A RACE WITH A ZEPPELIN.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 24 November 1916, Page 7

A RACE WITH A ZEPPELIN.

SAINTS AND SINNERS

The experiences of Lieut. Red H. Mulock, a Canadian pilot, who "rambled around" in the clouds, 9500 feet up, looking for a Zeppelin he had pursued from the coast of England, are told in a letter published in the current issue of "Flying." He was the first pilot to succeed in chasing a Zeppelin at night, picking his quarry up over Ramsgate. For military reasons the censor has deleted the other names of localities, overlooking, however, the mention of the coast of Belgium. After describing the first appearance of the Zeppelin, Mulock continues:

"It was in the middle of the night —a little after 1 a.m. —and no moon, very dark, with clouds around, and the stars so dark you could not see the horizon. He passed over here, about 2000 ft up, and by the time he got to I was up even with him and to seaward. I then changed my course straight for him. He had stopped to drop his bombs on —, and, with his engine shut down, heard me coming, and, of course, as soon as he heard me looked in my direction and must have seen the flames from my exhaust. "Anyway, he dl<3 not wait to throw any more bombs, and I saw the most wonderful sight. I was about 1500 ff from him. He opened fire with Maxims, but without effect, and majestically stuck his nose up and went up like a balloon. He was then higher than I, so I opened out again, and tried to round him oaclt 01 —, where we both turned out to sea and steered about east. I chafed him up to 8000 ft and over to the Belgian coast, and we both changed courses to sout-i-p and a little later went into the clouds together over . "Having lost him in the clouds, I climbed to 9500 feet and rambled around looking for him. But he had gone. There were two of them; one was given a warm reception by the chaps at. —, while the other one and I had a picnic all to ourselves. He ran away so fast I could not keep up with him and climb at the same time. 1 waited around for him, but no Zepp appeared; evidently he stopped his j engines and listened for me, and then went off in another direction. There I was no use waiting, so I started for 1 home."