The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-02-09
Episode Illustrative Of One OF
Many Diverse Phases
of the War.
CLOSE VIGILANCE NECESSARY
Three Whistles; Presto, Battery Cam
oufIaged!-in This Instance Ven
turesome German Machine
Plunged TO Earth.

London.-The airplane sentry sat
on his solitary mound in the middle or
the field in the hot sunshine. His bust
ness was TO watch for hostile airplaneS
and warn the battery of their APP
proach 1t does not sound a very ardu-
Gus business, but ii is one that requires
considerable training if mistakes are
to be avoided. Airplanes fly too high
nowadays for their distinguishing
marks to be diSCerned, even through
the best glasses. The sentry must be
able to detect the enemy as soon as he
1omes in sight, at whatever angle he
may happen to be flying; and with so
many different types of machine in the
air this requires experience and a
quick eye.
The experience he had gained by be-
Ing attached for some days to an anti
aircraft battery whose business it was
50 spot all hostile planes at once;
thickness of vision was inbred in him.
for he had an Englishman's love of
sport. The attitude of watchfulneSs
seemed natural to him as he sat with
his glass slung round his neck, his eyes
searching the skies all about him.
A couple Of hundred yards away, the
battery was ar the height Of its morn
ing toilet. The big guns were uncOv-
cred and the limber-gunnerS and their
assistants were performing the morn
Ing additions of their charges, washing
out the boreS and scrubbing them with
the long-handled piasaba brushes that
take four men to push through. The
artificer was testing air preSsureS; the
section officers and their layers were
busy with the sights. Behind the guns,
again. groups of men were laying shells
I'm rows, taking them from the heaps in
which they had been dumped by the
ammunition column during the night.
The whole orchard was a scene of ac-
tivity. and cOncealment was out Of the
question while it lasted.
Sudden Transformation.
Suddenly the airplane sentry stood
M gazed at distant speck in the sky
through his glasses for few seconds,
then blew three blasts upon his whis-
file. Before the echoes had died away
a furious scene-shifting began in the
battery. The cleaning squads put
down their utensils and drew up the
.run-covers, the artificer put his span
ners in his pocket and sprang under
the nearest tree, where he was joined
nv the section officers and their assist
.nts. The shell numbers hastily COW
cred their work with leaves and brush
wood, and hid themselves under cover
of the shed that acted as an ammuni
ton store. In ten seconds, where all
the activity had been the sharpest eye
would have seen nothing but compact
orchard, with here and there group Of
men sheltering under trees. invisible
from the air.
The German airplane made a wide
sweep over the lines at great height,
tbe nucleus of scattered pattern Of
.brapnel that burst all around 1t,
Ieaylng puffs of smoke that hung like
cottonwood against the clear blue Of
.be sky. Then, apparently not liking
tbe look Of couple of British fighters
that rose to pursue 1t. it made off,
,r,thout having been anywhere near
.ne battery. The airplane sentry blew
sic whistle once more and the covers
were stripped off the guns and the in
corrupted work went on again.
A Second Invitation.
nut the sentry reloubled his vigi-
a.nce.. The battery had made itself