September 23 marks the anniversary of one of the most celebrated episodes of aerial combat.
It resulted in the death of German ace, Werner Voss, but not before he damaged all seven of the Royal Flying Corps aircraft trying to bring him down.
The rounds that finally sent his aircraft into the ground were fired by Arthur Rhys-Davids.
Voss’ skill earned him the complete respect of his foes that day in 1917.
Back at base, Rhys-Davids turned to his fellow ace, James McCudden, who also fought in the dogfight, and said: “Oh, if only I could have brought him down alive.”
Rhys-Davids was himself killed a month later. He, like Voss, was just 20 years old.
McCudden died the following year, aged 23.
Even the greatest airmen were unlikely to survive that first great air war of 1914-1918.
A ceremony has been held to remember the heroes of the raid on St Nazaire.
In March 1942, more than 600 men left Falmouth in Cornwall in a flotilla of three destroyers and 16 smaller boats.
The special fleet included HMS Campbeltown, which was packed with explosives and was used to to ram into the gates of the docks in the French port.
HMS Campbeltown being converted for the raid
St Nazaire was targeted because the loss of its dry dock would force any large German warship in need of repairs, such as the Tirpitz, to return to home waters rather than having a safe haven available on the Atlantic coast.
HMS Campbeltown wedged in the dock gates
The raid put the dry dock out of commission until the end of the war – but success came at a cost. Of the 622 men of the Royal Navy and Commandos who took part in the raid, only 228 men returned to England.
Heroes as prisoners
One hundred and sixty-nine men were killed and another 215 became prisoners of war. The fallen British raiders were buried at the Escoublac-la-Baule cemetery, near St Nazaire, with military honors.
Commandos under prison escort
Five of the raiders escaped overland via Spain.
Eighty-nine awards and medals were bestowed for the raid, including five Victoria Crosses.
The organiser of this weekend’s event in Falmouth, Eric Dawkins, stated: “The destruction of the dock meant those facilities were no longer able to be used. Falmouth played a major part.
“I’ve known these veterans [who took part], including those few who are still remaining, for 30-odd years and know their tales.”
The sun shines on the Welsh National War Memorial in Cardiff.
It commemorates the servicemen who died during the First World War. A plaque to those who died during the Second World War was added in 1949.
The memorial takes the form of a circular colonnade surrounding a sunken court and was unveiled in June 1928 by the then Prince of Wales.
It features inscriptions in Welsh and in English, and was designed by Sir Ninian Comper, the Scottish architect who mostly worked on designs for churches.
At the centre of the court is a group of bronze sculptures by Alfred Bertram Pegram, arranged around a stone pylon.
Around the base stand three figures, a soldier, sailor and airman, holding wreaths aloft.
It is situated in Alexandra Gardens, Cathays Park, and is made from the same stone as the civic buildings which surround the gardens.
The wooden toll bridge at Penmaenpool provides a peaceful walk for visitors to the Mawddach Estuary near Dolgellau.
The area is a haven for walkers, cyclists and bird watchers. The RSPB has turned an old signal box into an observation centre overlooking the estuary.
But the Grade II-listed bridge, which was built in 1879, was not always peaceful.
In July 1966, it was the scene of a great tragedy when the Prince of Wales ferry, which was nearing the end of its pleasure trip from Barmouth, got into trouble as it tried to pull up alongside the nearby jetty.
15 people died when tragedy struck this peaceful corner of Wales
The vessel was washed into the wooden toll bridge and quickly sank, with its passengers being thrown into the fast-running incoming tide.
Staff from the nearby George III hotel and the toll bridge itself rushed to help but 15 of the 39 people on board drowned.
A peaceful corner of Wales, but a scene of great sadness for so many.
jon kilkade 