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Show DIES AS FOE FLEES British Aviator Killed in Triangular Triangu-lar Fight. Salvation Army Truck Driver Figures In Tragic Air Battle at the Front. Paris. Dying in the arms of a Salvation Sal-vation Army supply truck driver at the front in France, a British aviator who had just been crashed to earth in a desperate triangular battle In the sky had the satisfaction of witnessing witness-ing the defeat of his German antagonist antag-onist by a French plane just before he drew his last breath. The struggle, according to a report reaching here occurred recently just behind the allied lines in France, and was witnessed by Ransom Gifford, eighteen-year-old son of Col. Adam Gifford, head of the Salvation Army for ffew England, and residing in Boston. Young Gifford was hauling supplies to hutments along the line, when suddenly sudden-ly three big planes circled Immediately over his head and opened up a terrific fight. In a short time one plane shot downward down-ward In flames and crashed to earth less than 100 feet from Gifford's truck. The young Salvationist ran to the wreckage, and after desperate efforts extricated the broken and bleeding aviator, avi-ator, who was still alive. Two French soldiers, who had been concealed near by ran upland noting the condition of the aviator, raced off in different directions di-rections for a doctor and ambulance. Young Gifford held the dying airman in his arms, enabling him to lie back, and with fast closing eyes gaze at the conflict con-flict still raging Immediately over their heads. The French plane put the German Ger-man to rout, whereupon the English fighter with a smile relaxed and expired ex-pired in the arms of the Salvationist. Gifford states that for a month he has not had his shoes off, and that this Is no uncommon occurrence with the supply drivers. He spent 24 hours under un-der his truck on a subsequent trip when it ran off the road Into a ditch, with shells dropping around It all day and half the night. |
