Evening journal., 1917-08-29
FOOTBALL STAR As
SAUSAGE" LEVELER
Brings Down Fifth German
Observation Balloon in
Enemy Zone
FIFTH AEROPLANE
ALSO TO HIS CREDIT
az HENRY WOOD.

(United-Press STAN correspondent
WITTY THE FRENCH ARMIES,
Aug. s.-CBy Mall Sergeant Boyau,
former Rugby football player and
champion Of France, who has Just at
talned the rank Of an "ace' by bring
ing down his fifth German airplane,
has the added distinction OF being the
foremost sausage specialist OF the
French aviation.
Boyau has the same number Of
"sausages,n or German observation
balloons TO HIS credit, as he has aero
planes.
To the superficial observer, the
winging Of huge, stationary and de-
fenseless sausage" would appear like
a simple task in comparison with that
Of triumphing over a fastfying aero.
plane. armed with machine guns and
manned by a daring aviator full OF
fight In reality the sausage is the
bigger and harder game of the two.
In the first place, "sausages are
only sent up miles behind the enc
my's lines. ANY attack against them
means a long fight into enemy terri
tory and a battle above the enemy's
lines. "Sausages" only mount 70 an
altitude of several hundred feet, and
tine AlUhEh NAunN NlNtNR ErN+NN
within close range of all the enemy's
antiaircraft batteries that constitute
the principal defense Of an obserya'
ton balloon.
The "sausages" again are attached
to the earth by thin wire cables that
are invisible to the attacking aviator
If he flies into one Of these an aerial
smashup Of the most dangerous type
occurs.
The efficacy OF these cables in keep
fng of aviators Is demonstrated by
the fact that one Of the principal
serial defenses Of the Krupp factories
at Essen consists precisely Of a large
number OF unoccupied "sausages'
flown at a great heighth so that avi
ators seeking to bomb the krupp'
are almost certain to fly into one ol
the steel anchoring cables.
Boyau, who now has five "sausages'
70 his credit, only succeeded In get
ting into the aviation service during
the latter part Of 1916 after two year,
in the trenches. During December o
that year he distinguished himself D!
a number OF daring attacks over Yer
dun. but only succeeded in bringinl
down his first BOehe I'm March oftni
year.
A few days later he successfull
bombed some hangers far behind tn
German lines. IL was on this trip ina
Bovau conceived a method for al
tacking "sausages" and at ono
planned his career as a "sausag
specialist"
He successfully destroyed the mrs
one he attacked, the balloon droI
ming in flames, and then headed in
mediately for a second one. This n
missed but the sausage observe
was so badly frightened that he leape
from the observation car I'm his pare
chute.
ON June 3 he brought down az
other sausage" During the attac
his motor went wrong and he wa
Obliged to alight in the enemy's line
for repalrs. The repairs were enecte
under the full fire Of all the antrai
craft machine guns in the vicinit!
Boyau retaking the air and orossin
back into the French lines at an
titude of only 400 feet under te
rife Germen bombardment He n
ceived the Medaille Militaire for thi
June "a witnessed the death Of al
other sausage but In returning trol
the funeral. Boyau found himself
the midst oG five Boche airplanes. y
brought down one, succeeded in di
engaging another French alrpla1
that had been surrounded by Boch'
and got safely back to the Frene
lines 80
Boyau brought down his fifth al
plane over Nancy on July 10, art
stfll more successful sausage
tacks.
He Is one Of whole series
French sport champions includii
Carpentier Lecoin. the Olymp
swimmer and Lapize, the oyclist' wi
have made wonderful records
French aviation.