The work had been done under tremendous strain, but Lieut. Tempest fortunately escaped injury of any kind. The spot where he landed was miles away from the place where he had first taken the air. Without troubling to examine the burning airship, which had fallen not far away, Lieut. Tempest was driven back to his home station in a side-car, arriving about 2.30 a.m. Here he received a tremendous welcome from his brother-officers as the third man of the same flight who had brought down a Zeppelin. Lieutenant Tempest was born on January 22, 1890. He was educated at Stonyhurst, and afterwards entered the Mercantile Marine and received training on the _Worcester_. He learned to fly at one of the military schools, taking his pilot’s certificate on May 22 of the year of his heroic deed. He had previously been attached to the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, and was invalided home after fighting in France last year at Ypres. For nearly twenty-four hours he was buried in a dug-out, and as a consequence he is still liable to attacks from rheumatic gout. The experience also left him a little lame, but he still retains great skill and courage, and certainly takes high rank amongst our heroic aviators. CHAPTER XIII LIEUTENANT WARNEFORD, V.C. To Lieutenant Warneford, V.C., falls the distinction of being one of the first airmen to destroy a Zeppelin. At the time of his heroic deed he was on patrol duty in Belgium, and, it seems, was under orders to await the return of raiding airships from England. After a long and trying vigil he sighted a Zeppelin, and made straight for a position above the giant structure. The attack, we must remember, was made in the year previous to the successful exploits dealt with in other chapters. At the time certain improvements in guns and cartridges had not come into use. Lieutenant Warneford’s only hope of completely destroying the airship was to drop a bomb on it from above, and this he did with remarkable skill and courage. [Illustration: Lieutenant Warneford, V.C.] On gaining the desired position, he dropped a bomb with such effect that an explosion immediately followed. His bravery will be fully appreciated when we recall the fact that so violent was the explosion that his machine was turned completely over, compelling him to ‘loop-the-loop.’ This he did with coolness and skill, and although under great difficulties he succeeded in bringing about a safe landing. Unfortunately he was compelled, owing to engine trouble, to land on territory occupied by the Germans. Good fortune, however, favoured him. He managed, before the appearance on the scene of enemy troops, to restart the motor and again take to the air. It is generally thought that he was assisted by Belgians, but this does not appear to be established. It is, in any circumstances, sufficient to know that the heroic young aviator managed to escape and return safely to his base, there to receive the enthusiastic congratulations of his comrades.