The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-25

Flying Over Helr'-gives a new
description of the fighting at Verdun.
Written by Georges Carpenter, so
well known to the sporting world, 1t
is a thrilling. story of the daring work
carried on by the aviators during that
immortal siege. He explains the du-
ties OF the Liaison man, that aviator
who is the ears and eyes of his in
lfantry. whose work, though not SO
Spectacular !, is, : nevertheless, even
more important than the fighting
aviator.
Caxpentier received the Military
Medal for his work as pilot during
the attack and capture of Fort Dua-
mont. His description of the taking
sof that fort is most realistic and ex-
citing.
After having rested at the Camp
ide Maflly, when 1 was ordered back
to the firing-line to JOIN a new squad
II never felt better or more rested IN
smy life. Our squad was at place
fright In verdun. and the German
push of 1916 had just begun.
All the fighting 1 had experienced
land seen before was nothing to the
fighting at verdun. I have read
I Dante's Inferno-Verdun might very
well have been the Inferno created by
] Dante
! For six long months, together with
knys countrymen. lived I'm He'll. 1t was
fas AZ a whole world was vomiting and
tspittang its spite against community
of people locked up. We French
twere q wall; the Germans were
4 brought into play against us.
You have read how the French
rocked and swayed but never broke.
how they knew no surrender, now
they irnmortalized verdun; how the
Germans were not only held. nut
were killed in thousands and pushed
back and beaten Verdun! Immortal
ver-dunl Would that you could know
hbour to appreciate what the name
means and signifies to all FRENCH
men. and especially those of my coun-
4 trymen who lived through those aW-
gful days.
reached the immortal sector at
the end of March, 1915. One volun-
Aeer for each flying unit was aSlSed as
KsIiaison" man to the infantry
Let me explain what a "liaison"
man is; what manner of work he does
exactly. He is the Connecting
ae,ent" Entrusted with the mission
of Keeping the infantry staff informed
I OF the exact position of his troops
land also those of the enemy they are
kenezrzing He must of necessity lily
kas low as possible, and under enemy
Pffre; he has not only run the gaunt-
lat Of anti-aircraft guns. but machine
Guns and rifles also
The aviator "talls" to tire infantry
4 conmander by means of star shells
EarAd he is answered by signals during
hthes day and by flashlights at night
This observer, who is seated with the
e infS of l.
Gus position on a map of particular
sector, and then when this work Is
I done the pilot has to fly as low as
uossitRe over the trenches of his own
|. infantry, so as to enable his campan-
tisn to drop the map to his own peo-
pie.
He Isl scout, detective,i adventurer-
in-chief, the ears. the sign-post. the
Watchdog, the guide to his infantry
To succeed as '1iaison" man. risks
are never thought of; If they are yor
laugh and brush them away. Con
N centrstion on the main thing help:
Aand. IN fact, succeeds in making risks
fappearesmaIL
no d7scdver positions, conditions
| ana the Hike. so that the infantry viii
NOT be led INTO blind positton-tha
is the main thing. It is only wher
fyou. arc soutsof the furnace. when, a.
ncw one is enjoying quiet and res
/ andAone, allows his mind to dwell OF
WHAT he has gone through. that on
feels what irnprs,dence one has beef
fguiltys OF, what rashness. AID thel
one shn1dders to think what nigh
have happened I do not think unit
now t4zmt Il have ever strictly realize,
that for six long months at Verdu1
IL. ana my fellows lived with an,
cheoked death day after day an
fnfE91keafter night
1t may seem incredible, but it /
nevertheless fact that on many oc
casfcns, In order to fulfil my dut
tfsnoug11ly, have had to fly as 10y
Z as one hundred yards, and right 4
the very midst of battle. To my mind
sfhsyworlEs OF a .'1iaison" man is one o
fthek nnost--An many respects the mos
f.-perfious~n missions filled by ayiators
There is not attached to the wor
the hHzI2aamce, or the thrills of fign,
ling i'm che air. neither does 1t captur
tthe p2b1ic imagination so surely
There Is something splendidly spec
tarniar In climbing high and the
darttngarto meet a Boche. to fight t
+ the death. To watch an air combs
is che most hair-raising experience
man soan have, but II you were t
wntdkkthe s1iaison man at work 20
wo-fsd Imagine that he was merei
flying. The spectator cannot rea1iz
becaalaeehe~ Is too far away. that otter
ersthansnotshe is passing through fire
that hessis q target to be shot at.NBI
II wae glad to have been liaiso
man as distinct from hunting avis
Etoy, during the gigantic struggle &
Rvesodun The time lived throug
waes glorious, fascinating, and NOR
myswork gave to me opportunities {
knowing what our infantry did, whic