Grand Forks herald., 1916-12-22
bOf[KPS FOE
CONTINUED
A Wild FLIGHT
REPORTS of Late German Av-
iator Describe Thrilling
Battles in Air.

Berlin. Dec. 32.-Rsplsts with dra-
matic incidents and interesting
features are the reports just publish
cd Of Captain Boelke. the famous
German aviator, who brought down
forty hostile airplanes during his
service with the army. which ended
with his death on October -. A.
summarized by the Overseas News
Agency, these reports from the field
include the following:
Shortly after tho opening Of the
war. on October 81. 1914. Boelke re-
ported that on q accommodating trip
over Rheims he had observed nine
proximity to the cathedral. On July
8, 1915. Boelke reported:
THE superiority Of the German
machines is becoming more apparent.
Today had the impression that the
enemy was no longer Offering re-
sistance, but that he had nearly given
up hope Of escape. Shortly before the
downfall Of the hostile machine the
observer made . typical movement
go on? We are done for. and sur
render"
The reports show that in the ma
jority Of the air engagements the dis
tance between the combatants was u.s.
ually about 100 meters, but often only
from thirty to forty meters. On No
vember 2, 1915, Boelke made bold to
three meters.
"He fed" says Boelke's report,
but 1t didn't help him. for 1 was
much quicker. hred 500 shots.
keeping up the f,re until he began to
fall. had approached UP to q dis
tance of three meters. and still he
hadn't begun to come down. At the
moment when a collision seemed in
evitable turned my machine rapidly
his upside down on the right hand
1 did not see him any more"
Many times hostile machines made
seemingly incredible efforts to escape
the much-feared German aviator. the
hostile airman apparently desiring at
least to save his own life. the reports
indicate. On March, 4, 1916, Boelke
reported:
Again approached the enemy.
who had already been violently fired
upon. saw something most peculiar.
The observer had climbed upon the
left wing of the machine and was
clinsing to the supports. He looked
at me as II quite terrified and waved
his hand. had shot away piece
of the helm and the machine had
pitched downward. In order again
to get 1t in balance the observer had
seated himself on the wing"
Boelke reported a gruesome incl
dent as occurring on one of the last
Of his raids, on October 8 Of this year.
Il wondered at the stubbornness of
the enemy" wrote the aviator. Con
sidering that he must have been I'm
ished long time ago; but he con-
tinued to circle in the same fashion.
Reason told me that the man must
be dead and that the machine was
being maintained in its right position
only by the rubber bands at the helm
Therefore 1 approached closely and
saw the occupant Of the machine
leaning toward the right side. dead.
The airplane bore the number 7,4S5.
The horrible picture left me unshak-
en-. I let the man alone and attacked
the next one"
An example of chivalry reported in
Boelke's book is to the effect that aft
er having encountered an adversary
Boelke made several rounds Of hon
or" over the place where his enemy
had fallen. A round Of honor
among aviators Is a mark Of courtesy
to a fallen brave enemy. Boelke
himself decorated the place where
the enemy aviator had been buried
With military honors with bunch OF
red. white and blue flowers
A British fiier, who was shot down
by Boelke. was taken to a German
hospital and there visited by the Ger
man aviator Boelke took him Eng
lish books and photographs Of his
machine. Boelke adds: "He was very
very glad about 1t and knew my
name we'll"
One Of Boelke's most remarkable
qualities was his respect for an en-
emy, and he repeatedly used phrases
like the following: "A British aviator
really few home at a height Of 100
meters above our trenches. He was
q smart chap. sThis is not likely to
be done by another"