American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-08-21

hardly have been selected. At dawn.
when the infantry advance began,
the whole country was blanketed by
thick, lOw-lying clouds, and by after
noon rain had begun to fall.
Despite these tremendous %disadvan-
tages. huge squadrons OF British
planes led the advance into the enemy
territory and not only maintained con
slant contact with their infantry, but,
flying az such a low altitude that they
often were only a few feet from the
ground. they carried on a destructive
warfare of their with their ma
chine guns. Many fights occurred be
tween the rival pilots, but the leu
tons were completely o~utclassed, both
In numbers and skill, and were forced
to retire at most points after losing
six machines.
The majority OF these air battles
were at a height of 200 feet or less
and in at least one instance the two
opposing pilots battled within fifty
feet Of the ground, at which height
the German side-slipped and crashed
TO the earth.
The British planes were under con-
slant and heavy fire, particularly from
rifles and machine guns, owing to the
low altitude at which they were fly
ing, but through all this hurricane Of
lead and steel all but three came safe
ly. These are reported missing and
there is no indication of what befell
them.
Wonderful herolsm was displayed by
the British alrmen. who performed re-
markable deeds. One typical instance
will Indicate the nature of the impor-
tant work they carried out. A Brit
ish aviator crossed the Ypres salient
Just as the infantry attack began at
dawn. For a time he patrolled the
roads and canals, now and her run
ming the gauntlet of enemy fire at a
height of thirty feet In order to obtain
Information for the guidance of the in
fantry in their advance. During this
patrol work he came to a German air
drOme. Owing to the early hour, on
Is one enemy was stirring outside the
shed and he paused in his additions
only long enough to satisfy himself
that the plane above him evidently
was one of his own.
The British airman circled low and
dropped a bomb squarely on one of the
sheds. This brought numbers Of Ger
mans tumbling In a panic from the
building. He turned his machine gun
on them. and, circling about the field,
bombed two other sheds with disas-
trous effect. All the time he kept up
a steady stream of machine-guu ire
al the Germans. a number OF whom
we're killed or wounded.
The Germans finally got a machine
gun into action against him, but he
Owed, and at twenty feet silenced IL
with his own gun. Having put this
gun out OF action. he circled the field,
hring with his machine gun through
the doors of buildings at the huddled
enemy within. At one time his ma
chine actually touched the ground.
Leaving the airdrome the British
aviator attacked two German mounted
officers and put them to flight. A
little later he encountered a column
Of POO troops and swept along the line,
with his gun working steadily. The
eutire column was dispersed and fled
by devious ways to cover, leaving
numbers of their comrades lying in
the road.
Two German battleplanes appeared
ON the scene and the Britou engaged
them both. sending one TO earth and
putting the other to flight. He pur-
sued the fleeing plane. but It was 500
lost in the clouds.
In the meantime a large body Of
German soldiers had gathered around
the machine which had been brought
down. The British flying nan came
sweeping back from the mists in
which he had hidden, and accounted
for several OF their number with his
machine a
His next objective vas a troop train.
lie travelled along its entire length.
pumping bullets into the crowded cars.
This completes the story Of one ayia-
tors light for the day. but he later did
valuable scouting work over the
enemy lines.
Numerous instances are related Of
pilots charging the anti-aircraft gun
ners and machine-gun operators at a
height OF thirty or forty feet and 81
lencing the guns. Pistol duels be-
tween the British aviators and the
German infantry were not uncommon
occurrences. In one instance a young
aviator. ia a burst OF chivalry, de
liberately stopped his machine gun
when a German officer drew his pistol
and began shooting at him, and en-
gagged the enemy with his pistol. ap-
parently feeling that he had no right
To take an unfair advantage OF his
opponent The aviator's pistol was
sufficient. however.