Strafing downed opponents

Bettors Pub · 3 April 2007, 05:04 AM

The ongoing Voss thread leaves me with a question about shooting at downed opponents. Obviously if an observer decides to take some pot shots from the ground, it's open season. I believe MvR thought he was being fired on from the ground in his particular incident.

Question. If a downed opponent were to get out of his plane in one piece and then attempt to "fire his plane, set it ablaze", would it have been the DUTY of the victor to shoot the defenseless crew on the ground to prevent this from happening ???

Does actual surrender mean hands up, I'm done ???

Maybe Barrett or some of the other ex-military can help out. Sorry if this is a silly question.

Ginger. · 3 April 2007, 06:00 AM

There's no such thing as a silly question, only a silly answer, so here's my two'penneth.
If you've chased away then forced downed a spotter plane on their side of the lines by all means kill 'em as they could still complete their report, some did, most didn't. If the enemy comes down in your lines killing him definetely is not cricket, unless he takes a pot at you of course.
Having said that some of our chaps believed that Huns taking to parachutes were fair game!