IMMELMANN’S LAST FIGHT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1602, 24 August 1916, Page 4

IMMELMANN’S LAST FIGHT.

AN AERIAL BATTUE,

BRITISH AVIATOR’S EE AT,

Aeeording to the Berlin Tagehlail, the German aviator, tmmelmann, was killed while fighting single-handed against three British hinlanes.

How he met his death is grajdiieally described in a letter from one of his brother officers published in the Berlin Lokalanzieger.: “It was about nine o’clock in the evening,” he said, “when suddenly I heard a rattling noise in the air, and saw above mo at a height of several thousand yards five aeroplanes, two of which I recognised as Eokkers, the three others being Drench or British biplanes. The Eokkers, small and swift, looked like swallows as compared with those big, slow, hut steadily Hying biplanes. “Suddenly Ihere was a great commolion above. The Eokkers had come in touch with the enemy. They approaehed al frightful speed, and (he encounter was aeeompanied by tremendous shoaling from live urn chine-guns. Now Ihe Eokkers elosed up with the enemy; then they parted, only to rush ouee more with inereased violence against their opponents. "One of the Eokkers had selected his adversary, and he did not allow him to escape. The big machine tried to descend, bill linding Ibis useless, af tempted to rise. Every time the Eokker ('aught him, appearing now above and (hen below him. Then, suddenly loitering, the lag machine fell. It had been bit. I was watelling closely, and therefore i( did mil escape me that (lie Eokker was also making singular staggering movements. She rightist herself for all (lie world like an animal tbal had been mortally bit, and then gradually weal lower and lower.

“With a sharp jerk the machine regained equilibrium, hut suddenly she turned completely upside down and fell like a stone from a height of over (>,OOO feel. The hack portion of the machine broke oft, and one of the plain's also parted, while the aeroplane was falling. .Among the soldiers who speedily collected the most singular rumours were current. ‘He is French," one said. “Oh, no,’ said another, ‘unfortunately he is German. ‘What,” was the indignant reply, ‘he is French and nothing else. How could it be otherwise?’

“We reached (he fallen machine, and opening the airman’s leather coat we saw (he Order T’onr le .Merito,’ Immelmami or Boelcke, was now the question, hut soon we found from the initials on the linen whom the dead man was. It was Immelmami.”