One Against 60

ONE AGAINST 60.
Greatest Individual Feat of the War.
EPIC AIR FIGHT.
Wounded Major Crashes Eight Enemy Machines.

From H. PERRY ROBINSON

France, Wednesday.

    An extraordinary story of gallantry in fighting against odds has come to light of a certain major of the Royal Air Force.
    The day began when the major, being out alone, saw an enemy machine above him at 21,000 feet, so went up, attacked, and shot it down, seeing it break in bits in the air.
    At the same moment he found himself attacked, and before he could do anything he was wounded in the right thigh. Momentarily dazed, he lost control of his machine, and when he managed to right it he discovered he was surrounded by about fifteen Fokkers.
    One against fifteen, he fought desperately, whirling first against one and then another, while the enemy waited their turns to attack. Two Germans went down out of control and a third burst into flames before the major was again wounded, the bullet this time shattering the other thigh, so that he fainted, and his machine began to spin down out of control.

CHARGING THE ENEMY.
    He came to himself again before he reached the ground, but only to find himself once more surrounded by an entire new pack of not less than a dozen enemies. He was faint and dizzy, with two legs useless and only his hands to use, but he made up his mind to die gloriously, so charged straight for the nearest enemy machine in an attempt to ram it.
    Charging straight ahead, he was almost touching the other machine, firing as he went, when suddenly the latter burst into flame and fell just in time to clear the nose of his aeroplane.
    Turning, he prepared to attack again, when a third bullet hit him, breaking the left elbow. He had only one hand now, but again, seeing dimly, charged once more in an effort to ram, and again his shooting told before he reached his goal, and another German burst into fire and crashed.
    Then he turned and tried to escape to our lines, but between him and safety were still eight new enemy machines, and now, when the machines were all low down, people on the ground saw one of the most wonderful air fights ever witnessed, even though those below did not know that one man who fought against eight was wounded.

THE ESCAPE.
    Experts watching said it was the finest exhibition of brilliant manoeuvring ever witnessed, and two at least of the enemy were sent down helpless before, seeing his chance, the Major broke through the circle of enemies and dived for the ground.
    With one arm shattered and two useless legs, he could not properly control the machine, but landed at great speed, crashing into a hedge and ripping the under-carriage off the machine. Then he fainted.
    He had met and fought some 60 enemy machines, and eight or ten at least he had sent down, four of them in flames or crashing, and others out of control, fighting always against great odds, and himself so wounded and mangled that to fly at all was a considerable feat.
    The Major to-day is in hospital, and will recover, and it was surely as gallant and amazing a feat as was ever achieved.

The Daily News - Thursday, November 7, 1918