BEAT SIXTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1918, Page 6

BEAT SIXTY.

AMAZING AIR FIGHT. Vancouver, November 18. An Ottawa message states tliat the Canadian Military Headquarters in London announces that the airman who, while desperately wounded, fought M) enemy machines single-handed, destroying lour and bringing down six, is a Canadian, JVlajor AV. G. Barker, 'D.S.O., n.F.G., At.C, and . Italian Cross of Honor. Major Barker went overseas with a i\ew Brunswick unit, Ths full details of the story of Major Barkev'3 iighi with a horde of enemy 'planes relates the most astounding individual aerial combat on record. While the Allied airmen were harrying the enemy's retreat Major Barker, when over the Forest of Morval, encountered a two-seater German 'plane, at an altitude of 21.000 ft, which was travelling at. that height to evade the fire of the British Archies. le climbed and brought this .'n, but immediately a Fokker -.,, whirled on him. The bullets from the Fokker whistled past him and through his machine, and some stunned him for a moment, so tfiat his machine spur, uncontrolled. Recovering his senses and control of his machine he found 15 more Fokkers hemming him in and firing pointblank at him. - ; i Without hesitation he attacked and three of his assailants fell, but a shot shattered his thigh hone. '. r :'[■-. He fainted and dived seemingly to.his death, but again recovering eonsciqu.4-;. ness he turned upon lii more enemy, scouts which v/ere swooping about Jiiin. like hounds. ' I . He sent one of these hurtling dowji; on fire, when anasther bullet struck his left elbow. '. Enemy machines were now swarminjr thiak about him. He dived and eight of his foes hurtled down like stones, in pursuit. Wounded and half fainting, yet with his brain still alert and cool, he realised that his only chance of safety lay in sheer superior airmanship. In the thick of them this amazing Canadian performed every stunt that his ingenuity, sharpened by dire necessity, could devise. Ho escaped by tha incredible daring of his offensive tactics. For upwards of ten minutes he banked, looped, spun, nose-dived, and climbed again in a multitude of star tricks until he worked his way right back of the vultures. In the midst of all this two more fell to his gun. Then the rest of the flock spread and fled. He came down huddled and insensible, but the victorious hero of as great a fight as ever this war witnessed in tl air. His Victoria Cross is secure... .. .(Svdaey Sun Cable.) :