The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-09-22
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already they could see through the
morning haze the country below them
swarming with khaki-clad men.
There were puffs of smoke in the air
and the deep thud of the bursting .
shells from the anti-aircraft guns.
They could see the lines now. Not /
| a square inch Of the ground seemed
! free from shell holes, and to the right
were the remains of village and a
/ large mine crater.
There were intermittent Hastings or
! the guns on either side of the broad
brown belt which divided the enemies.
| Bang! Bang, BanG!" three shells
burst unpleaSantly close to the leader,
and he heard the tearing sound OF
shrapnel through his planes. Warm
work." he said to himself as he saw
that one of his spars was shot away.
The other machines seemed undam-
aged, and once they were well over
the lines all firing ceased. No doubt
the guns were being mounted on lorries
and taken further back to get another
shot at them.
Below them were the heavy French
machines carrying out reconnaissance
work. and they could see above them
. on each side French and English air
planes of all types and sizes. With
q kissing noise tiny scout dived down
, past them. holly pursued by big Ger
, man machine, bristling with guns. But
the five machines steadily pursued
. their own course. This was not their
? area, and they had their own work to
5 do.
: In a few minutes they had reached
their destination. For the next two
S hours they would patrol that area
: marked out for them on the map. wait
- ing for the Huns, who would certainly
k try to drive them away. But for the
d moment they had leisure to loof
around them. To the right they couit
o see four French machines making fol
r home. Probably they were on thei
q way back from bombing raid. TheI
y there came the sound of firing imme
diately behind them. One of the pa
N troll was being attacked by stubD,
e little German scout machine. whicl
was diving at him from behind. IN
IT leader banked sharply around anc
T. climbing steeply, made straight for tn
pr enemy. But the stubby German q
@. seeing another opponent turned TO
re home at the top of his speed.
OF The leader looked around to sc
ne what had happened to his companion
no His engine was missing badly. ii
lis seemed in trouble, but he was contiT
nd ming his duties. And other things wer
k happening.
No A True Shot.
o. Two Hun machines were passing
an thousand feet below them. An I'm
lish machine dived at them. One star
hit ed for earth, but the other Shove
re fight. BY clever maneuver he hf
inst got behind his opponent when u
ID. leader dived into the scene of actio
ell He came I'D close before he Open'
Is. fire. and then with his third shot ;
nd the enemy in the petrol tank. 1t bur
IA out I'm flames and fell to earth.
es, He looped the loop to show his plea
mt ure.
zle THAT was good shot," he said
The himself as he turned and counted {
the patrol. There were only four ali
en- cether. One had turned home throu
engine trouble. They kept close
gether. and for about half an hour
ted went peacefully and well. Their
AK gines were running perfectly, and
WY morning air acted like balm on tn
OF souls. The occasional sounds of fri
Ter, did not disturb them. Then In the
ide lance they saw great cloud OF r
ou- chimes approaching from the east
cir each man looked to the leader fol
the signal. This was no ordinary enc
put patrol. One or two served to reli
itch the mOnotony of life, but fifty
the more than joke. But the leader h
to his course.
and With a deep droning of the engi