The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-07-10


oas Aunersd smployss we're killed
and hundreds Of others, including
ferty-hvs French prisoners, were
wounded.
GRAND HEADQUARTERS OF
THE FRENCH ARMY IN FRANCE,
Sunday. July 8--(By The Associated
ess)-The most daring air raid yet
carried out against the great Krupp
,nunition works at Essen was recounted
to . staff correspondent OF the Assoc
sted Press todH by Sergt Maxine
Caiiois, who defied all the German
snti-aircraft defen,es and bombarded
the heart OF the German armament pro
ducing factories with high explosives,
crossed the German front line twice,
flew over many Rhinish cities and re-
turned home scathless.
Guided by Moon.
The whole flight lasted several hours
during which the daring French avia.
tor was guided only by the moon and
stars and the compass As the voyage
vas made in the darkest hours OF the
night, the destination being reached
exactly according to plan Sergeant
Galiois narrated his story in the slmp-
lest manner. He said
-Four OF us-Lieut. Ardiron de Per
dlguier, Sergeant Durand, another
eomrade and myself-left our base At
nightfall Friday with the intention OF
reaching Essen. Soon afterward we
ran into foggy weather and lost sight
Of each other I flew at an altitude OF
l,m metres and passed over Metz
and Thionvile, following the course OF
he river Moselle. which, however, rap
Nly disappeared in the mist
Fired on Crossing Rhine.
The batteries fired a, me crossing
the Rhine and as passed over Metz
seafchiights played about the sky AT
Thionviiie heard another airplane
nearby but made it out |. Ardi,ons.
Aitefward was compelled to uave!
By the aid OF the compass, the stars
and the moon At Trevee saw a heavy
6ombardment, which ! calculated was
directed at my comrade, therefore !
knew | was travelling in the right direc-
tion. did not see Cobleni. | saw
the reflection OF the moon on the
Rhine and found Bonne. From there
TO Dusseldorf there was a regular sea
N electricity which increased as |
Sot further north.
Cologne was Ablafe OF luminosity
and At Dusseldorf there were all kinds
u lights--blue. red and white. All the
Zine the antiarcraft gun, fired as |
passed, and around Cologne the gun
isers were very accurate in the range.
Throwing fhe Bombs.
Leaving there | saw brilliant H.
Elimination which seemed kilometers In
length stretching to the left OF Essen.
while southwark was another long line
a lights coming from the factories Ar
ring over Essen ] rose to about 1000
metres and circled around searching
for q place where the lights from the
workshops appeared densest Then !
threw the first bomb. After counting
IN, dropped the second and then the
remainder Of the ten carried at simi-
lar intervals. could not tell whether
the bombs exploded, but they probably
DID. II was impossible to distinguish
thsir effect, owing to the flaming fur
mace ehimneys.
my duty done, turned ,homeward,
Dot having seen my comrades again,
The motor worked with wonderful reg
ulafity all the time. | came back ex-
setly the same way A. went and wa,
fired at many times.
o Travelled 4os Miles.
7 was thoroughly exhausted and was
gathering from my eyes, which were a.
leeted BY the strain and wind, a. | had
lost both pairs Of goggles at the start
end was often obliged TO put my head
Satside in order to see the directions
When nearing the base, owing 10 the
Narkness, ! could not tell exactly where
] vas. thought possibly was still
ever the German lines and decided TO
continue Westward a. long as the petrol
lasted. had . few litres left and was
driving onward when suddenly | recos.
nised a pre-arrangcd signal and man
eyed to land Just at dawn at the same
place from which J had departed The
distance covered was go klome,re,
(@66h miies)."