The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-15

excuse offers itself for making a close
inspection OF Germany from above.
When We get Heinie on the run ana
can follow him home, we sometimes
drive him down near the tree tops, if
the arches are not too busy.
"Once in awhile we take a chance
and strafe the German trenches from
above. I once got down so low after
an attack that 1 could see the men
very clearly and could get targets to
casions that We ever get close to Ger
many and most of our views are from
high up.
Looks Much Like France.
TITS surprising how much like
France Germany docs look. Your
imagination pictures something differ
ent as soon as you cross the lines.
There are the same rolling plains and
hills and woods and villages.
Civilian activity, that can be seen
from high attitudes, is less, I think,
than on our side, tho that r1ay be be-
cause we fly lower when on the home
side. We can see automobiles and
trains and strings of wagons now and
then on the roads. The German
trenches are more in evidence than
ours and these stretch back for miles
behind the lines. Right up to them
tho, the Germans are cultivating the
soil and their farms are easily spot
IeO. Inc. rdllTOdQS over lneTo look
about the same as those on this side
of the line. In several places the lines
on this side run up to No Mans Land
and then are smashed up for way,
but continue on the German side of
the line. 1t seems wrong that there
should be no connection.
No Mans Land Plowed Up.
mo Mans Land usually looks very
much plowed up. We are glad to see
that, tho probably we are the only
ones who are 1t gives US definite
assurance of where home is. Often
you are in doubt and if you happened
to cross the lines where No Mans
Land is not shot to pieces you are not
sure of your position. Some of the
boys have gone great distances back,
looking for towns or landmarks they
recognized and one chap lost his way
so completely he landed in Switzer-
land when his gasoline gave out.
THE villages are fairly well bat
tered on both sides, tho unles they
are in ruins, you can not tell from
above how much damaged they are.
Some are completely obliterated and
are but a mass of stone and plowed
ground. The larger cities are easily
seen and large factories can be easily
spotted.
Earth Isn't Soft.
Germany looks rather peaceful
from above and there seems to be lit
tie disturbing them back ways from
the line. That is where an airmans
point of view is defective. A German
and his fields look as soft as ours.
Probably they are, which is not very
soft. Any field covered with grass al
ways looks soft and you think it would
make a fine landing place. When you
get down lower and are forced to land
on any old field that happens to be
under you, sometimes when you're EN-
panne, you learn differently. Trees
you didn't see stick in the covered
field to turn you over. Barbed wire
stretches along the country and you
cannot see it, either. With ordinary
breaks of luck you can land safely if
you are on the right side of the line
when your motor cuckoos, but what
is very important is that ordinary
break of luck, as one of the boys put
1t. Mother earth isn't half as soft
a. you anticipate when you touch
ner."