The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-22

OF theirSi
But right then came the hottest sit
nation In the mir ! had ever expert
enced up TO that time. The depth of
my dive had brought me within reach
OF the machine guns from the ground.
and they uiso put barrage around me
of shrapnei from anfialrcraft guns
nnd had an opportunity to- ride the
barrage." as they call IL In the X. +. &.
To make the situation more interest
ing. they began shooting '.fiaminG on
ions" at me. thinning onions" are
rockets shot from u rocket gun They
nre used to hit a machine when II is
dying low. and they are effective up
TO about five thousand feet. Some
times they are shot up one after an
other Ia strings uf about eight. and
they are one Of the hardest things to
70 through. II they hit the machine.
II Is bound TO catch fire and then the
jig Is up.
tucked by "Archie"-the antiaireraft
gun. escaped the machine guns and
the flaming onions bur Archie the
aptlaireraft 1re. got me four or five
times Every time a bullet plugged
toe. or rather my machine. IL made q
loud bang. on account OF the tension
On the material covering the wings.
None ct ;i.-ir shots hurt rne uniit
] was abotst mile from our lines. and
then they hif my motor. Fortunately.
l still had altitude enough TO drift on
20 our own side of the lines. for my
motor was completely out OF commits
zion. They just raised the dickens
with me NIL the time ] wns descend
log, and ! began 10 think ! would
strike the ground before crossing the
line. but there was q slight wind In
thy favor. and u carried me two miles
behind our lines There the balloons
had gone cut 10 get had the sstisfac-
ticn of ..pin.pointinr- me. Through
the directions which they were able TO
give TO their artillery they commenced
sheilinr my machine where II lay
This particular work Is TO direct the
FIRE Of their artillery. and they are
used Just us the artillery observation
airpianes are. Usually two men are
stationed In each balloon. They ascend
to height 81 several thousand feet
about five miles behind their own lines
and nre equipped with wireless and
signaling apparatus. They watch the
burst OF their own artillery. check up
the position. get the range. and direct
the next shot
When conditions are favorable they
are able to direct the shots So accu-
rafely that II IL quick work destroying
the object OF their attack. II WAS such
balloon as this that got my position.
marked me out. called for an artillery
shot. and they commenced sheiIing my
machine where Il lny. II ! had got
The two balloons instead OF the air
plane. ! probably would not have lost
my machine. for he would In NIL proba-
bility have gone on home and not both
cred about getting my range and caus-
Ing the destruction of my machine.
] landed In a part Of the country
that was literally covered with shell
holes Fortunately my machine was
not badly damaged by the forced land
Ing. leisurely got out. walked around
IL to zee what the damage was, and
concluded that it could be easily re-
paired. In fact. thought II I could
find n space long enough between shell
holes TO get n start before leaving the
ground that would be able to fly on
from there.
! wns still examining my plane and
considering the matter of few slight
repairs. without any particular thSught
for my own safety In that unprotected
spot. when shell came whizzing
through the mir. knocked me to the
ground and landed few feet away.
II had no sooner struck than ! made
a run for cover and crnwled into n
shell hole. would have liked TO get
farther away. but didn't know where
the next shell would hurst. and l
thought I was fairly safe there, SO
squatted down and let them blaze
awny.
The only damage ! suffered was
from the mud which splnttcrcd mp In
my fnce and over my clothes. That
WINS my Introduction to u shell hole.
md resolved right there 'hnt the In
fnniry conId have all the sheil-hole
fighting they wanted. but II did not
appeal TO me. though they live In them
through many long night and I had
only sought shelter there for q few
minutes.
After the Germans had completely
demolished my machine and ceased
firing. ! waited there short time,
fearing perhaps they might send over
n lucky shot. hoping to get me after
all. Hut evidently they concluded
cnoiigi shells had been wasted on one
mnn. I crnwied out cautiously. shook
the mud on. and ] looked over in the
direction where my machine had once