GERMANY’S AIR KING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1643, 28 November 1916, Page 4

GERMANY’S AIR KING.

BOELCKE, FOKKER STAR. HIMSELF AND BRITISH AIRMEN. TELLS HIS OWN STORY. Captain Boeleke, the Fokker airman, who brought down 2G aeroplanes and was killed on the western front recently, gave an interview to Mr Herbert Bayard Swope, of the New York World (reproduced in German newspapers), in which lie discussed not only his own methods, but also those of the British airmen, whom he had so often met in aerial combat. He said: — “My twentieth victim was Captain Wilson, of the British Royal Flying Corps, attached to a division stationed near Po/.ieres Wilson was (lying over the German lines when 1 rose to meet him. 1 not only contrived to mil guess him by divining his intentions, but was also lucky enough to outmanoeuvre and outshoot him The Englishman dropped to the ground safely, landing with a broken propeller, while I same down in his immediate proximity. As Wilson surrendered, he asked for the name of his captor. ‘Boeleke," I replied. The chagrin and humiliation of defeat and capture disappeared for a moment, as the Englishman put out his hand. As I shook it my prisoner said: “It I bad to be shot down I’m pleased that it should have been by so good a man.’ “Wilson was sent hack to Cam* brai, and the next day I invited him to lunch at the officers’ mess. Tho captured flyer expressed his appreciation of the exceptional treatment he had received, and told of the high regard in which the English held the German livers. That, night he was sent to a German prison cam]). Only two of the 20 airmen I have fought, unfortunately, lived after the light. They all fought so well I was sorry luck was against them. 1 think most of tho 18 were killed by bullets from myt machine, or died in the tall, a few meeting death in smashing on the* ground. One Englishman, Wilson, and one French officer, remained alive; the others died for their countries :

“I was first an observer, later a. pilot, and was shifted, because of my steady eye and sure nerves, into the fighting detachment, in which division i do nothing but fight oft enemy aeroplanes scouting over the lines, or go to tin* relief ol my own people attacked on observation duly. I always lly alone. There is an observer’s seat in the machine, hue he never fills it. in fact, most: of the German fighting dyers travel alone to minimise the risk, and by engaging the enemy give the observation machines a chance to get back with their information.

“The English say the German fighters and observers almost neve;* cross their lines, but lly over their own troops. This is not true as regards the observers. They have done much good work over the enemy’s forces, but it used to be Inn. in part about the lighters. It was due at first to the fact that there were several parts of our new Fokkers we wanted to keep secret; second, because it was important that, we should remain on guard in our won territory to prevent the enemy observers from gaining information. Of late circumstances changed, and we fly everywhere. Obviously, it always is the best tactic* to bring your man down behind your own lines so he can be made a prisoner if alive, and his machine kept from the enemy for repair. But each follows a flight through now, no matter where it takes us. I use no special formula except to try to get my man before he gets me. Almost all the fighting aeroplanes are similarly rigged, with a machine gun fixed in front of the pilot. Being stationary, it is necessary to bring my gun into position.

"I have had five machine.-; smashed under me, Imf always volplaned 10 earth successfully. My favourite machine has the lines of a bird. Even close at hand it looks tiny, being much smaller than (he English or French ones. On the day following my twentieth prize two of my companions were killed trying to stop an English raiding party of eight aeroplanes that flow over the German lines bombarding railroad stations. The fight was at 5.30 in the afternoon, and showed the exceptional courage of the Germans in taking on a fight with simh a superior force. I hope Jo see you again in happier times. We Germans don’t; want to light, but so long as we arc forced to, you may he sure we will, and fight so we shall never he beaten. This (bought and certainty is in every German’s bosom.” Where Boeleke was there were three English prisoners, Lieut. Ranald Walker, Cambridge; “ind- Lieut. Smith, of York, anil Captain H. 6.Salmond, Bedford, the last-named very slightly wounded. His eyes were saved by the pair of heavy flying goggles he wore, a bullet cracking the glass, but not splinter-

ing it. Captain Salmond’s observer was in hospital with a bullet through the neek. Snlmond said: “We all of ns think the German dyers are very good, and that this ehap Boeleke is top-hole, but I’m bound to say it’s jolly hard to get a fight out of them. We’ve got to hang over the German lines for hours at a time before we can tempt the Germans to come up and have a go. I had bad luck in being bagged, though I must say my man was

game. One of his shots glanced and broke a tying frame. I almost keeled over, but righted and managed to get down without hurting myself much, except for the wound and bruises I got in landing.”