the mastery of the air(操纵空气)-第32章
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airmen。 But finally the voice of the people prevailed in their demand for
more enlightenment。 Names of regiments began to be mentioned in
connection with particular successes。 And in the same way the heroes of
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the R。F。C。 and R。N。A。S。 were allowed to reap some of the laurels they
deserved。
It began to be recognized that publication of the name of an airman
who had destroyed a Zeppelin； for instance； did not constitute any vital
information to the enemy。 In a recent raid upon London the names of the
two airmen； Captain G。 H。 Hackwill； R。F。C。； and Lieutenant C。 C。 Banks；
R。F。C。； who destroyed a Gotha； were given out in the House of Commons
and saluted with cheers。 In the old days the secretist party would have
regarded this publication as a policy which led the nation in the direct line
of 〃losing the war〃。
In the annals of the Flying Service； where dare…devilry is taken as a
matter of course and hairbreadth escapes from death are part of the daily
routine； it is difficult to select adventures for special mention； but the
following episodes will give a general idea of the work of the airman in
war。
The great feat of Sub…Lieutenant R。 A。 J。 Warneford； R。N。A。S。； who
single…handed attacked and destroyed a Zeppelin； has already been
referred to in Chapter XIII。 Lieutenant Warneford was the second on the
list of airmen who won the coveted Cross； the first recipient being Second…
Lieutenant Barnard Rhodes…Moorhouse； for a daring and successful bomb…
dropping raid upon Courtrai in April； 1915。 As has happened in so many
cases； the award to Lieutenant Rhodes…Moorhouse was a posthumous one；
the gallant airman having been mortally wounded during the raid； in spite
of which he managed by flying low to reach his destination and make his
report。
A writer of adventure stories for boys would be hard put to it to invent
any situation more thrilling than that in which Squadron…Commander
Richard Bell Davies； D。S。O。； R。N。； and Flight Sub…Lieutenant Gilbert
Formby Smylie； R。N。； found themselves while carrying out an air attack
upon Ferrijik junction。 Smylie's machine was subjected to such heavy fire
that it was disabled； and the airman was compelled to plane down after
releasing all his bombs but one； which failed to explode。 The moment he
alighted he set fire to his machine。 Presently Smylie saw his companion
about to descend quite close to the burning machine。 There was infinite
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danger from the bomb。 It was a question of seconds merely before it must
explode。 So Smylie rushed over to the machine； took hasty aim with his
revolver； and exploded the bomb； just before the Commander came within
the danger zone。 Meanwhile the enemy had commenced to gather round
the two airmen； whereupon Squadron…Commander Davies coolly took up
the Lieutenant on his machine and flew away with him in safety back to
their lines。 Davies； who had already won the D。S。O。； was given the V。C。；
while his companion in this amazing adventure was granted the
Distinguished Service Cross。
The unexpectedness； to use no stronger term； of life in the R。F。C。 in
war…time is well exemplified by the adventure which befell Major Rees。
The pilot of a 〃fighter〃； he saw what he took to be a party of air machines
returning from a bombing expedition。 Proceeding to join them in the
character of escort； Major Rees made the unpleasant discovery that he was
just about to join a little party of ten enemy machines。 But so far from
being dismayed； the plucky airman actually gave battle to the whole ten。
One he quickly drove 〃down and out〃； as the soldiers say。 Attacked by five
others； he damaged two of them and dispersed the remainder。 Not content
with this； he gave chase to two more； and only broke off the engagement
when he had received a wound in the thigh。 Then he flew home to make
the usual laconic report。
No record of heroism in the air could be complete without mention of
Captain Ball； who has already figured in these pages。 When awarded the
V。C。 Captain Ball was already the holder of the following honours： D。S。0。；
M。C。； Cross of a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour； and the Russian order
of St。 George。 This heroic boy of twenty was a giant among a company of
giants。 Here follows the official account which accompanied his award：
〃Lieutenant （temporary Captain） ALBERT BALL； D。S。O。； M。C。； late
Notts and Derby Regiment； and R。F。C。
〃For most conspicuous and consistent bravery from April 25 to May 6；
1917； during which period Captain Ball took part in twenty…six combats in
the air and destroyed eleven hostile aeroplanes； drove down two out of
control； and formed several others to land。
〃In these combats Captain Ball； flying alone； on one occasion fought
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six hostile machines； twice he fought five； and once four。
〃While leading two other British aeroplanes he attacked an enemy
formation of eight。 On each of these occasions he brought down at least
one enemy。
〃Several times his aeroplane was badly damaged； once so severely that
but for the most delicate handling his machine would have collapsed； as
nearly all the control wires had been shot away。 On returning with a
damaged machine； he had always to be restrained from immediately going
out on another。
〃In all Captain Ball has destroyed forty…three German aeroplanes and
one balloon； and has always displayed most exceptional courage；
determination； and skill。〃
So great was Captain Ball's skill as a fighter in the air that for a time
he was sent back to England to train new pilots in the schools。 But the
need for his services at the front was even greater； and it jumped with his
desires； for the whole tone of his letters breathes the joy he found in the
excitements of flying and fighting。 He declares he is having a 〃topping
time〃； and exults in boyish fashion at a coming presentation to Sir Douglas
Haig。 It is not too much to say that the whole empire mourned when
Captain Ball finally met his death in the air near La Bassee in May； 1917。
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CHAPTER XXXIX Aeroplanes in the Great War
〃Aeroplanes and airships would have given us an enormous advantage
against the Boers。 The difficulty of laying ambushes and traps for isolated
columnsa practice at which the enemy were peculiarly adeptwould
have been very much greater。 Some at least of the regrettable reverses
which marked the early stages of the campaign could in all probability
have been avoided。〃
So wrote Lord Roberts； our veteran field…marshal； in describing the
progress of the Army during recent years。 The great soldier was a man
who always looked ahead。 After his great and strenuous career； instead of
taking the rest which he had so thoroughly earned； he spent laborious days
t
