Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-06-18
Av|ATORs BUSIEST
FIGHTERS On WEST
FRONT Of BATTLE

/ in the states, is the record Tor one
week in May of the American fighting
fiers now at the French front with
the Lafayette Escadrille:
| Monday-General of Blank army
calls at camp and congratulates the
group of aerial combat to which the
Lafayette Escadrille belongs for pro-
lection of his lines during the recent
offensive northeast of . No en-
envy planes CLOSED the line Escadrille
attacked two balloons and a number
OF enemy machines Walter Lowell, of
Concord, Mass, and Harold Willis,
Boston, attacked two enemy machines
deep in enemy lines. Entire patrol led
| by Captain Thenaud French officer in
command of Escadrille) forced Ger
man patrol of six machines back into
their lines Robert Rockwell, Cincin
natl, attacked German machine from
rear and was attacked in turn. The
Hun succeeded in Kidding Rockwell's
lower wing spars on both sides, wing
tip, control rods and undercarriage be-
fore Rockwell diyed out of range.
Tuesday-Lovell attacked Hun BIZ
plane early in the morning along the
| Disc and drove same down in enemy
lines. Willis Hayiland, Minneapolis;
Lieut.. DeLaage French officer seconi
in command of Escarille), and Willis
attacked by Hun patrol of superior
numbers and height, but eluded same
on account of @aperior speed. W. E.
Dugan, Rochester, n. Y, protected a
Photographic raid deep in the enemy
lines.
Wednesday-Am patrol made
sortie under command of Lieut.. De-
Laage, sweeping a front of forty miles
deep into enemy territory. but no Hun
machines sighted, except in extreme
distance. Tscadrille complimented by
gift to Raoul Lufbry, Ne wYork, of an
nual gold medal by Aero Club OF
France, last year won by Navarro. LUZ
berry is an "ace," his record being nine
enemy machines officially brought
down. The only other American ace
is Lieut.. Thaw.
Thursday-Lieut. DeLaage led Esca
drille on aerial reconnaissance. E. c.
Parsons, Springfield, Mass, and Willis
attack German machine at altitude OF
only coo metres in enemy lines and
force him to ground level He probably
got home. Enemy shells made both
American machines do some fancy
dc dying. Afternoon found sky vacated
b. enemy but enemy guns made up by
heavy Smelling. Steven Bigelow, Bos-
ton missed shell by very few feet
at an attitude of more than $4,000 feet.
Friday scadrille reinforced by j.
A. Drexel, Philadelphia, and c. H. Do
Ian BOSTON. Willis had luck to find
only enemy aeroplane in the sky today
l. was a large hiplane regulating ar
tillery fire over the British lines. Will
lis dived to the attack from above but
the German saw him and FASTENED
homeward, dropping smoke bombs for
his artillery to get busy. The artillery
did so. Half an hour later enemy re-
turned with fast monoplane protect
ing him. Willis offered fight. but enc
mics changed their minds, but signalled
to their artillery, which gave the
American flyer a very hot five minutes
crossing the lines.
Saturday-Dudley Hill, Peekskill, \
y. arrived from America to rejoin the
Escadrille despite the fact that the
authorities granted him two months
sick leav Elm America following an OPP
Grafton for appendicitis in New York
He preferred to return to the front.
Lowell, Parsons and Rockwell were
sent in pursuit of three Huns who had
crossed French lines and chased ten
miles back into enemy territory before
giving up the pursuit
Sunday-Entire Escadrille motored
in morning to the grave of James Mac
Council, near the lines and planted
flowers and placed flags. Passing
French soldiers had already placed
wreaths, a rude cross and remains OF
MacConnell's machine gun and plane
on the grave.
Afternoon-0nly one enemy machine
was encountered by patrol. He took
tc his heels" before he could be reach
ell. Escadrille busted itself dropping
600 copies of Presidents proclama
tion deep in enemy territory from st
Quentin nearly to Rheims. Enemy
gunners bowed their pleasure at this
procedure by vigorously Smelling the
americans.