The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1914-10-02
BY RAYMOND E. SWING.

nauts. who has the distinction Of be-
ing one OF the first Germans to fly
over Paris and to fight a remarkable
battle in the air Will two OF the
enemyo aeroplanes. He was a pas
senger tor a short distance in the
sp6 i2. car put at the disposal of cor
RESPONDENTS on their way TO Liege II
told US a graphic story of his expert
enceS.
Nerners first assignment was TO
find the English army near Mons.
The army was about 100000 strong
and was retiring before a German
force of double its strength.
Were Were French Aviators?
Here, at the start, one wonders how
the French could have allowed their
allies 10 be so misled about the
strength OF the opposing forces.
Where We're the French aviators" !
know Of a man Who lad been over
the field and who told the war office
in France that al least zoe, 600 Ger
mans were in the flanking army adj
y~ancing through Belgium. but he was
told: Impossible. There is only
cavalry"
The French We're completely out
witted by this flank movement. The
flower Of their army was at the Al
SAGE frontier. Their mistake will cost
them Paris.
At Mons the English forces took
up a strong position, filling houses at
the edge OF the city with troops and
machine guns and covering the road
of the advancing German troops.
We. the enemy approached they di-
rected a terrific fire upon them and
could be dislodged only at heavy cost.
They then retired to a position be-
hind great mountains of Stag behind
the city, where the Germans We're
unable to dislodge them with howitzer
fire.
Flyer Watches the Battle.
Again. they could be driven back
only by danking movements from both
sides. This time our flyer. who
watched this battle, told us The Eng
lish retired hastily along the road in
the direction of lie Cateau.
The English have reached their
new position successfully" said a
London report in its account Of this
retreat. And out Of breath" added
a correspondent on reading the dis
patch.
The fighting at Mons was furious
and the Germans were enraged by the
British method of fighting. which
throughout at Mons was done under
cover. Never had German soldiers
fought with such frenzy as against
this foe.
Attacked by TWO Airshirs.
When the enemy retired Airman
Werner was ASSIGNED to the duty Of
following and discovering their new
position. lie found the army near lie
Cateau. where. at the edge OF a wood.
he saw them taking no a strong DO
sition in a semi-circle before the for
est. While watching these operations
from 4 height of ECO wards Werner
suddenly saw a douhledecker Bristol
aeroplane coming down IN him from
the clouds. The Tristol is a faster
bnt a less sure machine than the
Taube which Werner vas plotting.
There was no safety in running away.
the Bristol could oyertake him He
could not alight. rs the English We're
underneath. There was nothing to
do but to face tho worst and TO fly
gradually lower and lower III the di-
rection Of the German army. As the
Bristol came nearer Werner espied q
second aeronlane. a little Bleriot. an
other swift flier. also bearing down on
him.
Revolver Battle in Air.
The Bristol drew closer and closer
fving down upon Werner in large
circles, gradually getting within
range With one hand on the wheel
the German office drew out his re-
vclver and emptied his magazine at
the approaching foe. But the Eristol
continued. coming always nearer.
when they get over me they Will
drop a bomb" thought Werner. and
felt most uncomfortable. His OBJ
server reloaded Werner's revolver and
both kept on firing. But the Bristol
kept always coming closer in its cir
cles. firing const ntly IN the German
%monoplane. The Bleriot had come
close enough to fire also and bullets
punctured the wings Of the German
machine at intervals of seconds only.
There was no sound reaching the
Germans except that of their own mo-
tors. They only knew the English
and French pilots were shooting frem
the vivid flashes from their revolvers.
But no bombs fell: It was evident that
the English and French We're not
carrying them.
Escaped to the German Army.
Firing continued as Werner do
scended gradually. reducing his eleya-
ton from 100 yards to $50, always
: coming closer to the German army.
; Every moment he faced the risk Of
being wounded or Of a bullet striking
: his steering apparatus.
!,