Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1917-12-21

even the life Of a man. And man
Is man, indeed, who has eaten the
steel of an enemy-in the upper air.
AS these be men, so Guynemer, the
republics hero of the air, was super
man. We cannot qualify the express
sion-and would not.
When the furies released the COW
ers of hell in the fateful months OF
August in the year 1914, the tri-colors
of the French republic swung in a
line of steel from the Vosges to the
sea, to save the civilization so labor
iously welded by the blood of French
men at Tours under Charles Martel, at
Chalons against the Huns and at Val
my against the same perfdious enemy
they face today.
The republics manhood went out
to war. Some men there were who
were denied the privilege of receiy-
Ing the steel Of the republics enc
mics. And Guynemer was one of these
tortured of humans-he could not fight
for France.
Enters Aviation School.
AS he watched class after class
swing by under the vivid tri-color he
volunteered again and again in an
ecstacy Of patriotism. But-they
wouldn't accept him. So? France
needed men.
Finally, after six months Of maneu-
vering, he used what influence he
could avail himself of to enter the
aviation training school at Pau.
He proved entirely efficient and was
graduated to the front as sergeant
pilot in April Of 1915. For eight
months he filed the position of an un-
derling among the hangars-but, that
was a triumph, for he was serving
France. His first aerial work was I'M
eventful, merely observing behind the
French lines.
And then came the day when he
went over on his first raid. AS he
took the air q German plane immedi-
ately gave battle. Mon Dieu! They
were coming to- him! What happi.
nessi
His attack was so vicious that the
Boche machine was merely a peck
marked heap Of junk when it crashed
to the ground.
Early in 1916 he became an face"
He had conquered FIVE German planes
Before November he had brought
to earth twenty-one enemy machines.
At Verdun he flew with strange COM
panions-the shells of the barrage-
and none outdid him. 1t was here
that he received several bullets In one
of his arms in thrilling battle with
four enemy planes. His spirit con-
uuered. He became a captain.
In March, 1917, he attained his thlr"
ty-fourth victory in a battle with Three
Germans. In five minutes all three
were crumTled to earth through
series Of 5ewildering evolutions and
daring firing. He started for the
hangers, spied another enemy rising,
and journeyed over to investigate. As
his piece-de-resistance he played a lit
tie with the newcomer and then sent
him down to join the other three. In
May his score mounted to thirty-nine.
In June it was forty-three.
Lead "Stork Escadrille."
It was Guynemer who led the fa-
nous "Stork Escadrille," formed early
in 1916. In fact, he came on the
scene just at the time the squadron
formation was becoming popular with
both armies. After short time as
member Of the escadrille he formed
taste for fighting alone. Ever after
that his fighting was done alone. He
fired his own guns and managed his
own controls. His brother officers con-
sidered him perfectly safe as long as
he had not more than ten adVersaries.
He travelled in his own automobile
and carried his own chef. He was
free to 60 to any front, though he
accepted the advice Of the officers In
regard to his presence on sectors
where his action might be stringently
needed. All the valor awards the
French army conferred were his, In
Guiding the Legion Of Honor. There
were no honors he could further at
tain. But he, knew the admiring and
thankful hearts of many q french
poilu and many French cottage were
snraying for him and were happy, IN
+er;dasthes thought that their France
/ was piiSssa breed-----