Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-16
BRITISH AVIATOR TELLS -
HOW HE COT ZEPPELIN
Lieutenant Morrison Says You Do
Not Have to Go to France
for Thrills.
ALMOST HAS GOLD FEET"
Flies Through Wake" OF Zepp and
Finds Airship Over Avolurch Ar
scnal = Searchlights Locate Hun
Baby Killer.
international News Bureau1
BY LIEUT.. GEORGE, MORRISON

by LIEUT.. GEORGE MORRISON.
LONDON. June l5.-You don't have to
go to France for thrills. I've been over
there and L know what it's like. Ger
tainly. there's no Eainsay,ng the fact
that flying in Franco has a hundred
times more OF the touch and go for
life. But just so long as the Huns
persist in butchering our women and
children at home I'm satisfied to re-
main here. You see the business OF
getting and standing off their aircraft
over little England and sending them
scuttling back to Hun!and with their
tails between their legs is far from
being dull. It's all the more exciting
because you always work at night and
we work a great deal more often than
you read about It In the press.
/ have been asked to tell my best"
story in my own way. but don't get dis
couraged by the way l begin it. I've
been asked so often, and In no gentle
way either, whether l wouldn't get
more action in the west that 1 can't
help Selling the opportunity to empha-
size the fact that there's plenty OF
action with Aerial Defense Squadron
NJ, right here at home, not SO very far
away from old London. But to tell my
best" story.
We got word this night OF nights
that Zcpps were nearing the coast
from the major. commanding. They
had been picked up by some destroyer
as they flew across the North Sea.
The wireless and telephone did the
rest. It was close on to midnight and
some twenty of US were Goss!pping in
the lounging room where the major
came in and asked whose turn it was
to go out. Several officers including
myself proved as we say. and the
major ordered the others off to their
quarters.
You had better set away ana stand
by your machines 10 leave when we
get more details" said the major to
those of US who remained We lost no
time in Carrying out his order.
had been feeling bad enough all
day, but when looked up and saw
that It could have been worse night
for the Zepps my feelings weren't I'M
proved. You see, on the previous night.
the squadron had lost one OF It's pest
liked officers and he happened to be
nv most intimate friend. 1t sounds
cruel to say 1t. but mourning has no
placo in war time and the less one
thinks Of n mess mate dead and gone
the better his chances are for not be-
ing afflicted with cold feet'-which IS
loss of nerve in the airman's vernacu-
lar.
Nevertheless, I couldn't get rid OF
his finish in the branches Of big oak.
Testing my engine did succeed TO
some extent in throwing off the deprcs-
sion and when l strapped mysel! IN inc
s.,t I felt n good oldfashioncd long
ing for revenge working up inside inc.
You can wager I was glad. You see
man who goes UP in = .unk n'shI
Just as we'll stay down on inc Erou"u
NV orders came. They wcFeht
hit definite Just gave me the scan'E
Information that one Iepp was headins
due west for the city ana ihal III.
others he'd been missed by the IAN"
defense posts or were lost. was "
separate from my mates ana rove III
Will.
Well. l got going. 1t was clear
enough so that the stars shonc. but the
moon was obscure and great banks OIL
clouds were racing through the heaN
ems Tn about thousand feet coniu
see through the light mist the hcuGcS
and woods and the ponds ana rivers
and the stray lights OF cottages, rms
business OF dying at night, however,
will never be popular as n pastime'
assure YOU but when you're after big
game you don't mind.
TERRIBLE LONELINESS OF
NIGHT FLYING
climbed to 10000 feet before be.
ginning n swift, semi-circuiar patrol
far outside of the city. Then ! lett the
engine out covered ground TO It's unit.
But no sigp, or the HePp OF |spps
After half an hour OF this l com
menced TO wonder whether l had miss
ed the Zepp and right away the d!sap-
Npointment made my spirits drop. IL
YOU have never flown at night you've
no idea OF what the last word In lone
illness Is. You can't hear ana you can
see. The roar of the old engine seems
~ ke yOur more
nounced. The subdues glow of the largo
towns and villages has the same effect.
Something couldn't account for
made me decide TO head In for London
and as did there came the sudden
thought that l might be on the verge
Of cold feet"
cold feet" had not affected me be-
fore. but there's no telling when it
will get you-no discredit to the man.
either. You see it may be caused by
Ill health. overwork. everything. or
by run OF unavoidable bad luck. lis
effects are curious too. I've known the
sound OF an engine TO upset 4 man
even when he was on earth. Like most
others with cold feet 4 lay-on OF IL
couple of weeks cured this man.
came out of these musings just
about the moment l had made certain
| was right for London y queer rock
ing Of the machine did the trick.
Once before l had zone through that
rocking at night and It had turned
out to be. what might cal! the wake
OF n Zepp. could sec nothing.
could never forget it.
My speed showed seventy. 7 crowded
II up to eighty. How soon would
catch up? There was no telling but
knew ii wouldn't be long. The Hun
was at my sweet pleasure II | did.
began praying that / would catch up
before he started his dcvlish work
thought OF my comrade the night
before as l squinted through the black
night ahead of me. No cold feet" now.
Sounds like n pennythrill l warrant.
TO the armchair reader. but this war
has made penny thrilers resemble
pacifist propaganda.
The wake" OF the Zepp had ceased
The plane was driving ahead now like
carrier pigeon. For fully ten minutes
l doubt If 1 moved a muscle or winkcd
an eye.
Then. just as the tension grew pain
full brilliant light spread out far be-
low re and some distance ahead. It lit
up the earth but left tho upper air
still in darkness.
1t was the Zepp. locating himself.
In the light I sDOttcd tho Thames