Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-18
Attacked German Plane,
Believing He Was Doomed
Corporal Observer, With British Royal Flying
CORPS, Writes Vivid Story of His Fight
in the Air With German.

Corporal Observer Horace G; Brooks. D. g. y, n
sp p brief furioush with friends Il nj,
Of Texas. and although now only twenty,one
years Of age has been on active service SINCE
(The gallant corporal has had many exciting
experiences over In France. and his modes,
secured for him his decoration cannot fail ts
THE American airman. who was over the
battle area during Sir Douglas Hais's great
push east and northeast Of Ypres, tells thrill.
Ing story Of the part played BY Lancashire
CHe had a bird's-eye view Of the events which
he dessriSes and IN the ehs Wsr has been
written.)
BY CORPORAL OBSERVER H. @. BROOKS.
GLASGOW, Scotland, November a.
When the crazy old kaiser and his gang
of boneheaded optimists reached the con-
cIusion that the proper moment had ar
rived for the subjugation Of the whole
earth was attending college Win my
brother Albert at Brooklyn. N. 7.
Twas then endowed with all the WISDOM
and knowledge of eighteen years and my
brother Bert was my senior by two SUM
mers.
On the day after the declaration Of war
between Britain and Germany we received
a wire from home. in which my father
reouested our immediate return Won
derine1y we obeyed the summons. The
interview was brief and to the point.
. you will have noticed that Britain
Is at war with Germany. said my
f fansst f sole ahe smotherlandhe was
major in the Life Guards-and was al
ways proud of the fact. What are you
soing to do about 1t
tire satisfaction by sailing on board the
Tascania. bound for Bordeaux, on the
9Th of August, 1914.
On arrival at the French port We
Joined the Foreign Legion n.o we % 70 a
British regiment, but having oeen porn
in the United States we were inehgiote.
My brother became a member OF the
which he has now attained the rank of
captain-whilst I. having taste Tor
aeronautics. considered myseii lucky
in gaining admission to the legion
have never met my brother in France.
The war has swallowed him up, ana II
is only through receiving letters from
home that know he Is still gong
strong.
full fascination for me. and made sew
eral flights as a passenger In America
before the outbreak OF war. So that IN
takes to water or a thirsty Hun to
beer.
For four months I was busily en-
gagged learning to be an observer.
His Day Of Adventure.
Yn March. 1915, I was transferred to
the Royal Flying Corps of the match
iess British army, with which body I
am proud to be able to say am sun
But it was on the 4th Of July. 1915.
- that had the time of my lie. and CANA
within an ace Of losing all interest In
the big quarrel" as the American
papers occasionally term the war.
The memorable battle Of the Somme
had been in progress for four days. and
the oily Teutons were being handed a
good deal more than they bargained Tor.
The ground was all cluttered up with
lend uber allies" for the last time. and
me bayonets of the grimiy grinning Tom
mics were not SO spick and span az they
once had been
what I shall always look upon as the
crisis of my life. A report went the
rounds that a squadron OF German bat
tie planes was flying in the direction OF
wocld be after.
They were eager to discover the dis
positions OF the British troops and guns
a desire which 1t was our bounden duty to
squelch as speedily and effectively as
possible.
1 don't know why did it. but did.
II must have been that l was caught
-nawares by a brainstorm- These cryp-
&c sentences bear reference to the fact
that / suddenly felt it was up to me to
have a go at the Huns on my own.
Only on two previous occasions had
acted as the man behind the 'Joystick.' -
which should explain for the benefit Of
the uninitiated is what aviators have
facetiously termed the steering apparatus
had been amateurish and Of triding dura-
ton.
had never driven a machine In the
stS a narticuIar,v strons brand of H.
Yoohshness and the impetuosity of youth.
determined to ascend alone in a scout
ing machine and try what I could do IN
the way Of putting the fear Of death and
the devil into the hearts Of the foe.
Shot Up Like a Rocket.
Fate favored the mad project. A
beautiful little scouting machine
single seater-was roosting at the real
OF the aerodrome; and It was upon thii
neglected to tell the major of my bril-
liant plan for intimidating the Huns.
But I confded to the ears Of al
amazed mechanic my secret, and per
suaded him to assist me to make a star
before he realized that I must hav,
been suffering from an attack Of self
de1usion with regard to my talents a
sky pilot Of the modern and material
istic type.
went up like a rocket, having pulle,
the "joystick" too recklessly. Ever
now I don't like to dwell on the mem
DRY of that ascent up through an are,
that simply reeked with shells. NJ,
guardian angel must have perspire,
during the few minutes that elapse,
before attained a height Of 5000 feet
She was fast little thing, that scout
ing machine, and we must have beef
hoofng along about 100 miles per hou
when I caught sight of German bat
tie plane approaching toward me.
This will never do" I informed my
self. and, gripping the 'Joystick'' be
tween my knees. I pulled out my re
volver and prepared to give the inter
1oper a reception, the main character
istfc Of which should be spontaneit.
and warmth.
Space is rapidly eaten up by aero
planes travelling in opposite directions
and under such circumstances a pilo
has no time to devote to dreams O
soliloquies concerning the might-have
beens that never were He must jun
into the hard realm of action, and
is generally the man who jumps frs
who escapes filing the principal roll
of burial party.