Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-09-27
Escadrille Spad. 3S,
Secteur Postal 240.
G. c. %, Aug. II, 1918.

I use in burning balloons. Tell me
If it arrives. If so. may send some
more souvenirs. The Boche bonn
barded us the other night but did
no damage. However, they are COM
ing a little closer for I heard some
of the bombs whistle as they came
tumbling down. What did I do?
Oh, rolled over on the other side
and hoped the racket would soon
: stop so l could go to sleep.
They don't shut off the electric
lights now when the Boche come
overhead. because we have none.
| We're back on a war basis and using
candles, but am glad to report that
our barracks are finished and I live
in a tent no more. with its leaky
roof and danger of falling on one
every time a strong wind comes up.
OF course, we don't have the con-
veniences here like we had at Me-
lette, such as electricity, baths and
tennis courts, not forgetting the
bathing fountain and, come to
think of it, guess those conven-
fences are pretty well busted up.
since the Boche have been lombard
ing that place pretty regular. One
bomb landed squarely on the officers
barracks. Fortunately, no officers
were in at the time, so no one was
hurt. The damage was not very
great, either.
Up in the Clouds
I have not done much flying since
burned that balloon, except one
patrol, and that was a voluntary one
with two Frenchmen, and then the
clouds were so low (S00 meters) and
i 4 til tlAt 1~- IAn IAv hnf
we had gone half way to the lines.
1 soon lost the other Frenchman in
the numerous balls of cotton" but
kept on for the line just the same,
for if any balloons had been up it
was perfect weather for attacking
them. But nary a one was up, ex-
cept q French one. Since there
were no Boche flying in the air
either, they rarely flying unless the
weather is very clear. I spent some
time flying around this lonely French
balloon, approaching it from differ
ent directions in order to train my
eyes in judging distances, since the
gun I use will not take effect at
close range or too far.
Hard to Judge
| Judging ones distance from a
Boche balloon while attacking is
quite a difficult matter, what with
SO many "distracting" things going
off around one. You can see how
valuable this training my eye on
French balloon would be, where
everything was calm and tranquil. l
didn't go very close, however, be-
cause it had been reported the day
before that Spad, flown by a
Boche, had brought down French
balloon in flames. / did not want to
be taken for that Boche, so soon
stopped maneuvering, flew around
| cloud, took a look around Rheims
/ and seeing neither balloons nor
Boche, pointed my plane in the gen.
eral direction of q German antiatr-
craft battery near this city, which
is noted for it's activity and marks
manship, and let go with both guns.
In that murky atmosphere the nam
| ing bullets from my balloon gun
| looked like shooting stars as they
sped toward the "kultured' side Oh
the lines.
Another Plane
was merely trying my guns, you
know, and they were working oeau-
tifully, when had an intuition that
something was coming down on me.
Something was, for on looking up l
was startled to see a plane coming
straight down my way. lnstlnctively
1 got out from under, watching the
oncoming plane meanwhile. AS ne
darted through a thin cloud I was
much relieved to see the white nose
and tail of my leaders machine, and
then he started to chase me all over
the lot.
I didn't know what the big idea
was. but orders are to always follow
your leader, so I did my best to gel
behind him, but he seemed in very
polite humor that day and did not
want to turn his back to me. L was
inst as determined that he should,
though, so for some ten minutes we
were chasing each others tails. In
cidentally, doing it right opposite
this battery I spoke of. It's won
der they didn't help the fun along
with several well-placed arches.
Probab bly, they were tired. after the
big battle for none came our way
and nv leader finally started home
There is a place to shoot ne IT our
camp, the target consisting of three
white rings drawn on the ground,
and 1 generally practice shooting
here every time l come home. AS
we came to the target, however,
INV leader on one side and l on the
other, 1 noticed a big French plane
high overhead, so decided not ito
practice just then.
That the big bird above me might
Law some eggs" And that is just
what he did do. His aim was pretty
punk. though, for the bomb even
missed the outer circle, and as luck
would have it, came down on the
side on which my leader was pass
ing SO close that he was somewhat
| startled as a bomb came whistling
past and landed on the ground be-
meath him with tremendous splash
and roar.
The big plane having passed on,
[ had a little practice myself, and
say, 1 hit that inner circle nearly
every time. When I landed want
ed TO know what my leader was
chasing me around in circles for,
He laughingly explained that he was
having a mock combat and had Kill
ed me four times and then surpris-
ed me by complimenting me -on my
naneuvering, saying it was tres,
treh bien." Such a compliment from
such a man, for he is an ACE" with
twelve Huns to his credit, carries
some weight, and you can believe
properly appreciated the compli-
ment.
Honored With Bouquet
1t may interest you to know that
the day l burned that balloon was
not only Sunday, but the 4th of Au-
gust, anniversary of the beginning
of the war, so the Frenchmen told
me. They celebrated it with BAN
quet of rabbit and champagne, and
II II