BORN AIRMEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 January 1918, Page 6

BORN AIRMEN.

DASHING AUSTRALIANS. DEEDS THAT SET THE ARMV TALKING London, .Tan. 2. The Australians arc winning fresh laurels in the air. They are proving that they possess the essential flying instinct, intelligence, and nerve. Captain Watts' squadron, in three month* in France, has won six Military Crosses—a remarkable record for comparative novices. Their exploits are the theme of i-eneral discussion. " The death of Captain Slorer is greatly regretted. He is the first flight-comman-der *he Australians have lost on active service. He flew out in had weather, struck a pocket, and crashed down. He was a fine" officer, oeloved by all. Captain Storer was formerly in the Garrison Artillery at Geelong. His observe was also killed. Lieut. Mott was lost in a sea fog in Scotland and killed. He was wireless sergeant on the steamer Transylvania, which was torpedoed in the Mediterranean, and during his seven hours' immersion saved two men before he was rescued. He came to England to qualifyas a pilot Reynolds' Newspaper eulogises him 'as a fine fellow, the makings of a superman. His brother, Captain Mott, escaped from a German prison a few months ago. AN INVENTIVE GENIUS. Lieut. Waekelt, from Duntroon, was lent to the Royal Flying Corps' Invention Department, and did invaluable work. A recent invention by him promises to eliminate the airmen's greatest dread of a mishap, and his improvements of gunsighting have been accepted for universal adoption. Another recent incident was that of a captain who was fighting a German when another enemy joined in. The Australian sharply turned, swooped beneath'his first opponent, and shot him down. On his way home his ammunition gone, he was cut oft' by two Germans. He manoeuvred and pretended to attack, whereupon both of his enemies decamped. The victor returned safely. A lieutenant at a height of 2000 feet, sighted a German below hira. He dived and fired on his enemy, whose machine crashed to earth in flames. . A captain and & lieutenant of artillery, while out observing, drove down a Gorman two-seatei out of control. A QUESTION OF STATUS. The creation of an Imperial Air Service raises the question of Australian status. The absorption of Australian independence has not been decided. The inability of the Commonwealth to supply machines involves partial dep£ud£n<o < Great Britain. It. is understood that Canada laments that she did not some time ago create her own force, instead of merely training men to reinforce the R.F. Corps. After the war these Canadians will be scattered, without cohesion, and faced with the necessity of forming a traditionless corps. The spirit, s?nti--1 nient, and traditions already charaeteris- ■ lie of the R.F.C. compel the hope that 1 the force will be maintained to the utmost and strengthened. The sympathetic co-operation of the Imperial Government may be expected.