RACE FOR LIFE.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 January 1920, Page 1

RACE FOR LIFE.

ROSS-SMITI-I’S ADVENTURE,

INCIDENT IN PALESTINE. . . SYDNEY, Dec. 31. Sir Ross Smith, whose flight to Australia reminds one of the wonderful adventures of Ulysses of old, on one occasion in Palestine had a race, not for £IO,OOO, or for the even richer gift of fame that his triumph has now brought him, but for dear life itself. The story has leaked out by a friend of his .in Palestine.

‘‘Four albatross scouts were observed,” he says, “flying towards the British lines, 3000 ft above Ross Slnitli and his observer. Ross Smith immediately

commenced to climb, and circled to get behind the enemy. Two of the enemy .machines broke formation, turned, and made for their aerodrome, while the other two pressed forward towards our lines. Smith, having manoeuvred his machine into position, came on to their tails and attacked. The scouts made an S turn and came under him in a dive. Ross Smith also S-turned-and dived after- the enemy, dropping from 11,000 feet to 2000 feet from land, and ended up once more close’ to the tails of the scouts. Then commenced a relentless pursuit. At times the pursuers and pursued were not 10ft from the ground. At last Smith got right on the tail of the rearmost Hun'and put a machine gun burst into him, which caused him to crash and turn over on his back. Then commenced a battle royal with the other enemy machine, the pilot of which, led the pursuit three times around a hill. He. circled and S-cd and banked, firing bursts from his gun at every opportunity. .At times his wing was not 10ft from tile ground l . But Smith outmanoeuvred him. Finally, he came right up to the tail of the enemy, when a short burst from the forward gun served to crash the scout, and the ma-

chine turned on its back, just like a bird that bad fought a hard fight. There was nothing now to do but to ‘tajee photographs of the crashed machines and to continue the patrol, So Ross Smith climbed again to the required height. He climbed up to 10,000 feet, and again sighted tho enemy 2000 ft above them. The enemy, however, on sighting hostile craft, turned ( and made for home.” ■ This is tho man who has conquered space as no other man has done. Little wonder that all Australia is waiting ro grip him and'his gallant party by the hand. According to latest accounts, they are likely to be hung up at Charleville, in Queensland, for some days with a broken engine.