Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-05-10
Somewhere in France,
March %, 1918.
Things Are STIRRING

w AL GINs
Somewhere in France,
March %, 1918.
Things Are Stirring
Dear Mother:
Yesterday things certainly were
stirring around here, as there was
big attack on all along the line
near here and the rumble, roar and
thunder, of the big guns could be
heard all day. 1t clearing up near
noon. three of us were sent up to
see what we could find. There GER
tainly was bunch of French
planes aloft, but we saw no Boches,
the reason being that we were fly
ing too high, 500 meters. Most
Boche fly around 1000, but these
Frenchmhn will fly high because
it's so safe-no one else is there.
It's a good stunt to fly high, for
you always have the advantage of
coming down on an enemy, but it
is very difficult to see when so high.
It's also cold up there and these
new motors we are using work badly
up high, at least mine does. Any
way, we came down after an hour
or so with nothing to report.
About o'clock, though, when we
were getting ready to eat, a Boche
comes right over camp, despite
shrapnel galore, and not a soul sent
up to chase him.
There we all stood with our
mouths open in awe and admiration
as We watched the Black Zing con-
tinue on its way, with shrapnel max
ing a trail of white puffs behind and
around it. Once they almost got
him, and we aviators laughed at
him stamp her on the, tair' to
change the range, for we had often
done it ourselves. If we thought
that was some daredevil Boche
winning bet we were sadly fooled.
Hell a-POpping
1t seems he was just looking the
ground over, for last night about
midnight he'll sure was popping"
to use a strong expression. for the
Boche had come over in force to
lombard Chalons. and they sure
stirred up the batteries hereabouts.
Shrapnel was bursting all over the
place with puffs of fire and a great
noise. And yet, despite the fact that
pieces of these shells would whistle
past quite often, every one was out
to see the show. Incidentally, the
bunch were some show themselves,
one having only fur coat, another
shivering in his shirt, one with
wooden shoes and no pants. The
ShlliJ lilbhI oil 0OOII hEONC us dIl
but the din continued for an hour
or so, and l now understand why we
have stretched linen for window
panes, for every explosion shook the
house. But between explosions we
could hear the steady hum of the
motors and now and then machine
gun fire. which means the French
men were climbing up also.
One bomb lit some distance from
camp and l believe several dropped
in Chalons.
putnam is now making his sec
ond attempt at frying eggs, the first
resulting in his dropping them both
on the floor, which was we'll done
literally as well as figuratively-in
a way since they had a most pecu-
liar odor. incidentally, some of the
profanity resulting was warm enough
to fry the second batch.
I was out on two patrols to-day,
totaling some two hours and q half
in the air. There are so many
things to think of when one is in
the air that after an hour or so
one is all in. There is the compass
and map to watch keeping tabs on
the engine with watch and other
instruments, besides watching the
leader so you don't run into him or
let him run away, and. last but not
least, keep an eye out for the "black
cross"
Protects His Head
1t was very foggy near the
ground all day. which explained why
we saw nothing during two times
aloft, for the Boches seem to be
fair weather birds. This evening
we did not start until o'clock and
got back when it was nearly dark.
The lieutenant who led us around
sure likes to hunt the Boche. but it
takes him awful long to get ready.
Why, he puts six different coverings
on his head counted them, so l
know. First comes the inevitable
"milady's stocking" (don't look
Mother--this is FranceD
over that he pulled a white silk cap,
then two woolen helmets, both diff
ferent colors, and probably from
different mistresses; then came two
leather helmets. Most every avi-
ator has some kind of fetish from
his ladylove which he firmly believes
will protect him from all harm. L
don't know what the lieutenant's
idea is, but it's a cinch If a bullet
ever hit his head, it would not be
too many things to
pass through first.
The French have their own way
of puniShing aViatorS which are very
effective. About a week ago an or
der was issued here forbidding all
as turning and climbing
at the same time while too near the
ground. Climbing on a turn is the
quickest way to gain height, you
know, and with these powerful,
light little Zings it's quite a tempta-
ton. OF course it's dangerous, but
one deVil-may- Frenchman did
it twice in succession with the result
that he will be sent back to his regi-
ment in the front line trenches for
fifteen days as punishment, which
is come down enough for any avi-
ator to make him obey orders.
Gee, but l am sleepy tonight. Fly
ing makes one so. And since my
right ear is still stopped up from
high attitudes and listening to a
roaring motor for hours, it will take
some bombardment to wake me to-
night.
WALTER.