Fought to a Finish: A Remarkable Exploit on a Blazing 'Plane An illustration by Joseph Simpson of an incident described by Mr Boyd Cable (newspaper correspondent Ernest Andrew Ewart). Though not named in the ILN caption, this seems to be the incident for which eighteen year old Canadian pilot Alan McLeod received the Victoria Cross. On 27 March 1918 the petrol tank of his Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 was struck during a dogfight. With the aeroplane in flames and both McLeod and his observer Albert Hammond wounded, the pilot, standing on the wing to avoid the flames steered the 'plane to the ground, keeping it in such a position (side slipping) that the flames were blown away from the two men. Landing in no mans land between the opposing trenches, the two were rescued by British infantry.