The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-07
AYIATOR'S HEROISM
COST HIM LIBERTY
American Filler for France Not
Serving Germany. as
RumOrcd.
TRIED TO SAVE COMRADE
Special Correspondence TO THr srS.

CpeNtos VVVosPVVutVte . M W
PARIS. April 1e.-I1t would seem az II
aviators were singled out M a special
mark for calumny. Gustave Hame,.
who lost his life in the North Sea. has
been widely reported In England to be
now a leading German aviator tagain
the only evidence being his foreign
sounding name) and there was a time
when stories were current about
Grahame White. according 10 one of
which he had bean condemned as q
spy and shot at h Tower. although he
was at that time On active duty at the
British front.
Such a report has been widely spread
In France about an American who
Joined the Foreign Legion at the outset
OF the war and later went into the
aviation service. The story In told Of
how he qualified M an aviator and as
soon as he was equipped with one Of the
latest a~eroplanee how ne forthwith few
across TO tho German forces. handed
over his machine and with II gave mucn
useful information about Frances avia-
ton corps.
About the only corroborative aryu-
ments produced are that his name was
Bach. which proves his German origin
and that he was not shot az soon a.
captured. u being the invariabie rule Of
the Germans to shoot any foreign
%legionary as soon as he In captured. To
those suffering from spy mania Il In
useless TO point out that a spy would
not have retained his German name
when enlisting IN the Foreign Legion,
which asks nc questions from It's voiur-
teers. or that. even granting that the
Germans ave such n rule for me legion.
II would not be applied to an aviator.
mach Not q German.
A. this story may have gained cur
rency In America II may be worth
episode.
j. J. Bach II not of German descent.
but Of Rumanian origin. his parents be-
ing natural'zed citizens OF the United
states No American volunteer who
enlisted with him and whose opinion ,s
OF value has ever given the slightest
credit IN the story OF his trearhery.
Bach n a French aviator, Mongeot.
were sent on a special mission from the
Champagne district. Each pilot carried
a passenger with him. whom he was 20
land at a certain point well behind the
German lines. What those passengers
were to do cannot Yet he told. for the
moment we will assume that they were
originally inhabitants OF V. and wished
to see II the bridge OF their native town
was still safe and sound.
Both Aeppianes wrecked.
When the two parse M gers had landed
In a secluded place. without being noticed
ny any one. tho two aviators prepared
To return. Bach. after the usual prelim!-
nary run. scared into the air and was
soon ~ a good height. He looked back
20 see II Mongeot was following safely.
lie saw mat his companion was In Diff
culties and was standing beside hts
aeroplane. which seemed TO have been
smashed.
Bach at once swooped round and re-
turned. He found that Mongeot's ma
chine In taking its initial starting run
had hit against an obstacle and turned
over. becoming n wreck. The two then
MOUNTED on Bach's machine aud the acct
dent was repeated. Il too struck agains.
something OH the ground and was nut
our Of action. There vas nothing To he
dom hut set fire 70 the machines and
hope that some miracle would let them
&c, hack through the German lines. The
miracle did not happen n they were
captured.
These defalA were s!ven To THE SrN's
correspondent hy another French avia-
tor who had received letters from Mon
geo' describing the whole AFFAIR. These
letters show that Mongeot had no sus-
liclon that any accusation had been
brought against his companion. who had
stood by him IN disaster. and they ex-
press the hope that when the war is
over and the prisoners are freed n mill
'ary medal Will testify to Rach's bravery.