Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1918-07-26


still wore this cap, and as was taken
into the courtyard, my overcoat cover
Ing my uniform, all that the British
officers, who happened to be summing
themselves in the courtyard, could see
was the red cap. They afterwards told
me they wondered who the bug Hun"
was with the bandage on his mouth.
This cap managed 10 keep with me,
but was never allowed TO wear II on
the walks we took. either went bare
headed or borrowed cap from some
other prisoner.
At certain hours each day the pris-
oners were allowed to mingle in the
courtyard. and on the first occasion Of
this kind found that there were IL
officers imprisoned there besides my
self.
They had here interpreters who
could speak all languages. One Of
them was mere boy who had been
born in Jersey City. N. J., and had
spent all his life In America until
the beginning Of 1914. Then he moved
with his folks to Germany. and when
he became Of military age the Huns
forced him into the army. think II
the truth were known he would much
rather have been fighting for America
than against her.
] found that most Of the prisoners
remained at COurtrai only two or
three days. From there they were In
variably taken to prisons in the inte-
rior Of Germany.
Whether 1t was because was an
American Or because / was a flyer,
don't know. but this rule was not fol-
lowed In my case. / remained there
two weeks.
During this period Courtrai was con-
stantly bombed by our airmen. Not q
single day or night passed without one
or more air raids. In the two weeks
! was there counted 21 Of them. The
town suffered great deal Of damage.
Evidently our people were aware that
the Germans had a lot Of troops con-
centrated In this town and besides the
headquarters staff was stationed there.
The kaiser himself visited Courtrai
while was in the prison. was told By
one Of the interpreters, but he didn't
Call on me, and FOR obvious reasons
couldn't call on him.
The courtyard was not q very popu-
lar place during air raids. Several
times when our airmen raided that
section In the day time I went out and
watched the machines and the shrap-
mel bursting all around; but the Ger
mans did not crowd out there, for their
own antiaircraft guns were hammer
ing away to keep our planes as high
In the sky as possible. and shells were
likely to fall in the prison yard any
moment. OF course I watched these
battles at my own risk. Many nights
from my prison window I watched
with peculiar interest the air raids
carried on, and 1t was a wonderful
sight with the German searchlights
playing on the sky, the flaming on
ions" fred high and the burst Of the
antlaircraft guns, but rather an un-
comfortable sensation when Eealized
that perhaps the very next minute a
bomb might be dropped on the building
In which l was prisoner. Bat per-
haps all Of this was better than no
excitement at all, for prison life soon
became very monotonous.
One Of the hardest things had to
endure throughout the two weeks /
spent there was the sight Of the Hun
machines flying over CourtraI, know
Ing that perhaps / never would have
another chance to fly, and / used to sit
by the hour watching the German ma.
chimes maneuvering over the prison,
as they had an airdrome not far away
and every afternoon the students-or
! took them for students because their
flying was very poor-appeared over
the town. One certain Hun seemed to
find particular satisfaction In flying
right down over the prison nightly, for
my special discomfort and benefit, 1t
seemed. as II he knew an airman Inn
prisoned there was vainly longing to
try his wings again over their lines.
But used to console myself by say
ing: "Never mind, old boy, there was
never bird whose wings could not
be clipped II they get him Just right,
and your turn will come some day."