The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-09-04
Daring French
Zouave Escape
They Bribe Peasant Woman With
Chocolate, Tea and Canned
Goods and Get 0vercoats and
Old Felt Hats Of Civilians.

A REALLY gripping story Of one OF
n the most remarkable episodes
Of the great war has been told
me by Adjutant Pilot Henri Reservat.
n 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. simple, matter of
fact manner in which Adjutant Reser-
vat speaks Of his strange experience.
says Paul Ayrcs Rockwell staff cor
respondent Of the Chicago Daily News.
Adjutant Reseryat was q pilot with
the famous fighting cscadrille y. 90,
which was one of the first flying
groups to 20 to the Nerdun front last
year. After many successful recon
nolssanCcs and combats lie was order
ed on May -. 1916, to attack and de-
stroy German observation balloon.
The attack was successful. and Reser-
vat sent the "drachen" flaming to
the balloon and destroying 1t four Ger
man aerOplames came up behind him
and began riddling his machine with
bullets.
Reservat was eight kilometers -four
and eighteenth niles within the Ger
man lines and subjected not only to
the attacks of the four aviators. but to
a grilling shell fire from anti-aircraft
guns. Yet he did not lose hope of get
ting back home. lie headed for the
French lines with his four assailants
after him. firing all the time. ReseT-
vat's machine gun was fixed one and
could only he 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. \ number of bull
let's pierced the motor. and he was
forced to land in German territory.
Germans Congratulate Reservat.
. The four German pilots who had
been attacking Reservat also landed
They congratulated him upon his gal
liant struggle. then wrote note con-
tirming his having destroyed the
drachen assigned him and telling of
his being captured after heroic at.
tempt to escape. The note was car
ried up by a. German aviator anG drop
ped into the french lines. Eescrva
was put OH u train and taken away tC
4 German prison camp near Mayence
the German Mainzo "F
Captivity was not agreeable to this
eagle who loved the free air. and Res
ervat at eRce began planning his es-
cape, The camp at Mayence was too
well guarded. however. Then he was
moved to WeiIburg, where tue regime
was, even. more strict. Seeing that
there was LITTLE hope Of getting safely
away from this camp, Reservat volun-
tecred to 20 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 i'll which to 20 ou, into the little
village near by to purchase coffee and
other bits. ReservGt made the ac-
quaintance of an Old peasant woman
and. pretending that he wished it as a
protection against the cold, asked her
to sell him civilian overcoat. The
woman consented to sell the coat on
condition that it should be paid for
with chocolate. tea, canned goods and
other elibles. Which Reservat received
in weekly parcels from France. The
exchange was made. and the old wOm-
an also sold a civilian coat to Il young
zouave sergeant. who was to be lieser'
vat's comrade in the dash for liberty.
For several cakes of chocolate the
scheming F'renchmen also bought from
a servant girl two rough felt hats.