The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1914-12-04
1t that day. though the air must have
been full of flying lead balls.
Barely Save the Balloon.


Upon reaching Brielen, only shol
distance from Ypres, luck offered m
rare spectacle. AS 1 approache
the village noticed the French rapit
IL hauling down the captive balloon
! which was hardly in a place of safet
\ when a Taube monoplane droppe
down from a great height to withil
1000 feet of the earth, its motor grum
bling disappointment Two minute
. later the balloon would have been de
stroyed. But suddenly out of the al
to the right appeared two Frencl
biplanes. The crowd collected in tn,
village street saw and became silen
and tense with excitement.
The three aeroplanes mounted high
er and higher, but it was evident that
the German had the advantage. When
the three were nearly out of sight we
heard the rattle of machine guns. The
lower of the two French aeroplanes
swerved and dropped perhaps fifty
feet, but regained its balance and be-
gan descending rapidly. always in the
direction of the German lines.
We followed the injured machine
with our eyes and gave a gasp of re-
lief VIII j within 300 feet of the earth
the biplane suddenly turned and came
back across the field, flying low and
heavily like wounded buzzard.
MonopIane to Rescue.
The remaining biplane was clearly
outclassed by the speedy German and
probably would have suffered the same
fate as its fellow if relief had not
speedily come in the shape of French
monoplane, which rose from neigh
boring field with a great whirring of
its motor and started in pursuit of
the Taube.
The distant German gunners saw
it, too, as it passed over our heads
and shrapnel began bursting on all
sides. Soon its speed and elevation
gave it safety from such distant fire.
When it neared the German, both rose
higher and higher, seeking to gain a
superior elevation, when the rival avi-
ator would be exposed to the fire of
deadly machine gun. The two dis
appeared from view.
1 slowly continued on my way. Sud.
denly roar burst from the Threats
of the crowd. CHANGING up, saw the
Taube falling lower and lower, its en-
CINE having stopped. l heard the rapid
tat-tat of a machine gun, while the
Frenchman above dived down upon
the enemy. But the falling was only
n x1yhn
ground the motor suddenly began to |
roar and in a flash the aviator made
his escape toward the German lines.
Flying low, he had almost disap-
peared before the French aviator,
who was taken by surprise, was able I
to begin pursuit. The two remaining
French aeroplanes followed the first
and returned to the landing field.
Aviators Ignore shrapneI.
Near Ypres itself I saw another
sight not less impressive. Three Ger
man aeroplanes hung over the town,
and from all sides shrapnel was hurled
at them without attaining it's mark.
White puffs fioated on all sides and
it seemed certain that the next shell
surely would strike some portion of
the nearest machine. Yet the German
continued TRANQUILITY to maintain his
position, hardly budging, while per-
feet storm of shells burst on all sides.
From what I have so far seen and
heard of the work of the German avia-
tors, it is worthy Of the greatest
praise.
When I reached Ypres found the
own had been in turn the seat of both
he German and French division head,
quarters. Soldiers filled the streets
and collected in public places. The ,
cannon placed on all sides never ,
leased to thunder day or night.
Thus far the city has been only ,
slightly bombarded, though certain
mount of damage has been done by Z
,omb dropping aeroplanes, which have !
managed to kill several civilians. 1t
seems a pity that tine German bomb {
troopers are not more accurate, since Z
hey thus would be spared much ami !
mostly. / am able to say that no !
artillery was placed within the town Z
md that there were no watchers on I
I'D gothic towers, the captive balloon g
ust outside the city limits being used +,
instead for observation purposes. r
Buildings Like Those Of Louyain. G
Smelling of the, wonderful old city {
would be perfectly useless and could i
'e done only in spirit of wanton de- 1
for the loss OF the fine L
othic buildings Of Ypres would equal r
he loss of Louvain. The Germans Il
coupled the city two days and levied G
ribute, but the advance of the Eng
ssh, who held the place three weeks, d
orced them to retreat. Military law {
revails and the town is almost COM n
letely isolated. Yet it is not uninter-
sting. e
Sunday night, as lay sleeping, o
ras suddenly awakened by the terri
lie screaming Of a she'll, which burst
nth a tremendous roar near by. 1t
,as soon followed by eight or ten
theirs, all of which landed within
he town. destroying several houses,
ne or two of which possessed archi- =
sctural value, and killing six soldiers b
nd several civilians In the morning