Aerial warfare over Aisne

A striking episode in aerial warfare took place today during the fighting at the battle of Aisne.

A soldier there described the attack;

‘We were five miles north of the Aisne, which we had crossed during the night in a hail of shells. At the foot of the hill a German aeroplane flew over our troops. It succeeded in getting away without getting hit, and shortly afterwards shells began falling among us. We then advanced eastwards but the plane reappeared overhead and then darted off at full speed to alert the enemy to our whereabouts. Suddenly we saw one of our own aviators rise and give chase to the machine, which, finding it was losing its start, attempted to rise. Before it was able to do so, however, the French pilot dashed at him, and got so near that the French observer succeeded in wounding the German pilot, whose machine then fell to the ground.'