Six Germans finally brought Miller and his observer down on his last
trip over the lines, but not until the photographs had been made. Badly
wounded, Miller pulled his plane out of a spin and landed his observer
with the pictures. Major Haslett says:
“He gave the plane the gun, and they took off on Johnny’s last ride.
The plane accompanying was piloted by Lieut. Baker and an observer by
the name of Lieut. Jack Lumsden, both of whom were the very finest
of our personnel. On this mission Thompson, I believe, was taking
photographs—oblique views—which must be taken very low, in fact,
dangerously low, in order that the advancing troops may see from the
photographs exactly what is in front of them. It was a very poor day,
and the clouds were low.
“As they were just finishing this perilous work, a drove of eleven Huns
swooped out of the clouds and made for them. Five attacked Lumsden and
Baker, and six attacked Thompson and Miller. Our boys were about two or
three kilometers within the enemy’s lines, and, with such a superiority
of numbers, of course, were immediately outclassed.
“The Hun planes surrounded Thompson and Miller, pouring in lead from
all sides. Thompson, who had shot down a Boche before and had been
in a number of scraps, was giving them the fight of his life. Miller
was heading toward No Man’s Land. It is hard in such a fight to know
exactly one’s location, and it is better to pick out one’s general
direction when at such a low altitude, and be sure the plane is on the
friendly side of the line before hitting the ground.
“While still about a kilometer within German territory, a bullet struck
Miller in the chest and another in the arm. Thompson told me that
Miller put his hand over the fuselage as if semi-conscious, then the
plane started to go from right to left, climb and dive as if partly
under control.
“As Thompson described it, it seemed as if Miller were doing his
best to keep up his strength to go on with the flight. They crossed
the lines, and as they did so Miller motioned to him in one of his
conscious moments as if to point to home. He then put the plane into a
dive.
“One of the German planes had dropped out of the combat, but the
others were determined upon putting the plane down in flames or out
of control. In these last few seconds they closed in with every gun
concentrated on Miller. This fighting was so close that Thompson was
aiming point blank. Miller was shot again; he made some sort of a
motion as if falling forward.