Communications Paris, May 24.
The famous Gallic fury for which the French soldier has been known and feared throughout the ages has found its fullest expression in the wild exploits of French "assault" pilots.
nedge-hopping the enemy as low as 20 metres from the ground and uying below machine gun barrages, Wrench assault pilots have been mercilessly strafing and bombing columns of Nazi troops, mechanized units and supply trains in a desperate effort to disorganize the German offensive.
The terrible dog-fights which are vaging in northern France today, which a military source described as the "beginning of the Battle of Flanders," have brought the assault voi into their own.
The missions of these pilots are entirely different from those of the chasers, bombers or reconnaissance pilots. Their job is to smash the enemy columns and disrupt rear line communications regardless of cost.
Caution to the Winds The outcome of the terrible battle in north-western France will largely depend upon the French and British assault pilots, who are throwing all caution to the winds and who go into battle with a fierce determina-on that surpasses anything seen in ihe past annals of aerial warfare.
Following is a first-hand account of a Captain among the assault pilot" who returned from one of their perilous missions last night.
"We hopped off at 7.30 am. yetterday morning," the Captain said, The orders, which arrived at night, were definite. The objective and zone to be flown over were clearly described.
"Three patrols, totalling nine planes, flew off in a northerly direction following three great highways. We looked from our maps to our chronometres, The objective was in sight. We stepped on the gas and plunged toward the road. There below us was a long column of men, trucks and tanks.
Fled in Terror "The first patrol dropped its load several metres from the ground.
"The second assault wave surged forth from behind. Then the third arrived.
"The Germans fled in terror' and threw themselves into ditches or rushed to neighbouring woods.
"I clearly -saw the bombs of the last patrol la&d on many light tanks and halt them instantly."
A pilot who had listened to the Captain's account, added, "The thing which saddened us on our return was when we noticed the terror among the columns of refugees who first mistook us for enemy raiders, But what joy they expressed when they saw our insignial—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.