Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-09-04
Daring French
Zouaye Escape
They Bride Peasant Woman With
Chocolate, Tea and Canned
Goods and Get 0vercoats and
Old Felt Hats Of Civilians.

II ~
of the great war has been told
me by ,Adjutant Pilot Henri Reservat.
hero of the French aviation corps,
who recently succeeded in escaping
from German prison camp and is
now enjoying once more the free air
of France. wish could convey In
writing the modest, simple, matter OF
fact manner in which Adjutant Reser-
vat speaks Of his strange experience,
says Paul Ayres Rockwell, staff cor
respondent of the Chicago Daily News.
Adjutant Reseryat was pilot with
the famous fighting escadrille N. 65,
which was one of the first flying
groups to go to the Verdun front last
year. After many successful recon.
noissances and combats he was order
ed on May %. 1916. to attack and de-
stroy German observation balloon.
The attack was successful. and Reser-
vat sent the 'drachen" flaming to
earth. But while he was diving on
the balloon and destroying it four Ger
man aeroplanes came up behind him
and began Kidding his machine with
bullets.
Reservat was eight kilometers -four
and eighteenth miles, within the Ger
man lines and subjected not only to
the attacks of the four aviators, but to
q grilling shell fire from anti-aircraft
guns. Yet lie did not lose hope Of get
ting back home. He headed for the
French lines with his four assailants
after him, firing all the time. Reser-
watts machine gun was fixed one and
could only be fired in the direction in
which his machine was headed. Sew
eral times he tried to maneuver SO as
to return the German fire. All his ef-
forts were in vain. A number of bull
lets pierced the motor, and he was
forced to land in German territory.
Germans Congratulate Reservat.
The four German pilots who had
been attacking Reservat also landed,
They congratulated him upon his gal
liant struggle, then wrote note con-
fir1ning his having destroyed the
drachen assigned him and telling Of
his being captured after a heroic at
tempt to escape. The note was car
ried up by German aviator and drop
ped into the French lines. Reservat
was put on train and taken away TO
q German prison camp near Mayence
0be German Nanny
Captivity was not agreeable to this
eagle, who loved the free air. and Res
ervat at once began planning his es-
cape. The camp at Mayence was too
well guarded, however Then he was
moved to Weilburg. where the regime
was even more strict. Seeing that
there was little hope Of getting safely
away from this camp, Reservat volun-
tered to go to work in a great agricul-
tural camp and succeeded in being
transferred to Giessen.
Here there was more freedom. The
prisoners were even allowed an hour a
day in which to 80 out into the little
village near by to purchase coffee and
other bits. Reservat made the ac-
quaintance of an Old peasant woman
and, pretending that he wished it as a
protection against the cold. asked her
to sell him a civilian overcoat. The
woman consented to sell the coat Oh
condition that it should be paid for
with chocolate. tea, canned goods and
other edibles, which Reseryat received
in weekly parcels from France. The
exchange was made, and the old wom-
an also sold civilian coat to Il young
Zouave sergeant, who was to be 'lseser-
watts comrade In the dash for liberty.
For several cakes of chocolate the
scheming Fren -hmen also bought from
servant girl two rough felt hats.
Road Map In Parcel.
Many months before one Of the pris.
oners had received. hidden in u parcel
from France. q good road map Of Ger
many. Fese.Nat and his comrade
made tracing of it. They also ibid
by little store of chocolate. biscuit
and canned foods sent them from
home and finally. on March IL. 1917.
ali was ready foE the departure. TAX
Ing Va uuIi upu.
In locking the door Of their barracks.
the two men skipped ont in the dark
ness and were en- route FOR liberty.
Here are few notes describing the
journey, written by Reservat during
the long daylight hours in which he
and his companion lay hidden in thick
cts or abandoned hllts:
departed ut S:l5 the evening of
March 10. 1917. and got away without
incident. We took the route for Lin
burg and thought to gain several kiio-
meters by cutting across through the
woods. Alas, at the end of an hour
and half, we found ourselves lost in
the forests! Finally We discovered the
main road and crossed the Lain. Rain
and an intense darkness. Taking our
direction northwest. we again got lost
and walked without knowing where
we were going until 3 a. m. Then we.
came to the edge of large wood and
entered a thicket of small pines, where
we lay down near the road. A rainy
day, some snow. We are suffering
from the cold.
On Y.rk