The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-04-20

squadron NO lV@
had been picked for an earlyfnorn'
Ing reconnaissance.
We were cold and grouchy when
We turned up for final Instructions
from the "capitaine d'Esauadrille'
We had gone over the maps after
dinner the previous night. and knew
the exact location OF the railway
junction activities upon which we
had orders TO spy.
Sky Ilrightcns
The eastern sky wRs beginning to
brighten as we tuned UP our Spads.
Eyes were turned TO the far end Of
the field. waiting for the rising sun
to make u possible 90 nee the fringe
Of surrounding poplarH. 800 yards
of. Then {, would b. light enough
TO ny.
Get into your machines" Capt
I.arney commanded.
We obeyed We nodded that we
were ready.
"Aiions, Depart was the mex,
command. and away we went There
was thin. lowlying mist. 20 we
flew off close together. 30 as not 10
lose each other.
Reach Objective
We spifnlcd upward until our att
meters registered 5000 meters. and
then shot out over the lines. The
SCARED. torn and dcsolate battle
ground. with It's trenches. dugouts.
soldiers and oorpses was hidden
from our gaze by a rumpled blanket
OF fog
IN where we were the sun
was now shining. Shut out
from the earth. We were safe
from the attentions Of the Ger
man anti.airrraft guns. All we
had 10 do was 20 keep an eye
op~n for German air patrols.
Had u been clear below we
would not have dared pass over
the German lines Mt such low al
titude.
Flying by compass. we presently
reached our first objectve-an I'm.
portant railroad terminal. a point Of
debarkaiion for munitions. troops
md supplies. Its location was be
traycd by piumes OF steam pushed
upward thru the fog blanket They
looked like giant mushrooms emery
Ing from snow.
got out my pencil and pad and
plumes and the direction OF those
that were moving.
IL the day had been clearer we
would have made an effort to count
the number OF cars to n train. How.
ever. this was not absolutely neccs-
Hary. because. owing TO the shortage
Of locomotive equipment in Ger.
many. u can always be safely as
stunned that each locomotive is being
worked 10 capacity. But as the ca.
pacity OF a locomotive for artillery
and for troops Is very different. we
would have got out our field glasses
TO get the proportion OF flat TO box
cars BOX or passenger cars mean
infantry. or perhnpl cavalry. but
flat cars nearly always mean that
artillery or heavy shells are being
moved.
Active in Morning
The knowledge that artillery is be-
ing brought up In quantities is vi
tally important II indicates that an
offensive IL being prepared.
We know from past experience.
or intelligence officers. and from
spies and prisoners. what every rail
way is used for. and the particular
sectors OF the front each junction
feeds. Upon these scraps OF infor.
nation picked up by the eyes Of
the army" Gen. Headquarters de-
ponds for It's first warning OF a pro
jccted offensive.
Early morning IL very active. and
nobody wants TO be forced down by
high German patrol on the last
lap and find his engine 20 dead on
him for lack of Juice before he can
get back on his course. We allow
half an hour for the flight out. half
an hour for observation. and half an
hour for the return. That gives us
an hour for diversions"
You may have bumped your ma.
chine when getting away in the half
leak in your tank, without know.
ing II, In the dark. you cannot read
your essence gauge.
As we flew back, rocking our ma |
chimes from side 10 side so we could !
look below at each roll, the sun was !
dissipating the ground fog,
Thousands OF feet under me |
could see little ants racing along |
the white roads, miniature sausage |
balloons being sent up. tiny air |
planes being hauled out of dwarf |
hangers, and thousands OF dots In |
close formation moving across open |
spaces-and all the other prepare.
tons for another day of war.