MacNamara diary, 19 August 1916-29 May 1919 / John Patrick MacNamara - Page 94
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[Page 94]
This scrap caused great excitement & rejoicing as it was the first Hun machine to be brought down in our lines.
Both pilot & his machine were brought into our drome & the machine is being repaired preparatory to flying it. The pilot, a Prussian named Ober-Lieut Dietmach, was not a bad looking chap.
He mounts two machine guns on his machine synchronised to the engine & crossfiring in front about 300'. He uses armour piercing & tracer bullets. These tracer bullets are coated with phosthorus which catches alight when going through the air & will set a machine on fire if it hit it in a suitable place.
The pilot had hard luck as he had been in this country for 3 years & was going home to Germany in a few days time, on leave.
Oct 15th
Our fighters brought down another Hun Scout today. He surrended when he saw that he was outclassed but instead of landing in our