BRITISH PILOT'S DARING.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 May 1917, Page 7

BRITISH PILOT'S DARING.

GERMAN PLANE CAPTURED IN HUN LINES. i From official documents placed at Ilia disposal a French correspondent takes -the following incident:—A couple of British airmen, after a reconaissance fifty miles behind the enemy lines on the Somme, were on the way back, when they German monoplane ahead. They gave chaße, exchanging rapid shots, and eventually the adversary, seeing that le had no chance of getting away, made a hurried spiral descent and landed. The British pilot and his companion hovered overhead for a few minutes lest the Hun should try to make off. But the monoplane remained motionless and the airman did not get out of the machine. As the country was desolate and deserted tin! Englishmen decided to go down ,to investigate. Approaching the German, they shouted, "Hands up!" There was no reply. lie was dead. A machinc-gun bullet had cut an artery and left him just enough strength to reach the ground. His' machine was intact, so, after removing the body, one of the pilots got into it and, with liis fel-low-officer piloting the other machine, returned home.

.Everything went will until the' German aeroplane was Been over our lines, but it fortunately passed safely through the shrapnel which greeted it and landed without injury.