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    Official Documents of the Australian Flying Corps
    ____________________






Combats In The Air

Squadron : Naval Squadron No.8
Type and No. of Aeroplane : Sop. Triplane. 5469.
Armament : Vickers Synchronised Gun.
Pilot : Flight Sub Lieut R.A.Little.
Observer : -
Locality : AUCHEL.
Date : 24th April 1917.
Time : 12.30 p.m
Duty : Special Mission.
Height : 12,000 ft.

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Remarks on Hostile Aircraft:-Type, armament, speed, etc

Aviatik 2 seater.
Pilot Lieut. Neumuller, Observer:- Lt. Huppetz.




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Narrative
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On the report of a hostile machine coming towards the Aerodrome I was sent to engage it. I met the hostile machine flying East over Auchel Aerodrome and dived to attack it. I saw two Nieuport Scouts attacking it also, He turned North and I followed him firing whenever an oppurtunity offered itself. I noticed the observer was not returning the fire so I closed in on him. He was losing height all the time. When 1 mile east of BETHUNE I observed my tracers going into his fuselage. I was then firing at a range of about 10 to 15 yards. He then nose dived down, I followed him, he landed in a field. I could not get my engine to go after the dive. I landed beside the H.A. and ran into a ditch and turned over.








 



(sgd)R.A. LITTLE
FLIGHT SUB LIEUTENANT.








G.R. Bromet
SQUADRON COMMANDER R.N.



    This victory is recorded in "Above the Trenches" as victory number 8, Little's fourth on the Sopwith Triplane. The book marks the downed aircraft as an Aviatik C and the victory as a CAPTURED. The Communique's do not record Little's landing adventure after the combat.

    The aircraft was from FA 18. In a letter to the Little family after Little's death, Neumuller wrote; "He was a clever and barve pilot and not only during that combat but also when I was his prisoner and adversary, very honourable and noble. That, my last air battle, will ever leave in a my memory a profound admiration for him. I had hoped that he was perhaps still alive because, as the victorious enemie, he was so amiable to me on my darkest day of my soldierly life, I will never forget him."