Not only have they to fight
their man, but they have to manage their machines at the same time. This
means that if an airman ascends alone he is unable to use a rifle and
must depend for attack on revolver fire only. This is illustrated by a
passage in one of the official reports: "Unfortunately one of our
aviators, who has been particularly active in annoying the enemy by
dropping bombs, was wounded in a duel in the air. Being alone on a
single-seated monoplane, he was not able to use a rifle, and whilst
circling above a German two-seater in an endeavor to get within pistol
shot was hit by the observer of the latter, who was armed with a rifle.
He managed to fly back over our lines, and by great good luck descended
close to a motor ambulance, which at once conveyed him to hospital."
This appears to be only the second instance recorded during the first
two months of the war in which our airmen have suffered mishap, yet
half-a-dozen German machines have been brought down and their navigators
either killed or wounded. Private Harman, King's Royal Rifles, describes
an exciting pursuit in which a German aeroplane was captured. The
British aviator, who had the advantage in speed and was a good revolver
shot, evidently greatly distressed the fugitive, for, surrendered, he
planed down in good order, and on landing was found to be dead.
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