Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1918-07-12

Meganic, where we were to auariry
for service in France.
Our squadron consisted Of nine
Americans, c. c. Robinson, Il. A. NIL
Ter, F. s. McClurg, A. A. Allen, z. b.
Garnet, ii. K. Boysen. n. A. Smeeton
and A. A. Taylor. and myself, and nine
Britishers. Paul 81. Raney. ]. r. Park,
G. Nelmes. G. r. Moore. T. L. Atkin-
son, F. c. Conry. A. Muir, e. A. L. f.
Smith and A. c. Jones.
Within few weeks after our ar
rival In England all Of us had won our
"wings'-the insignia worn on the
left breast by every pilot on the west
ern front.
We were all sent to a place In
France known as the Pool Pilots Mess.
Here men gather from all the training
squadrons In Canada and England and
await assignments to the particular
squadron Of which they are to become
members.
The Pool Pilots Mess is situated a
few miles back Of the lines. When
ever pilot is shot down or killed the
Pool Pilots Mess is notified to send an.
other to take his place.
There are so many casualties every
day in the R. F. c. at one point of
the front or another that the demand
for new pilots is quite active, but when
fellow Is itching to get into the fight
as badly as / and my friends were
must confess that we got little i'm
patient. although we realized that
every time new man was called II
meant that some one else had, In all
probability. been killed, wounded or
captured.
One morning an order came In for
4 scout pilot and one of my friends
was assigned. can tell you the rest
OF US were as envious of him as IL It
were the last chance any of us were
ever going to have to get to the front.
AS 1t was, however. hardly more than
three hours had elapsed before an
other wire was received at the mess
and / was ordered to follow my
friend. I afterward learned that as
soon as he arrived at the squadron he
prevailed upon the commanding off,
Ger Of the squadron to wire for me.
At the Pool Pilots Mess 1t was the
custom Of the officers to wear shorts"
-breeches that are about eight inches
long, like the boy scouts wear, leav-
Ing a space Of about eight inches of
open country between the top of the
puttees and the end of the shorts. The
Australians wore them in Saloniki and
at the Dardanelles.
When the order came in for me. I
had these shorts" on, and didn't
have time to change into other clothes.
Indeed. l was In such a sweat to get
to the front that If had been In my
pajamas I think would have gone
that way. As 1t was, it was raining
and l threw an overcoat over me.
Jumped into the machine, and we made
record time to the airdrome to which
had been ordered to report.
As I alighted from the automobile
my overcoat blew open and displayed
my manly form attired In shorts" in.
stead Of in the regulation flying
breeches, and the sight aroused con-
siderable commotion In camp.
Must be a Yankee!' l overheard
one officer say to another as ap-
preached, "No one but Yankee would |
have the cheek to show up that way, |
you knowI"
But they laughed good-naturedly as |
came up to them, and welcomed me
to the squadron, and ! was soon very |
much at home.
My squadron was one of four sta
toned at an alrdrome about eighteen
miles back of the Ypres line. There
were IL pilots in our squadron, which
was scout squadron. scout machines
carrying but one man.
A scout, sometimes called a fighting |
scout, has no bomb dropping or recon-
noitering to do. His duty is just to |
fight. or, as the order was given to me.
"You are expected to pick fights and |
not wait until they come to your
When bomb Sdroppers go out over
the lines In the DAYTIME scout SQUAD
fNn~k,~,..~ = =. Il