GENERAL NEWS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1766, 18 December 1917, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS.

DRAMATIC INTERRUPTION, Martin Harvey, in the Daily Mail, tells the following incident concerning his recent experiences in France:—One occasion stands out particularly in my remembrance. Far up. into the danger zone I mounted the rickety, improvised platform, and the bronzed and cheerful mass of the greatest infantry in the .world settle down as if the “unhealthy spot” were 500 miles away. “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once —” A thud! A sharp, musical scream in the air! A crash! I pause. The men watch me with a mysterious grin*. “Is that a German shell?” I ask. There is a shout of laughter and “Yes” from a hundred throats. There doesn’t seem much else for me to say but, “Oh, well,' I’d better begin again!” “Once more unto the —” Thud! scream! crash! (much nearer). I pause again and say: “It’S all very well for you fellows, but, you know, these are the first German shells I’ve heard.” FATAL TRICK FLYING. A sad aeroplane accident was hive,stiba tdd by -the Croydon coroner at an inquest held on Arthur James Maitland, aged 18, a second lieutenant of the R.F.G., who was killed recently. The father said his son Was a keen aviator, and had been training since May, but had not won his wings. He was never happier than when he was flying. A captain said that 2nd Lieutenant Maitland was flying a certain machine, which they had found to be right. He went up to a height of 3,000 ft., and began to do “stunts.” He turned several times, tothe right and to the left and rolled wing over wing, doing a series of spins, and looped the loop. Suddenly he came down in a spinning nose-dive known as the cork-screw, and witness thought he was “stunting,” but, unfortunately, be misjudged the distance. He fell to earth, and the machine was smashed, with the aviator underneath. A verdict of accidental death was returned.