The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1918-08-14

80 squadron K. n. f., B. f.. f.,
France, July 13, 1918.
, My Dear Mrs. Shaw:
Perhaps a message from one who
has been close companion to your
son during his life in France NAV in
some measure make less heavy the
! burden of your sorrow. In this hope
take the liberty Of writing to YOU, |.
a stranger.
TO US he was "Molly," a name he
brought with him, though how he
came by 1T no one can guess. We were
the first "4anks' in the squadron
Gall Americans being "Yanks" to tbc
| English). "Molly," arriving lust a
few days later than /. Within a weel;
we were joined by John Good, another
OF our countrymcn. We three nat
urally became hut mates, for fellow
Americans III this far off country
seem to bring one many miles nearer
home.
| Not long ago Good, who was flying
rlght beside me in our "formation,"
was shot down by one of the enemy
machines attacking. 1t was his first
"show' over the lme-poor chap. We
missed him, Molly and |, and we two
alone became great chums. Now.
there is but one American and he is
| fmding France an empty place with
out his pilot mate.
The story of "Molly's" success here
/ could tell YOU at length, but no
doubt you have had from his own pen
the account Of his actual work as q
fighting pilot. He did not tell YOU
! though how highly his WORK was re-
garded by his fellow pilots. This he
could not know and it is this that
purpose to tell YOU. In this life of
ours out here there is little thought Of
compliments. If one does well it is
but his duty done. But let man not
90 ms best, he hears Of it shortly,
no one hesltates a minute to inform
him of it. Among ourselves sharinm
each day the same dangers we are
not apt to think one another brave.
one Is abnormal only if he is not
brave With molly" it was a bit DIFF
lcrent. He not only always did his
best but from the day he arrived his
best was the equal of the souadron's
best; ! know that we all regarded
.Niolly' as the most daring and skill
| iul pilot among us. 4 "stout" chan
we say out here, this among flvinp
men being the greatest tribute we can
pay to our heroes. When "Molly"
was ordered to go back of the line
| .Seh HliicS OH dangerous recon
nhlSSancc he went back eighteen or
twenty to bring in Il better and more
accurate report. When he met Huns
lhouEh the odds were greatly against
nm he fought them "AIollv" Shaw
has served his country well.
The circumstances IT his passing
are not known to US here in any de-
'tal. 1t is known that as ne was COM
ing back to the lines after long
reconnaissance he was attacked bv
three Hun machines. Their fire must
nave cut some vital member Of the
machlnc's framing for it broke up in
the air according to a rcport from
one OF our advanced battery positions
at the time must have been mlitc
close | was flying below Il great
white cloud. Just a bit of a plane
Idropped through it and fluttercd idlv
Gown, down. / did not know then.
dld not even guess that one of our
men was fighting alone above the
;clond. Wv
molly" was my best friend on,
here and though ! had known him
but a little while was proud of tbn
Knowing. Always at night before he
went to bed he knclt down bv his
cot and prayed. | loved him for that
In this time of sorrow know That
you have given to the great cause for
which onr country is fighting. 4
TRUE MAN.
Sincerely yours,
IT. BRYAN NJ. BATTEY.
I IL