaign on the Western front. Thereafter ho was employed on homo defence matters in England.