The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-08-25
FOR GLORY OF FRANCE
AVIATOR WHO RAMMED GERMAN
DIRIGIBLE GAVE HIS LIFE.
Fifteen French Airmen Pledged to
Avenge Enemy of the Tri-COlOr.
Bound by Strange Oath.


Garros, who made deliberate sacri-
fee of his own life to destroy the
German army dirigible and send its
crew to death, confirms the most ter
, rifying suspicious Germany has ever
dared to entertain concerning the or
ganization and purpose of the aerial
corps of the French army"
This is the assertion of Capt. B. H.
Wild, veteran aviator, to the Trib-
une: Capt. Wild was the third IL
censed pilot in the United States, was
the first man to fly heavier than air
machine and has flown in most of the
capitals of Europe. He knew Garros
we'll.
All Pledged to Give Their Lives.
by Garros' feat the Kaiser now
knows just what the fourth arm of
Frances military organization is,
said Capt. Wild. 1T comprises
band of men bound by the strangest
oath ever administered a soldier. AS
I recall it now, there are fifteen OF
these men, each pledged to give his
life just as Garros did to avenge the
ancient enemy of the tri-color, Ger
many.
q got my first tip as to the real
purpose of the French flying corps at
Belmont Park, N. Y, in 1910. l was
flying there at the first international |
aero meet ever held in America. One |!
night Charles K, Hamilton, Isreal |
Ludlow, John Moissant, Garros and
another or two of the boys were !
chatting about aviation in general.
Ludlow, poor fellow, just had recov-
cred from a fall which paralyzed him
from the hips down. He was on
crutches. He had been telling us
that if he had obeyed his wife and
kept out of the flying game he would
have been a we'll man, Then I re-
marked that my wife had been after
me to get out of it.
II Shall Leave No Wife,
Meantime Garros was not saying
a word. Some one asked him if he
was lovesick.
Whether I am or not, I shall new
er marry he said. I have a service
to perform for France, and when l
dia shall 1aava No wife ,
Then the conversation turned, as
it inevitably does when there are
Frenchmen in the crowd, to military
aeroplaning.
"To French fiers personal achieve
ment always is a secondary consider
alton. Their first thought always is,
How can they render service to
France? And that is the same as
saying, How can they deal destruc-
ton to Germany? During the con-
versation Garros made this remark,
which struck me:
My feats all are for the glory of
France. All my experiments have an
ultimate end. Some day I intend to
wreck every Zeppelin Germany ever
had
Roland and l were good friends,
and the next time met him in Paris,
where I was doing some exhibition
flying, we had more talks. His state
ments amazed me. I questioned him
for details, and was told some things
1 could scarcely believe. But in the
light of Garros' feat they must be so.
Others Will Die Same Way.
ST was told how some of the most
widely known aviators France has,
known the world over for their
dare devil work, are in the service of
the French government and each has
made a solemn promise to give his
life should the occasion arise just as
Garros did-in wrecking dirigibles
of the enemy.
Among the number l can call to
mind are Rene Barrier, Andrew Hou-
pert, Rene Simon, Wegman, Verdrini
and Beaumont. If occasion offers
they will go to their deaths just as
Garros did, and do it, as they say,
for the glory Of France
There is just one way to do up
Germany's terrible Zeppelin dirigi-
bles. Garros chose that way"
PUT IN A DAY ON ROADS.