A common story is that while an instructor, Caldwell disciplined Mannock for "showboating" in a DH2—and then chose the talented pilot for his squadron. This appears chronologically implausible, although Caldwell obviously admired Mannock and may have hand-picked him. Caldwell also criticised Mannock for shooting two German airmen who had crash landed behind Allied lines. He wrote: "The Hun crashed but not badly, and most people would have been content with this—but not Mick Mannock. He dived half a dozen times at the machine, spraying bullets at the pilot and observer, who were still showing signs of life...On being questioned as to his wild behaviour after we had landed, he heatedly replied, 'The swines are better dead—no prisoners for me!'".