HIDE AND SEEK IN IKE SKY.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1918, Page 1

HIDE AND SEEK IN IKE SKY.

j Fighting in the air by day has its •excitements, hut a combat by night is 'still more adventurous. While on night patrol, the pilot sighted a big twin-engined German machine which was heading in the direction of the British lines, loaded with bombs, on business intent. Without hesitation he (lew at it and in the darkness fired a burst of bullets from a range of about £>o yards. He could see the lines of the tracer bullets as they struck the machine, and as it flashed by into the night he though he saw the observer iall forward in his seat. He swung round after his Joe, and, diving again, fired another hurst at close range. This time he •Was sure of his success, for one propeller slowly ceased to revolve owing -to the damage he had caused the engine. When lie fired the second bursty he was right over the tail of tlio Hun. The Boelie pilot, knowing himself to he damaged, dived, trying to .throw off his opponent. For a moment hie British machine was caught in the backwash of the big bomber’s propeller and at once got out of control. Down slipped the scout into the night, and when the- pilot again regained control his for. had vanished in the darkness. Backward and forward lie liew, searching the sky for a trace of the Hun. ft was had luck to come within au ace of success and then to he deprived of his victim. Once lie thought ho saw a darker patch against the sky and raced hurriedly towards it, on-. lv to find that he had been led out of | his path by his imagination and that .nothing awaited him. At last, despairing of finding the Boc-he. lie turned his nose homeward and flew* for the lines. Then, just as lie noticed the gashes in the earth ahead of him, he again saw below him the form a vast bomber. It was the -same machine, for a moment later he was able to perceive that only one engine was working. He smiled with trice. The Boelie had tried to elude him hut had failed. Now the end would surely come.

Out ol‘ the night he dropped, pouring forth a tornado of lead. The Hun saw* his doom approach and was unable to escape. A storm of bullets put the other engine out of action and the bomb ci* crashed to earth between the lines. And as she hit earth there was a- terrific roar, and in the darkness the flames of the explosion lighted up the ground for many yards around as the bombs meant for the destruction of hospitals and defenceless, homos blew* the remains of the bomber upward into the night.