Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1915-02-10
German Journalist Describes
Thrilling Fight in France.
kalser's Airships Defeat French Air.
Fleet in Spirited Engagement
Victors Then Throw Bombs
Causing Great Damage.

Berlin.-A German journalist serv-
ing in the kaiser's aviation corps on
the battlefields of France, sends a
vivid description of 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
unfavorable for aviation. Gusts OF
wind made it difficult 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 l must give them
credit for the bravery shown in their
flights above our ranks. They were
not afraid of our batteries and man
aged to escape the bail of shots di-
rected at them.
$50 we decided we would have to
fight them in the air. We organized
system of espionage and one day we
received word that five machines OF
the enemy had arisen in the nelgnbor-
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
TYNE were flying around in open for
nation taking observations of our po-
sitions. AS we were flying In close
formation it seems they did not recog-
nize how many we were. So they went
for our first 'taube" in body.
"But this little 'dovey' ducked and
rising again sent shot at 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.
sgn the meantime we had made
ready for business and now began
fight of one machine against the otner.
The French tried their best to get
above us, in order to droES bombs upon
rs. But we frustrated their game by
following them up higher and higher
81 saw my colleague Lieutenant NJ
about 800 yards to my left, finish MS
adversary. He must have received
serious injury, for he went down IKE
an arrow. The second One was also
put out of business very soon.
Then came my own and my com
nanion's turn. A powerful double
decker was firing furiously at us. A
great number of bullets cat holes IN
our canvas wings, when my companion
signaled to me with his arms to make
a sharp turn to the left.
"Our apparatus came to an almost
perpendicular position sideways ana
then our machine gun began It's DEAD
lv work. Within two seconds the en-
emv,s machine began to shake ana
SILVER. then it rose like a. horse on
his hind legs and finally it turned
somersauIt, going down very fast heao
first. When we looked around again
the rest of the enemy, two machines,
were in full flight.
"In the meantime we had Deen as
covered from below. They opened nre
upon us and we had to rise higner IN
order to get out of their range. sun
we were determined to reply to their
greetings. We circled above A ana
dropped number of bombs which aid
GOOD work. as we could observe with
the aid of our field glasses First the
vas works were hit and blew up. Then