Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-21

An ace at twenty; shot down and
captured by the Germans; escaping
prison camp and tramping nights
through Belgium and Holland; knitted
by a Hun bayonet in the back; his
ankle sprained running through a
forest; decorated by King George, and
recommended for the United States
distinguished service cross-these are
the experiences Lieut.. John o. DON
aldson crowded into a space of a few
months.
He is now at the home of his father.
Maj Gen. Donaldson, 1925 Wyoming
avenue, awaiting orders. He stepped
in at the family home unexpectedly,
having been sent from England on the
Celtic, which reached New York
Thursday His father is now in France
as inspector general of the troops at
Tours.
Gets About Quickly.
Presenting modest appearance.
the young hero is disabled by his
sprained ankle and his bayonet
wound, but manages to get about
quickly.
On September he had downed nine
enemy planes, and was himself
brought down right after he had
"shot the engine" of an enemy.
Il managed to glide down, and did
not hurt myself except for few
bruises" he said, but I ran into a
telephone pole and smashed my plane.
THE first thing I saw was this Hun
in his smashed plane, with the flames
enveloping him. 1 tried to pull him
out the first thing, but saw it was no
use. A patrol captured me on the
spot and L was marched back to a
prison camp.
There l met another American avi-
ator who had been taken prisoner.
We were there three days when we
decided to escape or get shot in the
attempt
ION the night of September we
decided to fly away in a Hun plane.
The planes are put in tent hangers.
We tried to pull a plane out. but saw
we would have to take down the tent.
We did.
81 was just turning the propeller to
start the engine. when sentry came
with a gun and ordered US to throw
up our hands. We were this time
sentenced to solitary confinement.
"Ten days later. we got permission
from the Hun commandant to let this
other American aviator. Lieut. Oscar
Mandel of New York, and an English
hours and talk. We were beastly hun
ery All we had was water and musty
black bread. I traded cigarettes for
real food with the sentry and shared
with the boys.
Makes Hole Through Roof.
THAT night we three determined to
escape I dug hole through the roof
big enough for US to get through.
Sneaking down to the canal, we swan
across. We went about a strange
country for six days, when we were
sighted by a German telephone party.
1--WE ran, but Hun chased US and
stabbed me in the back with his bay
onet.
I'VE were again taken back to the
camp. The next attempt we made, we
gian people in homes of occupied ter
ritory fed and hid us. Apparently
they did not try to find us.
I'VE crossed through Belgium at
night, distance of about $50 miles,
Arriving at Brussels, we were taken
clothes, compass. watch and every
thing a person wanted.
1--WE donned this attire, walked
through the streets of Brussels, past
German guards, DuC were not de-
tected. Arriving at the Holland Dor
der. we ran up against the electric
wire fence. We cut the wires and
ran through some woods into Hol-
land. The English soldier was shot
when the Hun guards saw US dash
across the border.
Assisted by Dutch.
1.-THE people Of Holland must be pro-
a1ly. for they helped US and gave us
money to get to the American consul
at Rotterdam. We got on a train, ar
rived. reported to the consul and were
sent to England.
Lieut.. Donaldson said the only thing
that bothered him was the blood run
ming down the back of his legs from
the bayonet wound, during his fight.
He was a student at Cornell Uni
yersity when the war broke out, and,
by special dispensation, was permit
ted to enter the flying service when
nineteen years old. At Cornell he was
member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon
fraternity.
The "Velvet Kfnd0