Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-01-11
AN
AEROPLANE
STORY
By ALAN HlNSDALE

Joe Goodall, who had been sent to
the hospital in the rear of the British
lines In Belgium told me this story
during his convalescence.
when the big worlds war came on
was studying in school of technolo-
Ty in the United States. didn't care
which whipped, but wanted to see
something of it. Thinking would be
more ut home among those who spoke
the same language us did, chose the
British.
"My education, which l had nearly
finished. especially fitted me for sery-
Ice In the dying corps, and, going To
England, | began my preparation for
running an acroplane. II was a wear
before | was sent out for active serv-
Ice, but when landed In Flanders
was pretty well prepared.
AT first | was sent up to locate the
German batteries. soon grew tired
of this and longed for more exciting
service. One day the commander o.
the aeroplanc corps told me to report
ut the headquarters of the genera,
commanding the right wing Of tho
British troops. adding that he had been
asked for IA man to do s9ccial w0r.;
and had been recommended. The
general said to me:
"'Our spies report that the enemy
are turning out war implements OF Il
kind that they are keeping secret at =
point about forty miles in their rear.
| want YOU to 90 there and drop
enough bombs on 1t to put Il out of
commission. They have built il in II
wood for purposes Of conceaiment from
our aeroplancs. and you'll have to fly
low in order to distinguish It when
you reach 1t. 1t is murky today and
you may get over good deal OF
ground without being seen. The wealth
er Is not usually the same at two diff
ferent points ut distance from each
other and you may find n clearer at
mosphere when you get over the works
YOU are to destroy. Can You start at
once?
"'Tes, general l replied.
"'Well. take such bombs as you may
select for yourself and success to YOU
"Within an hour / was ready. l rose
to thousand feet, and having located
the direction | was to take. followed
it by compass, for there was too much
mist for me to guide from the ground.
hadn't gone ten miles, however, be-
fore ! entered region clear Of fog,
and beneath me Il plain, mostly bare OF
trees.
II was behind the German lines and
directly beneath me was an encamp-
men Of Il small body of troops Evil
IDENTIFY they saw me and were some
what disturbed Mt my presence. They
fired some shots at me from their rifles,
but kept out Of range. and they prob
ably had no aeroplane guns, for none
such were used.
They had Il fleet horse among them,
for suddenly | saw rider shoot out
in the direction | was going. Doubt
less they surmised the nature Of my
mission and were sending messenger
to give warning, either to the works |
was to destroy or an aeroplane station.
II did not fear race with horse,
but the man on him might have a
short distance to 20 and thought I'd
better stop him If | could. | descend
cd TO a hundred feet above his head
and dropped hand grenade. 1t OK
pl0ded behind him. Realizing that |
had not calculated for his motion, I
dropped another, aiming some ten or
fifteen yards before him. 1t struck
the ground ahead of him. A third
grenade fell few feet before his
horse and exploded under it. The
horse was blown to pieces, the man
shot up in the air. He came down
auu III q moment lay Stlll
AN auto must have come into the
German camp after he started from it.
for | had no sooner put the horse out
Of the race than | heard Il rattle be-
low. and there was the machine COM
ing at "A rate of fifty miles IN hour.
1t shot past the dead horse and the
dead man. and saw at once that
would have to increase my speed.
'The auto was going 50 fast that 1t
was moro difficult problem to hit 1t
with my hand grenades. | started
with half a dozen gronades and had
three left, dropped enc, bit It fell
n little ahead Of the machine | drop
ped another but the chauffeur must
have seen it descending, for he slowed
w, and 1t fell dozen yards ahead Of
him. Thinking he would dodge IN the
same fashion again, calculated for
his doing so, and he put on fun speed.
The man had successfully lodged me.
and had no more grcnades let
THE only thing could do now was
to drop bomb, but If | should use
my bombs would not have them for
destroying the works. concluded to
hold on to the missiles and trust TO tn,
speed Of my aeroplanc. Ny decision
was an unlucky one. The auto had