In September 1918 the daily fighting in the air above their heads was a welcome, almost commonplace, diversion for the front-line British troops holding the trenches south of Cambrai. But during the early morning of 5 September they watched in dismay as a British fighter was seen falling, first in a dive, then an uncontrolled flat spin. As the stricken aeroplane neared the ground, officers could see through their binoculars that the pilot was outside his cockpit, standing on the left wing. They watched and waited for the inevitable crash and the death of a brave man, but to their astonishment, just as his mount was about to hit the ground, the pilot jumped clear, turned a few somersaults, brushed himself down, presented himself to them, and asked to use their telephone.
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