It pancaked to a landing
First World War Audio Archive
It pancaked to a landing
Transcript
Soldier standing for picture.
Bi-plane flying over the country side.
was trying to get home and he was being pursued by a Fritzie fighter who had apparently about three times the speed that ourPilot looking over the side of the Bi-plane
Bi-plane being followed by another.
fellow had. And he was zooming in around him, and up and downPlane starting to dive.
and everything and he was shooting at him all the time.View of front of a plane firing its machine gun.
This was taking place no more than, oh, 500 yards in the air. And eventually, our plane came down, apparently out of control,Plane hit my another, showing trail of smoke
but it pancaked to a little landing. And within, oh, I suppose aBi-plane doing a low fly-by by men in trenches.
couple hundred yards from me. So I made a dash over to see whatphotograph of a downed plane, surronded by soldiers.
I could find, but perhaps to get some souvenirs. And out steppedPilots getting ready on thier plane.
two young British officers. I swear they weren’t more than seventeen years of age, they looked so youthful. They stepped out and one fellow said to the other, “I say, he was jolly hot stuff, wasn’t he?”View of pilot flying plane.
And they marched off, laughing. Talk about your nerve.Two planes doing manouvers.
Description
Mr. Conrad gives an eye witness account of an Allied spotter plane being chased and shot down by a German aircraft, with a surprisingly humorous outcome.
Frank Benjamin Conrad
Frank Benjamin Conrad was born in Sturgeon, Prince Edward Island on July 25, 1894. He enlisted in November 1914 with the 9th Field Ambulance and trained at Valcartier until June, 1915 when he transferred to the 2nd Canadian Siege Battery at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. He sailed to England aboard the S.S. Lapland on November 28, 1915, and arrived in France on June 1, 1916 as a signaler with the rank of Gunner. He saw action at the Somme, Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, and Passchendaele. He was wounded twice, was gassed at Hill 70, and won the Military Medal for maintaining communications under fire. After the war, Mr. Conrad married Florence Jessie Lantz on September 22, 1923 and established a wholesale food company in Charlottetown. He joined #6 Signals Company as Lieutenant, and eventually commanded the Company before retiring in 1938 as a Lieutenant-Colonel. He re-enlisted in 1940 as a Major with 3rd Divisional Signal Regiment, and served in England and Italy, commanding the Canadian Brigade Reinforcement Unit as a Lieutenant-Colonel. After the Second World War he was appointed District Administrator, DVA, for Prince Edward Island. Mr. Conrad died on August 13, 1986.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 1:11
- Person Interviewed:
- Frank Benjamin Conrad
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- First World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Europe
- Branch:
- Army
- Units/Ship:
- 2nd Canadian Siege Battery
- Rank:
- Gunner, Lieutenant
- Occupation:
- Signalman
Attestation
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Over the top
Mr. Conrad describes the fatal wounding of a fellow signaler in the forward trench at Vimy Ridge.
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Mr. Conrad describes the disappointment of not being with his unit on Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, but making up for it by celebrating in London.
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