Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s notes

Changes made are noted at the end of the book.

HEROIC AIRMEN
AND THEIR EXPLOITS

_Reproduced by special permission from the plate in ‘Answers.’_]

HEROIC AIRMEN
AND THEIR EXPLOITS

BY
E. W. WALTERS

_Author of ‘The Souls of the Brave,’ ‘Heroines of
the World War,’ &c._

LONDON
CHARLES H. KELLY
25-35 CITY ROAD, AND 26 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.

_First Edition, 1917_

TO THE
MEMORY OF THE HEROIC AIRMEN
WHO HAVE
LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE
OF THEIR COUNTRY

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Acknowledgement is due in many directions, to various friends for supplying interesting information, and to the authors of various books and articles.

These pages, however, are far from being of a technical nature. The chief aim is to awaken the interest of the reader and throw fresh light on heroic deeds.

E. W. W.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION 11

II. THE BIRTH OF THE AIRSHIP 14

III. THE PIONEER WORK OF M.
SANTOS DUMONT 18

IV. FURTHER LINES OF PROGRESS 22

V. THE BIRTH AND GROWTH OF
THE AEROPLANE 30

VI. FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS AND
CERTAIN ENEMY MACHINES 37

VII. THE ZEPPELIN AND OTHER
MODERN AIRSHIPS 44

VIII. CONTROLLING AN AEROPLANE 53

IX. FLIGHT-COMMANDER WILLIAM
LEAFE ROBINSON, V.C. 61

X. LIEUT. F. SOWREY, D.S.O., AND
LIEUT. A. BRANDON, D.S.O. 75

XI. THE CAPTIVE ZEPPELIN 89

XII. LIEUT. W. L. TEMPEST, D.S.O. 94

XIII. LIEUT. WARNEFORD, V.C. 104

XIV. THE NEW ARM IN WARFARE 108

XV. FROM VICTORY TO VICTORY 117

XVI. AIR SUPREMACY 123

XVII. FLIGHT-COMMANDER ALBERT
BALL, D.S.O., M.C. 127

XVIII. LIEUT. ALLAN BOTT, M.C. 130

XIX. FLIGHT-LIEUT. GUYNEMER 134

XX. LIEUT. STEWART GORDON
RIDLEY 137

XXI. SOUS-LIEUT. LOUIS NOËL 142

XXII. FLIGHT-LIEUT. HAROLD
ROSHER, R.N.A.S. 147

XXIII. AN OBSERVER IN THE
R.N.A.S. 152

XXIV. HEROES OF THE ROYAL NAVAL
AIR SERVICE 157

XXV. TOLD BY THE ADMIRALTY 162

XXVI. HEROES OF FRANCE 168

XXVII. AWARDS AND DECORATIONS 191

XXVIII. FRENCH APPRECIATION 202

XXIX. THE EYES OF OUR ARMIES
IN THE FIELD 207

XXX. RUSSIAN PRAISE AND
RUSSIAN ACHIEVEMENTS 213

XXXI. ITALY’S PART 219

XXXII. ENEMY ACTIVITY 224

XXXIII. A GENERAL VIEW 231

XXXIV. THE HEROIC DEAD 253

XXXV. CONCLUSION 265

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

FLIGHT-COMMANDER W. L. ROBINSON, V.C. _Frontispiece_

DISTINCTIVE MARKS USED BY BELLIGERENTS
IN THE AIR 31

DIAGRAM ISSUED IN THE EARLY PART OF
THE WAR BY THE FRENCH WAR OFFICE 41

SECTIONAL VIEW OF ZEPPELIN AIRSHIP 49

LIEUT. WARNEFORD, V.C. _face_ 104

BOMB-DROPPING _face_ 128

GUARDING OUR COASTS: A NAVAL PATROL
IN DIFFICULTIES _face_ 154

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS _face_ 192

‘All our airmen are heroes, at home and in France, and the gratitude of the nation is due to them for the splendid success with which they have got the upper hand of the air service of the enemy.’

—_The Daily Press_, October 2, 1916.

HEROIC AIRMEN