[RichardH]

I always love stories like this. I got a huge book compiled from various wartime personal diaries a few years ago for either Christmas or my birthday (can't remember now), and in it was an account from a soldier inside an RAF Dakota carrying critically wounded men out from North Africa. They were attacked by an Italian fighter (though the plane held up) - when suddenly a 109 came out of nowhere and shot the Italian down! He then drew up alongside the Dakota's cockpit, gave a quick salute and a dip of the wings, and headed off for home. I'd heard of a fair few German and Allied pilots alike giving a brief escort to badly shot-up planes, but that was the first time I'd heard of them going that far to protect a wounded adversary.

I've heard a similar story from the pacific when Saburo Sakai once bounced a dakota (i think it was a civilian) in the Philippines i think. He (and the other pilots of his air group) were under the orders to attack all air traffic in the area, but when Sakai flew closer he saw that the planes were evacuating wounded people, so he flew in front of the dakota and escorted it to safety before he flew back to his base.