Gilpin observer., 1918-07-18


forehead to the back Of my head al
most as big as my shoe-and that is
saying considerable. I couldn't move
an inch without suffering intense pain,
and when the doctor told me that 1
had no bones broken I wondered how
a fellow would feel who had.
German officers visited me that
morning and told me that my machine
went down in a spinning nose dive
from a height of between 5000 and
1900 feet, ard they had the surprise
OF their lives when they discovered
that I had not been dashed to pieces.
They had to cut me out Of my machine,
which was riddled with shots and shat
tered to bits.
A German doctor removed the bullet
from my throat, and the first thing he
said to me when I came to was, "You
are an Americana"
There was no denying 1t, because
the metal Identification disk on my
wrist bore the inscription:
"P. OBJ.
q. 8. A.
r. f. O."
Although I was suffering intense
agony, the doctor, who spoke perfect
English, insisted upon conversing with
me.
"You may be all right as sports
man." he declared. "but you are a
ID murderer just the same for be-
Ing here. You Americans who got into
this thing before America came into
the war are no better than common
murderers and you ought to be treated
the same wayw
The wound In my mouth made 1t i'm
possible for me to answer him, and 1
was suffering too much pain to be
hurt very much by anything he could
say.
he asked me II I would like an
applet I could just as easily have
eaten a brick.
When he got no answers out Of me,
he walked away disgustedly.
"You don't have to worry any more"
he declared, as a parting shot. "For
you the war Is over"
I was given a little broth later in
the day, and as began to collect my
thoughts I wondered what had hap
pened to my comrades in the battle
which had resulted SO disastrously to
me. As began to realize my plight
I worried less about my physical con-
dition than the fact that, as the doc
tod had pointed out, for me the war
was practically over. I had been in 1t
but short time. and now I would be
a prisoner for the duration Of the war !
The next day some German flying
officers visited me. and must say they
treated me with great consideration.
They told me Of the man I had brought
down. They said he was q Bavarian
and fairly good pilot. They gave me
his hat as souvenir and compliment
ed me on the fight I had put up.
My helmet, which was of soft
leather, was split from front to back
by bullet from a machine gun, and
they examined it with great interest.
When they brought me my uniform
found that the star Of my rank which
had been on my right shoulder strap
had been shot Off clean. The one on
my left shoulder strap they asked me
for as souvenir, as also my R. f. @.
badges, which gave them. They al |
lowed me to keep my "wings," which |
I wore on my left breast, because they |
were aware that that is the proudest |
possession Of British flying officer.
think am right in saying that the |
only chivalry in this war on the Ger
man side Of the trenches has been dis
played by the officers of the German |
flying corps. which comprises the pick |
Of Germany. They pointed out to me
that 1 and my comrades were fighting
purely for the love of 1t, whereas they
were fighting in defense of their coun-
try, but still. they said, they admired
us for our sp0rtsmanship. I had a no.
ton to ask them II dropping bombs on
London and killing SO many innocent
people was In defense Of their country,
but l was In no position or condition
to pick quarrel at that time.
That same day a German officer was |
brought into the hospital and put in
the bunk next to mine. OF course I
casually looked Mt him, but did not |
pay particular attention to him at that |
time. He lay there for three or four
hours before did take a real good
look at him. was positive that he
could not speak English, and naturally
l did not say anything to him. Once
when L looked over in his direction his,
eyes were on me. and to my surprise
ne said, very sarcastically, "What the
- -- -n~ '""tirs st" and then !