The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-10-23
AIRMEN LOST IN THE
DENSE CLOUDS
But He Found the German Lines
All Right

How az airman got lost in the
clouds, and after a thrilling expert
ence, during which he was shelled by
"Archies" and fired on by pursuing
enemy machines, eventually was the
means OF turning u battle in favor of
the French, as told by Captain Paul
Bewsher, British soldier.
The pilot was flying i'll France
from one airdrome to another we'll be-
hind the lines. His was the last ma
chine of flight of five, which struck
across country and soon afterward
ran into clouds. He lost sight Of his
companions and eventually found him
self over n rolling sea Of clouds, quite
alone.
Looking around the sky he saw in
the distance several black specks.
Thinking they were his companions,
he turned around and flew straight
toward them. But when he drew
near they dived down upon him fir
ing their machine guns. He had a
quick vision of black Maltese cross,
and realizing that he was hopelessly
outnumbered he put his nose down
and sped away.
His compass showed him that he
was flying due east, away from his
own lines. He could not turn, for
wherever he looked behind he saw the
group of machines not far behind his
tail Fo. 20 minutes he flew, hotly
pursued, across the endless carpet OF
white clouds, and at last outdistanced
the Germans. Now, knowing that he
was we'll over German occupied terri
tory, he turned once more and flew
due west fcT half an hour.
He then throttled down and drift
ed slowly down through the sunllt
cloud barrier, until he came in view
of the gray familiar world below, and
at once began to look out for an
airdrome or which to land. He saw
group of hangars some ten or tif-
teen miles away. Across country to
it he flew and began TO land. He
drew nearer and nearer to the grounC
! glided over the trees and began tt
''hatten out" few feet off the sur
face of the airdrome, when suddenly
to his am&Zement, he saw once more
the black crosses on the aerOplane!
beneath him. He was still in th(
midst of the enemy. Even as h
realized the truth, the Germans be
gan firing machine guns at him, while
excited mechanics began swinging
the propellers Of the machines il
lorder 20 start the engines.
He could not climb, as that woult
be to lose too much needful speet
and distance. He kept only a fey
feet off the ground, and saw his Onl.
chance was to fly back toward TIL
lines very low Jumping over tree
and hedges as best he could, he fic
away, pursued by the angry Ge1ma
hounds which he could see q mile o
so behind him. He now realized tha
"a stiffisr wind had been blowing fror
the west, which had carried him fa
behind ,-hc lines, and he had not a
lowed himself enough time before h
dived through the clouds.
Meanwhile he flew on, pursued hot
ly for the second time, and drew nea
the lines. Ahead of him he could Sc
cloudy turmoil of smoke and burs
ing shells and flying earth. A bi
attack Was evidently in progres
The air was full of the white puff
of the sh;rpnel breaking low over I'll
> troops. Straight toward this mae
, strom ne few, and soon machine CUR
J on the ground began to fire on hir
' So slow was he that all around hi
] now the Earrage blazed and roare
. Above the sound of the engines
U could heai the thud and crash of tt
U great shells bursting beneath. Ont
U he felt an instinct to pull back h
U control stick. and as he shot upwal
he saw q sharpnel burst just belo
U him, where he would have been M
he not climbed. These were momen
of intense excitement. Below him
: a certain point he could see gray ma
ses of Germans collecting for a cou
ter attack. He realized that tt
might mean important inforinatio
and so when at last he crossed Il
e | lines he landed as soon as he possib
l. could, crashing into a shell hole.
He crawled out of the wrecka,
a and ran stumbling across the sh'
= torn earth, found a French headqua
e ters near by, and reported what
l. had seen.
n The formation proved of notaf
n Importance. Action was taken
w once, and the tide of that battle w
,e turned in Frances favor. The ne
q day the a:man arrived, but witho
40 a machine at his own airdrome.