kimerajamm
Joined: 28 Nov 2010
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 Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:29 pm Post subject: crash-landing |
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Williams was promoted Captain on 5 January 1916. He was appointed a flight commander in No. 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps (AFC), which was initially numbered 67 Squadron Royal Flying Corps by the British. The unit departed Australia in March 1916 without any aircraft; after arriving in Egypt it received B.E.2 fighters, a type deficient in speed and manoeuvrability, and which lacked forward-firing machine guns.[7] Williams wrote that in combat with the German Fokkers, "our fighting in the air was of short duration but could mean a quick end",[8] and that when it came to bombing, he and his fellow pilots "depended mainly on luck".[7] He further quoted a truism in the Flying Corps that "if a new pilot got through his first three days without being shot down he was lucky; if he got through three weeks he was doing well and if he got through three months he was set.[8] Williams and the other Australians were initially involved in isolated tasks around the Suez Canal, attached to various Royal Flying Corps units. No. 1 Squadron began to operate concertedly in December 1916, supporting the Allied advance on Palestine.[9] Williams rejoined it in February 1917.[4]
Shortly after commencing operations with No. 1 Squadron, Williams narrowly avoided crash-landing when his engine stopped while he was bombing the railway terminus at Tel el Sheria. At first believing that he had been struck by enemy fire, he found that the engine switch outside his cockpit had turned off. Within 500 feet of the ground he was able to switch the engine back on and return to base.[10] On 21 April 1917, Williams landed behind enemy lines to rescue downed comrade Lieutenant Adrian Cole, having the day before pressed home an attack on Turkish cavalry whilst under "intense anti-aircraft fire"; these two actions earned him the Distinguished Service Order for "conspicuous gallantry".[11][12] He was promoted Major in May and given command of No. 1 Squadron, which was re-equipped with Bristol Fighters later that year.[13][14] "Now for the first time," wrote Williams, "after 17 months in the field we had aircraft with which we could deal with our enemy in the air."[14]
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