[Australian Bristol Fighter A-7196 on patrol in Palestine]

Australian Bristol Fighter A-7196 on patrol in Palestine. The artist has dedicated the picture to "Dick Challinor, in memory of Palestine, 1918".
On 1 May 1918, the Bristol Fighter A7196 in which Lieutenant F.W. Haig and Lt. Challinor were flying was involved in an incident recorded in CEW Bean's Official History. "Two Australian machines sent out on the dawn reconnaissance - Rutherford and McElligot (Observer) and Lieutenants Haig and R.T. Challinor (Observer) - were to drop leaflets on the Beni Sakr Arabs. Near Amman machine gun fire from the ground perforated both of Rutherfords petrol tanks. He was forced to land, and burned his machine. Haig and Challinor alighted alongside to pick up Rutherford and McElligot, and Haig tried to take off again with all three passengers; but one wheel collapsed as they were starting, and the aeroplane toppled over on it's nose. The Australians set fire to it, and then surrendered to Circassian cavalry which had ridden up to them. They were handed over to the German flying corps, and German airmen later dropped on the Australian aerodrome letters from the four officers describing their mishap."
This incident was the second time Captain Rutherford had been forced to land under fire, the first in late 1917 resulted in his rescue by Lieutenant F H McNamara in his RE8 aircraft, an exploit for which McNamara was awarded the Victoria Cross. Following their capture in May, Lt Challinor, Captain Rutherford, 2/Lt McElligott and Lt Haig were held at Afion Kara Hissar as prisoners of war until their repatriation on 28 November 1918. Lt Challinor returned to Australia in early 1919.
The AFC was established in 1913. In 1915 Australia was asked by Britain to form compile squadrons for service with the RFC . Australia responded by despatching No. 1 squadron to Egypt. During the next two years the squadron operated first from Heliopolis and later in Palestine and Syria. More squadrons were raised in Australia for the Western Front. No. 2, 3 and 4 squadrons arrived in France during August, September and December 1917 respectively. No. 2 squadron (flying DH5s) was attached to the Third Army and during the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917 carried out patrol duties, ground strafing of enemy troops and bombing. No. 3 squadron (flying RE8s) was supporting the last phase of the Passchendaele campaign in Flanders. The last Australian squadron to arrive (No. 4 flying Sopwith Camels) took up its duties with the First Army. At the end of the First World War, the AFC was disbanded and replaced by the Australian Air Corps which became the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1921.