The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1915-02-05
German Journalist Describes
Thrilling Fight in France.
Kalser's Alrships Defeat French Air
Fleet in Spirited Engagement
Vietors Then Throw Bombs
Causing Great Damage.

Berlin.-A German journalist serv-
ing I'm the kaiser's aviation corps on
the battlehelds Of France, sends a
vivid description Of a spirited battle
In the air in which he participated. He
was decorated with the Iron Cross for
the bravery he displayed in this spec
tacular conflict.
THE weather was miserable during
the last week." he writes. I'VE had
rain, snow and fog. The air was very
u%nfavorable for aviation. Gusts OF
wind made Il diHicult to navigate and
gave one a feeling similar to seasick.
ness.
However, we kept up our practice
and tried TO do as much damage as
possible to the enemy. Our opponents
were very daring and | must give them
credit for the bravery shown in their
flights above our ranks. They we're
not afraid of our batteries and a
aged to escape the hail Of shots d.
rected az them.
80 we decided we would have to
fight them in the air. We organized a
system OF espionage and one day we
received word that i've machines Of
the enemy had arisen in the nelghbor-
hood OF A.. and were coming our way.
AT a moments notice We got our ma
chimes In positions, the motors were
whirring and In intervals Of one-half
minute each we rose in the air,
Immediately we took our course in
the direction OF A. and tried to reach
a greater height than the French, de-
termined to send them to the ground.
We were armed TO the teeth, so to
say. We not only carried bombs. but
also machine guns.
"In the neighborhood OF A. We saw
the French machines cruising Ma
chimes OF the single and double decker
type were flying around in open for
nation taking observations OF our po'
sitlons. AS we we're flying in close
formation It seems they did not recog-
aIze how many we we're, SO they went
for our first "taube" In q body.
But this little 'dovey' ducked and
rising again sem a shot az one OF the
French double deckers which seemed
to put It's propeller out Of commission.
At least. we saw the ship gliding
gracefully down to the earth
In the meantime we had made
ready for business aud now began a
fight OF one machine against the other.
The French tried their best to get
above US In order to drop bombs upon
us. BIT we frustrated their game by
following them up higher and higher
Il saw my colleague Lieutenant NJ
about GOO yards to my left, finish his
adversary. He must have received
serious injury, for he e down like
an arrow. The second one was also
put out OF business very o
Then came my own and my com
panlon's turn A powerful double
decker was firing %furlously at us. A
great number Of bullets cut holes IL
our canvas wings. when my companion
aignaled TO me with his arms to make
a sharp turn 20 the left
Our apparatus came to an almost
perpendicular position sideways ant
then our machine gun began 10 dead
ly work. Within two seconds the en-
envy = mAehiht otkuh ~ bhHht eht
SILVER, then Il rose like a horse on
his hind legs and finally II turned
somersault, going down very fast, heat
first When we looked around agar
the rest OF the enemy, two machines
were IN full flight
In the meantime We had been dis
covered from below They opened hri
upon Us and We had 10 rise higher il
order to get Nj Of their range. still
w we're determined TO reply TO thei
greetings. We oiFcled above A. anl
dropped a number Of bomba which dll
good work az We could observe viii
the aid Of our field glasses FIrat tn
gas works were hit and blew Up. The