The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-09-27
FRENCH HAVE A
GREAT RECORD
AIRMEN HAVE BROUGHT DOWN
1874 GERMAN PLANES.
FAMOUS AVIATOR is MISSING
Captain Guynemer is Believed to Have
Been Killed. He has Brought
Down More Than Fifty
German Air Craft.

With the French armies in the Field
(By Henry Woods, United Press Cor,
respondent) Sept. 26.-France's bril-
liant record of aerial fighting was in
Dictated in reports submitted to the
United Press today.
Since the start of the war the
French have developed thirty-seven
aerial aces now living who have
brought down total of three hundred
and ninety-three German planes.
Eleven French aces who are missing
and are reported to have been killed
have brought down a total of ninety
one aeroplanes in their time.
According to the German aviation
records they have only twenty-eight
living aces.
Twenty-Five German aviators who
would be counted as aces because they
have brought down more than five ma
chimes have been downed by the
French flyers.
Famous Aviator Missing.
Paris, Sept. 26-Capt Georges Guy
nemer, the famous French aviator, is
believed to be dead.
Captain Guynemer is thought to
have been killed during reconnais-
sance flight over Flanders on which
he left Dunkirk Sept. II. Nothing has
been neard form him since and it was
assumed that he had been lost, but
not until tonight did army headquar.
tiers issue a confirmatory report.
Lieutenant Guynemer was probably
the worlds greatest aviator. At ID
years of age, when war was declared
Guynemer tried to enter the infantry,
but was repeatedly refused by examin-
ing surgeons as being too frail. Deter
mined, he tried flying and succeeded
so well that he was sent to Pau to
complete his training.
In July, 1915, he shot Gown his first
adversary after dramatic fight last
ing ten minutes, in which his obserV-
err was wounded, and he himself cool
ly fired the shot that brought down
the Prussian. On another occasion he
went to the aid of a COmrade attacked
by five enemy planes. He brought
down three of them within three min
utes. This is the greatest single air
exploit of the war. Guynemer has shot
down fifty-two enemy planes. He has
received practically every military
honor and decoration of France.
German Aviator Killed.
Amsterdam, Sept. 20. - Lieutenant
Voss, leading German aviator, mas
been killed in an aerial fight with his
fftieth adversary, according to re-
port received here from Berlin. Vosse
was considered the greatest German
airmar after Baron Won Richtofen. HE
was credited in German official reports
with having brought down forty-t"o
enemy machines up to Sept. 10.
Mysterious Firing Explained.
London. Sept. 26.-The mysterious
bombing on the Dutch villages winch
started the air bombing was discover
ed today to turn a new light on the
German idea of the law OF necessity
Recently several squads OF German
planes are said to have started out Oh
bombing expeditions over England.
Upon reaching the coast several O
them have been forced to turn bacl
on account of the bad weather condi
tons. In as much as the Germans
suspended their machines the missile
of death must be dropped before tn
air men alight.
The Germans were careful in tn
way and in the places where the!
dropped their bombs SO as to save a
many of their men as possible and s.
did not drop them on the German
soil, but dropped them on hollan
soil, where It, is only" question 0
. killing a few of the neutrals.