A CHARMED LIFE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 30 August 1916, Page 3

A CHARMED LIFE.

FRENCH AIRMAN’S CAREER. | The following story of Nungesser, a ! French aviator, is probably unique i even in this war. When hostilities ! broke out he was a Hussar of 22. On September 3 during the retreat from Charleroi, he was mentioned in despatches for having captured a German, motor car, put the officers occupying it hors de combat, brought back the car and valuable papers which it contained under enemy fire, and finally placing his commanding officer, who j was wounded, under shelter. The car was a French Mors, stolen by the Germans, and after that Nungesser used to be called the Mors Plus sar. Some time after that, driving the same car, he passed some old soldiers, who said: “Why is this youth a mere motor driver, while we are in the trenches?” Thereupon Nungesser refused to be j a motorist any more. He became an ; aviator. He took part in 53 bombard- j ments, and was thrice, as aviator men- i tioned in despatches. But in an aerodrome, while testing a new machine, i he met with an accident, had his jaw | broken, and sustained a wound in j skull and broken ribs. j He remained five days unconscious. When he came out of the hospital he j was finally invalided, but this made j him angry. He used influence, went' back to the front in an aeroplane, and in one week brought down two enemy machines and one “sausage.” His latest feat was to fight against | six enemies—three Fokker’s and three j L.V.G.’s. He saved himself by a brilliant idea. He dashed right among his enemies, who stopped firing for fear of shooting one another. The Frenchman came back safe, with 28 shots through his aeroplane, seven in the motor, one bullet through his shoe, and another through his helmet.