Brothers in arms and soaring spirits

ONE was a pilot who helped force down and destroy an enemy plane well over enemy lines and the other put his life on the line to save comrades carrying a wounded soldier.
The McCann brothers, Ashley Vernon and Harry Clifford, signed up as privates and returned as highly decorated lieutenants.
Ashley was a single farmer when he enlisted on 18 August 1914, only 14 days after Australia announced its involvement. He was a member of the first expeditionary force and fought in Gallipoli with his regiment, the 4th Light Horse, and from there saw action in Egypt and Palestine, where he graduated to the Flying Corps.
He flew with renowned airman Captain Ross Macpherson Smith, who had also previously fought on the ground at Gallipoli.
In one of the last decisive combat sorties in the Palestine campaign, in 1918, Smith and McCann came across an enemy plane near Aleppo. Their rival landed in the desert and Smith and McCann put their plane down next to it, well behind enemy lines. With the German pilots standing next to their plane with their hands in the air, the pair set the aircraft alight, severely interfering with their intended reconnaissance.
The act won McCann his first Distinguished Flying Cross and Smith his third, to add to another two Military Crosses and at least 11 confirmed kills.
Harry McCann also had his heroics play out in the deserts of Palestine.
On the morning of 1 May 1918, at the “greatest personal risk”, according to his citation, he was largely responsible for extracting a number of men and horses that were falling into the hands of the enemy.
“On one occasion this officer galloped back to within 100 yards of the enemy and rescued several men who were carrying a wounded man,” the citation read.
“Again on 2 May at Black Hill, this officer showed the greatest gallantry in personally directing stretcher bearers with wounded men to the dressing station through a heavy machine-gun and rifle barrage. This officer, by his coolness, set the finest example to those under his command.”
He was awarded the Military Cross – and also has the distinction of being mentioned in despatches in both the First and Second World Wars.
His mention at Palestine came a couple of days after his Military Cross action.
“On 3 and 4 May 1918 at Black Hill in the Jordan Valley this officer displayed the greatest gallantry and ability in carrying out the temporary duties of Adjutant under extremely heavy rifle, shell and machine-gun fire,” it read. “He also dispatched telephone messages from Regimental Headquarters when that was under heavy machine gun fire at close range. He sat a splendid example to his men for his coolness and pluck under fire.”