The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-12-03
AVIATOR, BLINDED,
RETURNS TO LINES
Effect Of Bursting Shell on a
French Aerop|ane.
COULDN'T SEE TWENTY FEET
Smoke From the ShrapneI Envelopsd
Scouting Machine q Mile Above the
German Trenches-Batteries Located
by Scouts-Lieutsnant, Dying, Di-
rected Aviator to the Allies Lines.

German Trenches--Batteries Located
by Scouts--Lieutsnant, Dying, Di-
rected Aviator to the Allies Lines.
Aviator Lieutenant L. and Pilot Ser
geant NJ, ordered to discover a hidden
German battery that was inflicting
great damage on the French trenches
Mt a certain point In Flanders ascend
ed in biplane. They were seen to fly
out over the enemy's lines, where they
were greeted by terrific fusillades OF
shrapnel Their biplane performed
some mysufying evolutions and at last
came rushing back to French territory,
where 1t fell to earth like n wounded
bird. Lieutenant +. was dead in his
seat, and Sergeant NJ. was blind and
unconscious. On recovering his senses
don dispatch:
Arriving over the German lines and
saluted, as you know, by a rain OF fire,
we rose to great height and steered
northwest toward d., behind which we
observed great mass OF infantry
seemingly resting I'm reserve. Farther
on at the crossing OF the two roads
that surround the village OF c., We
saw distinctly not one but three bat
ter1es perfectly aligned I'm a ravine and
firing necessarily.
bon sang de bon sangr cried my
lieutenant. sha king his fist at them, so
there they are! Then, he said to me:
.Ntt.atnx aaan,npitohad half turp
and quickly!
"You can imagine how l turned
about But we had not gone 500 yards
before the rain OF bullets and shrapnel
balls became heavier than ever The
smoke around ms was so thick that We
could not see twenty yards ahead. To
get out OF that hell we were going up
higher when shell, better aimed than
the others, exploded close to us. just
over our heads. with terrific crash.
II thought for an instant that my
brain had burst. felt burning pain
In my eyes, then a dizziness. Then "A
thick fog shut out everything from my
sight
Held Machine In Course.
II called TO my lieutenant, Nothing
| broken, lieutenant But no reply
| Snpposing he had not heard, repeat
ed my remark, trying at the same time
to open my eyes so as to see him. Not
only did get no reply, but everything
around me was black.
II remembered that | had recently
learned from major that certain ex-
plosive shells may infiict such injuries
ON the tissues as to destroy them com.
pletely-and this without the slightest
contact-and even may cause death. |
had escaped death. but seemingly
was blind.
"As for my brave lieutenant, | had
every reason to believe that ne was
dead, as he did not answer my calls.
| I'm such situation, alone In space,
at an altitude Of about 1000 feet, |
was filed with terror and commended
my soul to God. However. still hear
ing those devilish hostile batteries con-
tinuously pounding away and moving
down my comrades, l had but one idea
to get back at any cost to our lines
and report to my superior officers. But
| how could do 1t in my condition?
Stesrsd by She'll Fire.
| Steering as well as I could by the
sounds from below, turned In the d.
rection where l expected to find our
army. I had been going thus only
about two minutes when. to my great
amazement, heard my lieutenant cry
out: up! Up! Quick! Quick!
Without asking explanations l In
stantly worked the elevating rudder 80
vigorously that the machine took q
leap into the air. striking and then
breaking something that l have learn
ed since was the rooster weather vane
on top OF church spire, against which
we were about to smash ourselves. |
realized that we had narrowly escaped
great danger and cried:
Thank you, my lieutenant Ex-
cuse me II l am not steering straight,
but cannot see clearly. And you.
lieutenant, are you woundedT
/ Yes he answered. and think
pretty badly
Then, seeing that had turned away
from our lines, he said feebly: Make
a half turn to the left. Farther to the
left. That's right Now go straight
ahead
/ soon a new hail OF bullets informed
me that we were still over the German
lines. Three minutes later the voice
OF my dear lieutenant, ever more and
more feeble. said: Very good. Here
we are. see our men waiting for us
below. Cut on the power. volplane-
volplane-gently-volp His voice
ceased The next thing | heard was
the noise Of the machine smashing Its
ribs as 1t touched the earth"