The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-05-04

Ia J. Ga ~
motor at the very beginning Of the
flight and had to return to the lines
There remained consequently only
three. Besides the captain there were
Lieutenant d. and Corporal p.
The three started of together and
followed the Swiss frontier to the
Rhine and then entered the Black
forest and penetrated In the direction
of the Wuerttemberg plant. All had
gone we'll until they were within few
miles of the latter, when several Ger
man chaser machines came out of the
fog and spread themselves in fan
shape to bar the way to the French
men. The latter were carrying ten
hour supply Of gasoline and load
Of bombs and their machines conse.
quently were slow and not easily man.
ageable.
An Easy Target.
They offered a relatively easy target
ana could not defend themselves very
satisfactorily. Mr.. Jacques Montane,
who describes the incident, says the
nrst to withstand the shock was the
captain himself, who was attacked by
large monoplane OF the type OF Lath.
ans Antoinettc. Two men were on
board and the machine was we'll known
ny the pilots who operated on the AL.
satan side. The French officer replied
with so much valor that the aggres.
sor judged it prudent not to insist
and abandoned him III order to attack
the mOchino nf rorpproI ID
The captain endeavored at once to
go to the aid Of his subordinate. but
the adversary was much more rapid
and after short fight succeeded in
bringing down the unfortunate cor.
poral. During this time the captain
was turning and swerving and did not
lose q single point of the painful
drama of which he was a powerful wit
ness But he decided to avenge him.
self.
After the fall Of P. he started of
on the way to tho powder factory with
the determined p.rpose Of making the
Germans pay dea:ly for the loss Of his
ieiiow aviator. He flew calmly. scorn-
ing the enemy who had gone above
him in the hope Of cutting hira off and
or attacking him, for the fiyst success
had encouraged the occupants Of the
big German machine.
Lieutenant d., who had continued
his way without stopping, now saw
himself surrounded By enemy ma.
chimes. One Of them brought him
down, to the northeast Of the town
near the factory.
TO the French aviation service. D..
had distinguished himself several
times IN bombarding expeditions. often
by night, and had been Of boldness
worthy Of his chief.
me captain remained alone to ac.
complish his mission. Instead of turn.
ing back, as prudence might have die
tated, for he still had considerable
distance to go before reaching his oh
Jective, he persevered all alone against
the German machines and went and
cast his eight shells slowly and with
great care on the powder factory. All
or them struck true.
His Sad Return.
thick black smoke at once arose
| to the sky, the black smoke which this
same bold pilot saw for the third time
at the same place within q year. He
remained, according to his custom
Tor ten minutes over the establish
ment. III order to make notes OF tbe
result Of his shelling, and then he
started for home. along the same route
by which he had come, not botherinp
TO make single detour to avoid enc.
my machines.
The alarm. however, had been given
and when he arrived over the RIack
forest he perceived a veritable curtain
OF aeroplanes waiting for him. Thev
all swooped toward him in the hone OF
bringing him down.
By clever maneuvering he avoided
half dozen Of them, and then he was
Obliged to engage in close combat
with two, the second Of which awaited
MIN above l.. The duel with the latter
was particularly bitter and the captain
ended 1t by forcing his adversary to
lake to flight.
Quietly resumed his way toward
the French trenches, mourning the
ue"lh OF MS comrades. Near the lines
he perceived French chaser machines
which were awaiting the return or his
squadron.
one or them approached and made
signs to inquire il the other aero
pianes were coming. Tho captain with
a gesture Of desolation indicated that
mere was no one to wait for, as he
was the sole survivor OF the expedi.
tion. And miraculous survivor he
was. for when his machine was ok.
ahmed 1T was found that the ton and
haceile were riddled with bullets.
some OF them had even passed be-
tween the captains legs. The ann