Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1918-05-09

On both occasions the caucisses were well de-
Tended by their mitrailleuses, and antiaircraft
guns also active against the French scout
To get the second Drachen Soulicr had to de-
scend to altitude Of 400 meters, and attack
very close to the enemy. His machine shelled,
but he succeeded in forcing the enemy to earth.
The enemy observer sought to escape, but was
killed because his parachute failed to work
properly.
October 16 proved to be Of the busiest days
Of Sergeant Soulier's career. Since entering the
service he had been engaged in working in the
region of the Somme. The wood of Saint Pierre
Vast was then favOrite meeting ground for ae-
rial combats Since starting out in the morning
this particular occasion Soulier had engaged
in six combats with enemy machines, and had
forced one Of them to make landing Bour-
chavesnes At the conclusion Of this series Of COM
bats he suddenly encountered three nviatiks. BY
the adroit manipulation of his machine. for which
he is famous, and which has led Ills government
to send him to this country ap exemplar of
"stunt" flying Soulier succeeded in keeping out of
the way of the other two of these machines while
attacking and forcing to earth the third.
On this occasion luck was with him in every
way, for the aviatik was brought down within the
French lines and the infantry recognized the
French scout. so that there difficulty in
obtaining an official confirmation.
In the course of reconnaissance with COM
rade to the east of Peronne over enemy terri
tory Sornier suffered reverse Of fortune few
days later Three airplanes launched themselves
in the direction of the two French machines, and
Soulier's comrade, badly wounded, soon
obliged to abandon the combat. AS Soulier pre-
pared to attack, his machine shiVered violently.
A blade of his propeller had been broken by
charge from the enemy mitrailleuse The en-
counter took place at height OF 5000 meters.
Soulier's damaged machine spiralled and fell more
than thousand meters.
Feeling himself lost If the motor detached it.
self the pilot cut off the power, corrected the ma
chine, and let himself fall vertically not to
involve the motor. By good luck wind from the
east carried him within the French lines and
he was succored by the infantry and brought back
to camp under enemy fire.. His injuries were
merely bruises from which he soon recovered.
The good luck of the Benjamin OF the aces did
not desert him, for some time later IN returning
to camp in the darkness at four o'clock in the
morning it was necessary for him to make
landing without light His machine crashed
to the ground, but he again extrcated himself from
the debris practically unhurt
In December, 1915, Soulier was again cited in
orders for operations against the enemy in Cham
payne, including the bringing down If an en-
envy machine and firing on an enemy column.
In the spring Of 1917 Brocard's scouts were sent
to the environs of Fisme, and Coulter. with the
other members Of the N-28, went into quarters
near Bonnie Masson A large number Of enemy
aviators, we'll equipped with new machines, were
operating in the vicinity.
May g. 1917 was another busy day .or Soulier.
His work began in the morning by starlight while
he was patrolling the region Of dAnfontaine
and Pronvais. Seeing enemy airplane, he
brought it down with few charges but, as so