Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-04
A|RMEN ARE LOST 4
IN STORM CLOUDS
British Pilot Tells of Harrow
ing Experience While Engag-
ed in Bombing Raid" J
BEYOND THE HOSTILE LINE
BY A BRITISH PILOT.

BY A BRITISH PILOT.
Especial Corresponaencs Of TIE st.r
and Chicago Daily News.D
Copyright. 1917. y tn. chieaso Daily Ks~s
LONDON. England, July 13-Few Of
our men in France will forget the dew
astating storm which swept over the
Somme toward the end Of August. 1916.
But those who will remember IL most
wildly are the airmen.
For the four previous days Il had
rained incessantly-a steady drixxle
refreshing rain that left the still air
weighted with an uncanny. oppressive
heat.
Forced inactivity makes men restless
afternoon OF the fourth day were
greeted with JOY by the men of the ny
ing squadron. Clouds passed-the
grass Of the aerodroms was green and
fresh. and the pools Of water on It
glistened in the sun.
Straight overhead the sky was q deep
blue, but above the German lines the
black clouds gathered. large and ON
nous. as II they were renewing their
vigor to deluge the earth again. Yet
the barometer was rising and the
weather seemed at last favorable for q
bombing raid.
Eight machines were wheeled out Of
their Understanding fabric and wires
freshly overhauled after the four
days inactivity. An hour later tho
pilots arrived and five Of the machines
were loaded with bombs. A hurried
gathering round the fight commander,
few words of caution and advice
laugh and shout-and the little party
started Off.
Drop Bombs on Wood.
Having gained their height over the
aerodrome. they headed for the lines
where the clouds still hung. The cool
air was very pleasant after the close
ness of the ground, and each pilot was
glad in his heart to be in flight again.
They crossed the lines. lodging In and
out among the clouds. to avoid deteo-
ton by the anti-aircraft guns, and not
a shell was fired against them. They
were hidden up In the air still gray
with the rains and clouds. So. undis-
turbed. they reached the wood which
the shelter Of an ammunition dump.
The five bombing machines dropped
lower and let fall their loads. while the
other three, the protecting machines.
circled up above to ward OF attacks.
eight turned again for home.
Lost in Storm Clouds,
But while they had been at work the
clouds had gathered. thicker and thick
er, and more dark. In a moment each
of the eight machines was alone: and
each was lost utterly in the clouds. You
could see nothing, sitting in the pilots
seat, below your waist Half the ma
chine and all the instruments were hid
den. You could hear only the steady
dronfng Of the engine. Ali sense of di-
rection was lost. You were in the midst
Of clouds and that was all. When the
wires moaned you knew that you were
side slipping: when the roar OF the en-
CINE grew louder you knew that the
machine was diving: but except for
these things you knew nothing. You
did not know even that you moved.
Get out of it-get out Of it-go
throttled down, the air rushed up In
his face.
Speeding Toward Nowhere.
Down. down. down. At last he was
below the clouds and could read his in
struments again. The altmeter had
jammed at 5000 feet. 1t told him moth.
him little of where he had been. His
compass pointed anywhere. The air
speed marked 1876 miles per hour. Then
he knew that the wind was behind him.
But still the earth could not be seen.
He kept her down, down. 1t was only =
few seconds, but in that uncertainty Il
seemed like hours, and then he saw the
earth rushing up to meet him. He NOV
ed back the controls. The earth was
only 200 feet below. waste fields. devoid
of habitation. He did not know which
way he flew nor even which side OF
the lines he was. He must take his luck.
He turned where he guessed that homo
might be.
Over the Hostile Lines.
Before long a machine gun ratified
and he could hear the bullets whfz.
1000 feet; and fire balls. sent up six
at time to set him on fire. came shoot
past him. Higher he climbed-once
more lodging in and out among the
clouds. But still he was seen. and the
shells of the anti-aircraft guns burst
sound of splinters passing through the
canvas on the wings-and the thud AZ
they struck more solid parts. But he
himself was untouched.
At last he saw the lines and began
to pick up familiar things. His engine
struck it, but still he held on-and
held on till the aerodrome came In
sight He did not reach it, but man
aged to drop heavily, SO that the chas.
sis shook to it, in the next field:
He looked at the flying clouds from
which he had come, then turned to
meet an officer who was walking across
from the aerodrome.
Together they looked at the machine.
1t had nearly 100 holes from splinters
and bullets. Then he looked at the
Others watch. It was five hours since
he had set out.
PROBING MARRIAGE MARKET.