FLIGHT SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1917, Page 5

FLIGHT SERVICE.

CIIRISTCHURCH AIRMAN'S EXPERIENCES. SEVEN HUN PLANES TO HIS CREDIT Lieutenant Harold Dawson, of the Royal Flying Corps, who was killed oil October 4, wrote n, letter*, the..previous day to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. T. W. 'Dawson, who live at 10, Warrington street, St. Albans, Christclvurch. "I now have seven Hun planes to my credit," he wrote, "and, although my machines have been riddled several times, I've never been scTatelied. My best day lor adventure came last 'push,' when four planes were shot to pieces under me, necessitating a fresh machine for my next flight. In one day, therefore, I lost our Government at least £12,000. Tlie heavy mists that prevail make low (lying essontial for good work, and machine guns, Held guns, 'archies,' 'flaming onions'—that is, phosphorus balls—and rifle Are all try hard to render our work impossible; but really it is great sport. If it becomes a little tiresome, We can generally find a Hun who will put up a fight. Thus the variety of the work gives us the zest so necessary for maintaining the name of our corps. "Last night, when eight of us were out on patrol, we ran into some Huns and had a little dust-up, but de did not get anything. However, it would not do to discourage them by always destroying some, otherwise the war might finish too soon.; We have been rather unfortunate latclv. as ten out of tho eighteen j in our squadron have 'gone west' during the past nine hut that is abnormal. Still, our Spadron is the 'crack' one in France, and it must cost us something to fceep up its reputation. I am glad that the cable I sent relieved your mind. It is much harder for. you to wait for news, without the excitement to take your thought away from the indescribable."

In a letter dated September 24 Lieutenant Dawson says: "Laßt Wednesday I was up 7000 ft over the lines -when six or seven Albatross scouts, part of Richtoven's 'circus,' came down at three of us. I got the shock of my life, for it seemed so sudden. Fortunately, I destroyed one before my oil tank burst and covered me in oil, causing me to go down at once with three of them On my tail, all firing hard, 1 was not hurt, but both of the ether men suffered. One was wounded through both sfloulders, and the other's machine had to be struck Off, as it was badly knocked about. ♦"On another occasion I happened to b« waiting round on balloon lines when another Hun scout came over to attack the balloons, so it was up to me to tackle him, "and I managed to send him down to earth."

London journals of September 18 contain an oceount of the airmen's raid in | which Lieutenant Dawson took part. The planes dropped 143 bombs on a German aerodrome, and fired many thousands of rounds from their machine sruns at different targets, and a body of 2000 fierman infantry was engaged from a height of 100' ft.