Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-09-05
Daring French
Zouave Escape
hey Bribs Peasant Woman WiA
Chocolate, Tea and Canned
Goods and Get 0vereeats and
Old Feb Hats Of Civilians.

VI TIE AftAt war hus pttn rbto
me by AdJutant Pilot Henri Reservat,
q hero Of the French aviation corps,
who recently succeeded In escaping
from a German prison camp and is
now enjoying once more the free air
of France. | wish could convey in
writing the modest. simAe. matter Of
fact manner In which Adju,ant Reser-
vat speaks OF his strange experience.
says Paul Ayres Rockwell. stat cor
respondent of the Chicago Daily News.
Adjutant Reseryat was pilot with
the famous tghting escadrille y. 65.
which was one OF the first flying
groups to 20 to the yerdun front last
year. After many successful recon
noissances and combats he was order
ed on May -, 1916, TO attack and de-
stroy a 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 IL 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 griliing shell fire from anti-aircraft
guns. Yet he 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 a 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 Eeservat also landed
They congratulated him upon his gal
tirming his having destroyed the
drachen assigned him and telling of
his being captured after a heroic at
tempt to escape. The note was car
rried up by German aviator and drop
ped into the French lines. Reservat
was put on train and taken away to
a German prison camp near Mayence
1.-THE German Mainz.l
Captivity was not agreeable to this
eagle, who loved the free air, and Res
eryat at once began planning his es-
cape The camp at Mayence was too
sweas guarded. havever 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 yolun-
teered to go to work in 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 20 ont into the little
village near by TO purchase coffee and
other bits. Reservat made the ac-
Quaintance of All old peasant woman
and, pretending that he wished II as q
protection against the cold, asked her
to sell him a civilian oyercoat. The
woman consented to sell the coat on
condition that 1t should be paid for
with chocolate. tea. canned goods and
other edibles. which Reservat received
In weekly parcels from France The
exchange was made, and the old WON
an also sold civilian coat to young
.xouave sergeant. who was to be Reser-
watts eonrade In the dash for liberty
For several cakes OF chocolate the
-Scheming Frenchmen 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 a parce
from France. a good road map Of Ger
many. Reservat and his conrad,
made q tracing of it. They also LAID
BY a little store of chocolate, biscui
and canned foods sent them from
home and finally. on March 10. 1917
all was ready for the departure. TAX
ing advantage Of half hours latenes
In locking the door Of their barracks
the two men skipped out In the dark
ness and were en- route for liberty.
Here are few notes describing th
journey, written by Reservat durin
the long daylight hours in which b
and his companion lay hidden In thick
cts OF abandoned huts:
"Depa tied at s:15 the evening q
March 10. 1917. and got away withou
incident We took the route for Lin
burg aud thought to gain several Xix