The move begins.
Left Kazar today at 1600 for Esani about 12 mls from Bursheba. J. A. Graham
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Three years in the army today.
We move into firing line tomorrow. J. A. Graham Another great air duel took place this afternoon about 1600. Four Germans came over our lines and were met by four of ours. Capt. Steele who brought down the plane on the 8th succeeded in cutting one of the Germans off from his mates and fought him singlehanded. It reminded me of a hawk chasing a sparrow.
At the beginning of the duel, the planes were just specks in the sky, but our man was forcing the German down gradually. They were circling, diving, looping, banking and soaring overhead. The German trying to shake our fellow off, but Steele hung to his tail as if tied there and using his gun at every opportunity the German suddenly plunged down a couple of thousand feet, rolled on its side and crash! went one of its wings. Its fate was sealed. It crashed to earth a mass of wreckage and the pilot was found about thirty yards further on, smashed to a pulp. Our planes the Bristol fighter are far superior to any Hun machine. They are fitted with 200hp Rolls Royce engines and have a speed of about 200 miles an hour. The Hun machine like Steele’s other victim was an Albatros. J. A. Graham "Oberleutnant Gerhardt Felmy poses with Lieutenant C.H. Vautin of No. 1 Squadron. Vautin was taken prisoner, having crash- landed in July 1917. Two days later Felmy dropped this photo over Vautin's aerodrome to prove the Australian was all right. A member of No. 1 squadron then flew over Felmy's aerodrome to drop Vautin's clothes, kit, and some letters from home. AWM P02097.002" Source: www.awm.gov.au/articles/first-world-war-flying Four enemy planes and two of ours engaged in battle over our lines.
A most thrilling sight. Three Germans were beaten off and the fourth plane fought for three quarters of an hour and was finally driven to earth at Tel-el-Fara. He is a famous Airman and a most dangerous opponent. His name is Felimy, I think, and was pleased to hear he wasn’t hurt. He has done our airman so many a good turn by looking after any of them who were unfortunate enough to get captured and dropping notes. Telling us of any men falling into their hands. He was a sport and here’s an instance. One of our men in a light machine engaged him and another and fought them for sometime until something went wrong with his plane and he had to descend. Felimy came over our lines and dropped a message saying his opponent was a brave man and that he’d like to shake hands with him after the war, but before the war ended he would like another go at him singlehanded. He is now a guest of the AFC and I hope they give him a good time. I salute him as a soldier, a sport and a gentleman. J. A. Graham |
AuthorJack Graham, ANZAC soldier, kept a diary from 1914-1918. Here it is, blogged 100 years later to the day.... Archives
February 1958
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