Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-04-08

Hallowell, Maine. April 7.-(speciaD
Frank Goodrich, the Hallowell boy
who is with the British Royal Flying
Corps on the western front OF the
European war, intimates in recent let
tiers to his mother that he is suffering
from ennui in the most ennuiless spot
on the map. Analysis Of his letters
kindly loaned the Journal by Mrs. A.
F. Goodrich reveals a possible reason:
Since writing Of his desperate struggle
to save the lives Of himself and his
observer" after his aeroplane con-
- were nearly shot away, Goodrlch
hasn't had any excitement other than
lodging bullets over the Hun lines,
20O-mile flight across country and
furlough in England. Life, indeed,
must be very dull. Perhaps, even, he
NAV become so wearied of his soporific
existence that he will return to Halo
we'll.
However, young Goodrich, whose
deeds of daring are eagerly read
throughout Maine, lives in hopes as Is
evidenced by his exclamation:
Things are fairly quiet here; we do
the usual amount of work, but no big
battleS-yet.
Then he relates flight over the Ger
man lines, which thrills one with the
sheer ..--,'-.- of it, but which seemed
I to impress him in much the same man
ner as joke upon a schoolboy friend
might impress the average American
youth.
In previous edition of the Journal,
Goodrich's own account of his miracu-
lous escape from the Teuton anti air
craft guns was printed. His chief in
= terest in the incident, in which he and
his observer cheated Death. seemed to
come from the fact that the so-called
Huns had thought the airmen done for,
but had been fooled.
Tells of Visit.
Goodrich took the earliest opportuni-
ty to revisit his disappointed enemies.
/ He says:
ut is very cold in the air these days,
but only winters parting shot. We
should have some fine weather shortly,
and flying will be much more pleasant.
IL came down yesterday after two and
one-ralf hours patrol, so stiff with
! the cold that 1 had to be assisted out
: Of the machine. but that is unusual.
didn't see Hun while | was up too
cold for them, l expecD though | went
we'll into their territory and stirred up
all their anti-aircraft gunners just to
assure them I was still in the ring
dropped them note with 'streamers'
attached to compliment them on their
good shooting and thanking them for
providing me with a good excuse for
special leave when all leave was stop
ped and hoping they would do it again
They will grind their teeth when they
read that for think they were quite
sure they had killed us-and they will
be disappointed"
What He Thinks Of Huns
Goodrich gives a detailed account OF
his recent trip to England while on a
furlough, then launches into frank
expression of his opinion on the Huns.
Nov for the war" he says. 1.-The
l. Huns are killing themselves in a fran
tic effort to take Verdun, and we are
+. all very pleased about it. What they
{. expect to gain by throwing men away
in this fashion no one seems to under
stand, even if they did succeed in TAX
ing the place. 1t seems to be the gen.
eral opinion that they want a victory
in this battle at any cost: they haven
had one for so long now that the Hun
people are beginning to realize tina
their armies have Just about shot thei1
j.. bolt And while the French are more
than holding their own, our people are
9 calmly watching events and waiting
for the most favorable opportunity tt
strike The Huns staked everything or
the attempt to break through to Pari:
', and then make the best terms they
could think, but if this fails-well-
watch the papers for the rest. We are