The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-06-10
HOW "TUBBY' SMITH ACCOMPLl SHEO|
HIS REVENGE FOR DEATH OF HIS
MOTHER AT HANDS OF The BOCHES|
Stirred By Sight of His Mothers Charred Body He Tried
to Become Aviator, But Was Rejected Ac-
cepted On Probation He Destroys a "Baby Killer
Returning From a London Raid.


mediateIy after, through another door
water. The drink made me feel bet |
ter and 1 commenced to have hopes |
in view of the presidents sympathy
and kindness.
"'Then the bell rang again and the
messenger once more told me to fol-
low him into the committee room. I
lost hope when I saw the business
like look on the PRESIDENTS face. But
the next minute I was the happiest
chap in London, for he said:
"'Smith, procure for yourself the
uniform of probationary flying Of
ficer and report to the Training Centre
at BEDFORD. We wish you luck. Go
away, and do weE.'"
He rose and shook hands with the
overwhelmed "Tubby," who stumbled
out of the room, down the stairs and
into the open air. Two hours after
ward he was being measured for a
uniform and a week later saw him a
budding young flying officer at. the
Air Training Centre.
"Tubby'' said little, but he thought
whole lot. He found he disliked,
and almost feared, flying; but he at
tackled his work with a grim deter
mination to succeed that contrasted
with his somewhat weak face. Under
the influence of Air Service training
the bend in his back disappeared.
Three months later when he passed
his exams satisfactorily you never
would have suspected him of once be-
ing typical London clerk: A week
later we got him on the East Coast
Defenses as Lieutenant Harold Smith
but once he and 1 got chummy he
confessed to the nickname of '"Tubby"
why the nickname he didn't know.
The Chance For Revenge.
'eTubby'' had one bad fault-the
obsession of his desire for revenge.
But 1 broke him of the habit of
dwelling too much on the subject,
much as I sympathized with him.
| His chance for revenge came on the
February night of the press notice of
his disappearance. I was on duty that
night at headquarters with an I'M
cody amount of weather forecasts.
Three zeppelins passed overhead
between midnight and one o'clock in
the morning, and after them, in pur-
suit, rose the land machines Of the
squadron. -Four hours afterward the
same Zeppelins were reported re-
turning from LANDMARKS over the sta
| ton, apparently unscathed from the
attacks of anti-aircraft guns and aero
planes alike. ''Tubby'' happened to be
with the Commanding Officer when
a message to this effect was received.
MAY I have a Try for them, sir %
he asked.
The c. O.. shrugged his shoulders
| well, I know you're a good pilot and
I know that you can land at night.
It's perfectly calm, If you want to
go, go, but don't get done in
'"Tubby'' reached for my hand and
I was surprised at the strength OF
his grip for he was not strong
Now I can see its significance.
Twenty minutes later ''Tubby'' left
the water in a small sea-plane. For
one about to attack Zeppelins COM
ing from the land his movements ap-
peared curious, for he made no at
tempt to turn and keep over the land
after rising.
Due east, straight out to sea, climb
ing steadily, he headed.
An hour later a destroyer report
ed.
Passed, unknown plane, east, 40
miles, 5000 feet"
1t was ''TutFoy.'' The C. o. swore.
We were at a complete loss to fathom
his game.
Duel of Death
Twenty minutes went by. Another
report from the destroyer:
Passed, one Zeppelin, east, 1o,-
900 feet"
There's something uncanny about
that boys, movement" the c. o. COM
Imented. Then he turned to hear the
report of the land fliers who had JUS
returned from their unsuccessful pur-
suit.
An hour later we got third report
from the destroyer:
by radio from trawler; unknown
aircraft engaged in square"
Square is 200 miles from oul
sea base. I could see what was hap
; pening as though I were in the sea,
plane with "Tubby."
The Zeppelin had oyertaken him
: He had seen it approach from Ms
IScI anu LUTIlSus Liz A0pp udu SGS1
> "Tubby'' and turned its nose up with
the astounding celebrity that we have
been taught to expect when one o.
: them is attacked.
Before he could check his down
ward swoop, "Tubby'' had swept pas
| the great, silvery envelope, and, ma
turally found himself right in the
midst of a hail-storm of machine guI
: bullets. ''Tubby'' was in tight cor
ner. The zepp was above him anc
' he was in its range of fire.
The climb above the Zepp was {
. long and tedious, well-nigh impossi
, be task, and meant that in pursuin:
her he was Withdrawing farther ant
farther away from his home base
He had to choose between return
! ing to safety at his own home base
: or as near as he could get to it on hi
petrol supply-with his work of re
= Ivenge unfinished, or following his en-
;, envy until he once more had an op
portunity to drop his bombs from
superior height above her, and effec
her destruction.
1t was abvious that '"Tubby," tn
{ erstwhile pasty-faced clerk, never he
STATED.
He turned. and in spite of the ma
chine gun fire, followed his recedinj
enemy.
His Petrol Gone
Back there in the base headquar
:, tiers the whole dramatic scene unfold
ed itself before my eyes. 1t was afte
:, dawn and the c. o. remained UP wit,
) me for the finish.
Another hour had gone by when