The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-09-19


the heavier my extra clothing becaine,
50 ] was compelled TO discard even
the cap. ] knew that 1t would be
toll TILE mark II I simply threw it
away, 50 one night after swiInfniIig a
river, ] dug hoic in The soft mud on
the bank and buried ii. too, NTH com
sidersibiy less ceremony than my fly-
ing mittens had received perhaps: 50
that was the end OF my Bayarian hat.
My experience lit the Belgian's
house wheifed my appetite for more
food and figured that what had been
done once could be done agni1-
Sooner or later. reaiizcd would
probably approach Belgian and lind
. German instead. but in such a con-
singency l was determined TO meas
ure my strength against the Huns II
necessary TO effect my escape.
As IL was, however, most Of the Bel
gians TO whom applied for food gave
IL to me readily enough. and II some
of them refused nle ii was only be-
cause they feared i might be a Spy
or that the Germans would shoot them
II tler action were subsequently
found out.
About the fifth day after Lad en-
tered Belgium was spending the day
as usual in ctump of bushes when l
dIscerDed in the distance what ap-
peared to be something hanging on
line. All day long ] strained my eyes
trying 10 decide WHAT il could be and
arguing with myself that IL might be
something that / could add to my in
adequate wordrobe. but the distance
WIS so great that i could not identify
it. i had a great fear that before
night came it would probably be re-
moved.
As soon as darkness fell. however,
crawlssi out Of my hiding place and
worked up TO the line and got n pair
of overalls for my Industry The pair
of oyeraIls WAS the first lit OF civil
ian clothes l had thus FAR picked up
with the exception of civilian cap
which / had found ut the prison and
concealed on my person and which
still had. The overal.s We're rather
small and very short. hut when I put
them on found that they hung down
far enough 10 cover my breeches-
1t was perhaps three days later that
/ planned to search another house for
further clothes. Entering Belgian
houses nj night is anything but safe
proposition, because their families are
large and sometimes as many ms seven
or eight sleep in single room The
barn Is usually connected with the
house proper. and there was always
the danger OF disturbing some dumb
animal even II the inmates OF the
house were not aroused
Frequently I took . chance OF
searching back yard at night IN the
hope Of finding food scraps. but my
success In that direction WAS so slight
that ] soon decided that II wasn't
worth the risk and 1 continued to
live On raw vegetables that ] couid
pick with safety in the fields and the
occasional meal thnt was able to get
from The Belgian peasants In the day.
time.
Nevertheless was determined TO
&c; more in the way of clothing and
when night came i picked GU, house
thai looked as though II might furnish
ME with what / wanted. II was a
moonlight night and IL could get In
the barn would have n fair chance of
finding my way around by the moon
light which would enter the windows
The barn adiained the main part OF
the house. hut l CROPPED around very
carefully and soon i touched some
thing hanging ON peg. / di;-n't
know what II was, but / confiscatei
It and carried II out into the fields.
There in the moonlight I examined
my booty and found TINT II WIS an old
coat. II was too short for an over
coat and too long for an ordinary
coat, but nevertheless / made use OF
It. il had probably been an oyercoat
for the Belgian who had worn II.
Some days later ! got scarf from
a Belgian peasant and with this equip
nent / was able TO conceal my uni
form entirely.
Later on. however. I decided that IL
was too dangerous TO keep the uniform
on anyway ind when night came /
dug hole and buried 1t.
never realized until l had to part
with II just how much / though; of
that uniform. 1t had been with me
through hard trials and l felt as IL
We're abandoning friend when l
parted with II. i was tempted 10 keep
the wings OF the tunic. but thought
that would be dangerous concession
TO sentiment in the event that / was
ever captured. II was the only dis
sine,ion l had left, as l had given
the Royal Flying Corps badges and
the stars of my rank TO the German
fiyiDg officers as souvenirs. hut l felt