_Daring Adventures of the Royal Fliers_
_Told by First Lieutenant J. Errol D. Boyd, of the British Air Service_
The feats of the British fliers form a thrilling chapter of modern
heroism. Their exploits are innumerable. In the defense of London
from Zeppelin raids, on the Western and Eastern battle-front,
in the Dardanelles, over the deserts of Africa, and along the
valleys of the Nile--they are not unlike the crusaders of old in
their heroism. We here present one typical narrative--it is the
story of a Canadian, from Toronto, who relates his own thrilling
experience to a war correspondent of the _New York World_ at The
Hague. "Boydie," as his friends call him, was shot down by a
German anti-aircraft gun from the almost unbelievable height of
12,000 feet. Three cylinders were torn away from his engine. The
wings were pierced in five places. His machine dropped two miles,
twisting and turning, looping the loop ten times on his way down.
It finally landed, right-side up, with the young Canadian safe and
sound, just fifty yards inside of Dutch territory. He sprang from
his seat and gave brisk battle to the soldiers of Queen Wilhelmina.
They overpowered him, and interned him, but not until there'd
been a considerable mix-up, in which fists and noses figured
prominently--Boydie's fists and some Dutch noses.