Nevertheless, here is Guynemer's
statement, countersigned by the escadrille commandant:
"_Saturday, September 23._--Two combats near Eterpigny. At 11.20 forced
down a Boche in flames near Aches; at 11.21 forced a Boche to land,
damaged, near Carrepuy; at 11.25 forced down a Boche in flames near
Roye. At 11.30, was forced down myself by a French shell, and smashed my
machine near Fescamps...."
These combats occurred between Peronne and Montdidier. To his father he
wrote with more precision, but in his usual elliptical style.
"_September 22_: Asphyxiated a Fokker in 30 seconds, tumbled down
disabled.
"_September 23_: 11.20.--A Boche in flames within our lines.
"11.21.--A Boche disabled, passenger killed.
"11.25.--A Boche in flames 400 meters from the lines.
"11.25 and a half.--A 75 blew up my water reservoir, and all the linen
of the left upper plane, hence a superb tail spin. Succeeded in changing
it into a glide. Fell to ground at speed of 160 or 180 kilometers:
everything broken like matches, then the 'taxi' rebounded, turned around
at 45 degrees, and came back, head down, planting itself in the ground
40 meters away like a post; they could not budge it.
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