Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1916-11-24

sudden I go 80 degrees to the left
nni drop straight toward the ground
tor 500 feet. The game is finished
and the gunners ere done. OuS of
1nite. they shoot all ov, he place
and shells burst now at the back OF
nc. 1t looks as if ! was going 10
get out of trouble without rnuch diff
:culty now.
Leaves Hostile Airmcn Behind.
Where is my friend? | cannot see
him. Has he been brought down?
Has he changed his line? a little
ander me can see big yellow
nlane with black crosses. It's n
Boche. Another one follows very
near. The distance between us abour
600 feet, but they are much lower
,han | ara.
Ciac! c'ac! clac! 1t is here. The
3oche is opening fire. The short
bursts of his machine gun keep pre-
cipitating. The brute does not shoot
badly.
Shall engage him in a fight? 1t is
really very tempting. But no, Essen
is by only target. and | have no
right to compromise my pressing en-
gagenent and the success of our
raid. open my engine right out
and soon lose my aggressors.
Here is the Mosclle. Just under
me is Thionville, and on the left is
Luxembourg. Sixty mics are covered
already. We are going fast.
Far, very far down, the earth dis
appears under thickly wooded forests.
Trees are everywhere. with the mar
row ribbon of the river serpenting
among them between two high banks
AS | fly over Treves | just dis
tinguish on my left the outline of
another plane. 1t is getting nearer
and nearer. The sun prevents me
seeing it clearly. although l seem to
recognize the silhouette of my COM
panion's machine. No doubt it is
he.
! can now see his blue, white and
red cockade and all of a sudden |
feel very happy. One is very lonely
up there. very. very high. Now, we
IL" together with only few thous-
and yards between us.
On the ground the towns pass
quickly one after another. Every
where are forks with smoking chin.
neys and trains heavily laden. I try
to Judge their length and the nature
of what they carry. l note also their
direction and one time they ~ass Il
certain given point, which can he
identified, but it is difficult work. A
screen of smoke masses sometimes be-
tween the earth and me and it is i'm
possible to identify some places.
Across the Rhine.
A little later / change my direc-
ton and go straight north, leaving
Coblems on my left. Far in front
Of me | can see the small gray ribbon
of the Rhine. 1t looks beautiful
up here.
Somehow my confidence increases.
Every minute insures that everything
will go well. l cross over to the right
bank of the river. Many long con-
voys of barges go up toward Cob
lens. If only ! did not have the con-
signment of bombs to deliver,
should go down to gun them. 1t is
funny how strong these temptations
are.
Here is Bonn, my friend and CO.
raider, still on my right NV engine
keeps on turning merrily and l mar
vel at the ease with which l have
covered these first 200 kilimeters. A
quick calculation shows me that we
are goinr at the rate of about 100
miles an hour. 1t is good speed.
The weather is cold un here. NV
thermometer shows 16 degrees below
zero. To trv and get warm / move
my arms and legs as much as I can
in that cramoed space. A few drops
of peppermint. which | drink, warm
my inside and cool my mouth.
Underneath is the Rhine and still
more boats. Now we pass town
which seems enormous. 1t is Cologne
and what IL splendid target it would