THRILLS OF THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1917, Page 2

THRILLS OF THE AIR.

•EXPLOITS OF CAPTAIN BALL. BAAING BRITISH BIRD MENLondon, May 18. -, _ Router's special correspondents at Bri' tish headquarters in France state:— Captain Ball disappeared on May 7, op which o'ate he engaged four Albatrosses. Captain Ball had thrilling fights with German machines on two previous day*. He was patrolling on May 5j -when he sighted two enemy machines. Being low he nwde off, climbing steadily,- tat when the Germans were close to his tail he swerved and slid underneath. He j,;ir:ud his machine-gun on one opponent, who fell. Meanwhile a second 'fie'rraMi was °.eei} apnroaehing and firing steadily. Captain Ball returned the fife, and a coliisi-.iij was inevitable, when the enemy vioflipj. od. The Britisher's engine was- hit, and : Captain Ball was soaked with'oil;- : hut lie dropped, and saw both t'ai OvMivU lying wrecked. ■«■:,. ' On May fi Captain Ball encnimiliirfli four red Albatrosses of a nc.v t.ypa." J T}J dived straight for their centre arid" ht'Akiy their formation. He then sl'mpcd li',:tfi'| the nearest, firing at it until ii"f»ll| The three others bolted. [■ . Besides these encounters Cipinia 7! ill* had many" {nrfllin" niv-fij'hti. Rcft'.vU.V, he was the one Britisher- who and destroyed three German 'pliiiiftV be-> hind the enemy lilies. He va.j I'.hb '.u the battle in which five Briti-hers ?;''.,•'.i I, •2fi Albatrosses on May 6 at n heiaht of two miles. The fight ended i.i '<.':•>.> of the Germans foiling in fl,vm.o«, +':roo others crashing to Birth, and lb> :•.:• nwindcr fleeing with hroathle? Ir'.i'a, In a light near Lille ou M.iy ',) one Britisher went against }5 oujoumU Two of the latter were riddled f.i !o;!g range, t'nrco others, tried to divJ. .:;it.n the British aviator, who crumphi u;io with a burst of ilea a.nd the.i overhauled and downed the others. Sometimes enemy aeroplanes felli's to fight, evan when in superior luubera, and the British are challenging '"hem over their own aerodromes, Again, a British balloonist, jwhowa* twice shot down in 9P^,(Jay v 'defl(!e.r\3ed . .with a parachute, yet-'jetumeC'sv raira time, when hi» baUQon' v was repaired : >