The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-07-30
British Air Squadron Patrols
For Two Hours Without
Sighting Hun Aircraft
DESCRIBES EARTH AS
SEEN FROM AIRPLANE
Local Boy Says War Will
Have Its Compensations
When Peace Comes


ceived from Lieut.. Curtis Kinney,
who has just returned to the front
from two weeks leave in Paris.
Yesterday | had my first flight af-
ter returning from leave. We were
scheduled for patrol at five. At five
minutes to five, | got into my bus and
ran up my engine. 1t was working
fine. Evidently the filter had taken
good care of 1t during my absence.
After throttling down to 600 revo-
lutions, waved to my mechanic who
took the chocks from the front of the
machine, and | TAXED out to the air
drome. flew for n minute, getting
the feel, and then saw "a, the bus
that was to lead the patrol, leave the
ground and start climbing. did
quick turn and fell into my position
on its right and soon we were Off.
Headed east, we climbed steadily
until we had reached $4,000 feet; l
looked down and saw the many famil-
lar landmarks which greet airmen,
like old friends who are tried and
true.
There was Adinfer wood, with its
two prongs resembling the first and
little fingers of your hand, pointing
northwest. If you fly in the direction
of the north prong, you will find your
self over Arras with its many straight
roads running out of it like the
spokes of a wheel; to DOulliers, st.
Pol Lens, Cambrai and Baupanme.
Bois du Biez From this we can see
Albert, and running north from that
reddish-brown patch of ruins, the An.
ere river, on the west bank of which
is the strongly contested Arslung
Wood. Then, south of Albert, like a
bit of green string, making innumer-
able SIS on a brown and green floor
is the Somme, winding its way to
Amiens and to the sea.
These are all, as you know, first
line landmarks; and, In the present
state of supremacy in the air which
we now enjoy in our sector, we have
as much opportunity to become as ia
miliar with them as you do with the
well-known objects on your front
lawn.
1t was the Fourth of July on which
! had my first flight after returning
from leave and we longed for a good
scrap with which to celebrate the oc-
casion. but we flew over the lines for
two hours and did not see single
Hun machine.
When patroling the lines for hours
without the least excitement, one
flies almost by instinct, and the mind,
leaving the formation, darts to other
things. Yesterday, up there 14,OOO
feet above the lines, thought of my
leave in Paris, how pleasant it had
been; then of the three chaps who,
through misjudgment, had gone
west" during my short absence. None
of them had had that delightful ex.
perience of first leave from the front.
Then ] thought OF the war; the men
in the air and on the ground, carry
ing on almost indefinitely. With wha,
Joy will they return to the peace anu
quiet of their homes when 1t is over
How sweet will be the scent of flow
ers, children's laughter and the ten
derness of woman. Thank God, the
war will have its compensations. The
end of killing will mean a greater In
terest in living Those who have sal
face to face with death on the battle
front with light heart, thrown the
dice for life and won, will return big
ger, noDler, more generous spirited
men.
We returned to our airdrOme at
quarter past seven and reported INC
l.. A. (enemy aircrafD seen; activity
normal" That is what a job Is like
in peace warfare.