The War Illustrated, Volume 1, No. 11, Page 350, November 25, 1939.

When a German reconnaissance 'plane was brought down in the Lammermoor Hills on October 28, Mr. John K. Irvine of Long Newton Farm was on the spot within a few minutes. His graphic account of the incident was broadcast by the B.B.C.

"I am the grieve at Longnewton farm, close beside the Lammerlaw Hill.

"I was filling up sacks of barley about a quarter past ten when I heard a noise like the hurling of a barrow. That's what I thought it was at first, but it went on and on and came nearer, and then I knew it was the noise of guns. Then we saw a big black machine with two engines coming over the trees from the north-west. There were four British machines with it. They were circling all round and rattling bullets into the German as hard as they could do it.

"I thought we ought to take cover – there were women workers there. But curiosity brought us out again – whiles we were running in and whiles we were running out – so that we saw the German go over the houses, so low that it almost touched the chimneys. Then they all went out of sight up over the hill, and a few minutes later I saw our fighters going back – all four of them. They seemed to be finished with their job. So we ran up the hill to see what had happened.

"Two of the crew were dead. I expect they would be the gunners, and they must have been shot before they came my length because I never saw them firing at our 'planes. The machine had scraped its tail over a dyke and come down on the moor on an even keel. One of the crew wasn't hurt at all. He was pulling out his mate. By the time we got up he had him drawn out and lying on the ground.

"We tried to talk to the unwounded man, but he didn't know what we were saying. But he spoke a little English. The wounded man wanted a drink, but the doctor said he ought not to have one. He had two bullet-wounds in the back.

"The police took the unwounded man away. Before he went he shook hands with his mate. We got a gate off one of the fences and carried the wounded man down to the raid, and waited there till the ambulance came for him."

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