The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1915-05-07
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and white ribbon, from which hangs
If&3sI a white bordered Maltese cross.
When you see this decoration,
You know that the wearer, by some achieve
ment of gallantry, has been awarded the iron
cross, and you regard him with new interest
From the number have seen there must have
been many brilliant deeds performed in the
course Of the present war Often these COW
eted crosses will be seen on young men and
when you inquire you viii find that the
wearers are members of the flying corps.
Many Of the aviators have been given the
iron cross. Their work is dangerous at all
times and the value of their services is ex-
tremely great, for they fly far into the en-
emy's country and are often the lofty target
about which are bursting shells that rack
the air so violently that only the greatest de
gree of GOODNESS and skill can prevent the
overturning of the planes.
An aeroplane rushing through the heavens
at height Of 5000 or 5000 feet is hard to
hit, but the conclusion of the shells from the
balloon guns is so violent that the air for
hundreds of yards about is so disturbed that
the plane is capsized and brought down.
Near LaOn four planes of the allies have
thus been destroyed, but the aviators, in
stead of becoming timid, have only become
more daring. They are learning how to
dodge the bursting shells and doubtless are
fascinated by the grim and tragic thrills
which human target must experience when
flying mile high over an alert and watchful
enemy.
During every instant while an aviator is in
the sky, he is gambling with death. He is
human bird with the hunters below, and as
he watches the white balls Of smoke on all
sides he shapes his course in such a way that
;he next shell may not strike him.
As a general thing the balloon gun on the
earth, thousands Of feet below, must aim at
least eight lengths ahead of him in order TO
bring him down. The aviator knows that
the first shots are likely to be Wild, but he
knows that with each succeeding shot the
practice will be truer and when the gunners
below have correctly found his altitude he
must shift his course at once.
II the sky is cloudy he steers toward the
nearest cloud and is screened from view, but
il he is sailing across vast eXpanses of open
blue sky with the sheltering islands Of cloud
far apart, then he must zig gag his course 50
that the shell that is aimed eight lengths
ahead may not meet him when he reaches
that spot
The sound Of the shells from the balloon
guns is unmistakable Every soldier within
earshot knows it, and at the first faint boom
Of bursting shell high in the heavens, ev
erybody instantly scans the sky TO find the
target People rush to the windows or race
to points from which they may see the Won
derful spectacle And it is n wonderful spec
tacle, fascinating beyond words II is big
game hunting brought 10 its most thrilling
development. If ono could see the face OF the
aviator about whom death is striking vicious
blows he would be horri led, nut as seen from
thousands Of fei below. the aeroplane is only
tiny object about which nothing human is
visible. You know that there are probably
two men in the plane. but all you see is the
gray cloud colored object moving across the
immense depths Of the heavens, against the
blue Of which are beautiful white balls of
smoke unfolding like great chrysanthemums.
The thousands of spectators below watch
with feverish interest, heightened by the
thought that at any instant the little gray
thing in the sky may drop something which
will scatter death among them.
When | was at Laon, on the German battle
front in France there were at different times
five French and English filters who flew in
over the German lines -Four were shelled
and one was so screened BY clouds that the
balloon gun had TO e' him pass When last
seen he was travelling swiftly to o." north.
miles within the tiorman lines
saw two Of the shellings and missed the
first BY only an hour None of the planes
was destroyed, so that one had the supreme
thrill Of beholding a wonderful spectacle
without the unpleasant consciousness Of hav-
ing been an interested spectator at a tragedy.
/ had all the thrill without the horror
One morning when went 70 the prefecture.
formerly the official residence Of the gov
crnor of the provinee Of Aisno. but then head.