Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-08-13
Continued from Last Issue,

T STOOD at the curb like an old
woman from the country on her
- first visit TO the city and I would
not venture across until some knowing
policeman, recognized my condition,
came to my assistance and conveyed
me across.
Indeed, there is a great number of
English officers at home at all times
getting back their nerves" after a
long spell of active service at the front,
so that my condition was anything but
novel to the London boobies.
1t was not many days, however, be-
fore | regained control of myself and
felt in first-Class shape.
Sends a Gable to Mother
Although the British authorities in
Holland had wired my mother from
Holland that l was safe and on my
way to England, the first thing l did
when we landed was to send her a
cable myself
The cable read as follows:
Mrs. NJ. J. O'Brien, Momence. Ill,
U. s. A:
Just escaped from Germany. Let
ter follows:
AS 1 delivered it to the cable dis
patcher l could just imagine the ex-
ultation with which my mother would
receive it and the pride she would feel
as she exhibited it among her neigh
bors and friends
l could hear the volley of Il told
you SOS" that greeted her good It'd
ings.
1T would take more than the kaiser
to keep Pat in Germany" 1 could
hear one of them saying.
Knew he'd be back for Christmas
/ T
II had an idea that Pat and his
comrades might spend Christmas in
Berlin" 1 could hear another admit
ting, but l didn't think any other part
of Germany would appeal to him very
much"
Mrs O'Brien, did Pat write you how
many German prisoners he brought
back home with him." 1 could hear still
another ereddlous friend inquiring.
1t was all very amusing and graft
flying to me and 1 must confess 1 felt
quite cocky as l walked into the war
department to report.
For the next five days 1 was kept
very busy answering questions put to
.me by the military authorities regard
ing what l had observed as to con-
dtions in Germany and behind the
lines.
ofncial Report
What 1 reported was taken down by
a stenographer and made part of the
official records, but 1 did not give them
my story in narrative form. The in
formation 1 was able TO give branches
of the service, and experts in every
lire of government work took it in
turns to question me.
One morning would be devoted. for
instance to answering questions of a
military nature-German methods be-
hind the front line trenches, tactics,
morale of troops and similar matters
Then the aviation experts would take a
whack at me and discuss with me all
/ had observed of German flying corps
methods and equipment.
Then again the food experts would
interrogate me as to what l had learn
ed of food conditions in Germany. Luz-
embourg and Belgium, and as I ha1
lived pretty close to the ground TO"
the best part of seventy-two days l was
able to give them some fairly accurate
reports as to the actual agricultural
conditions, many of the things i told
them probably having more significance
to them than they had to me.
There were many things I had OBJ
served which 1 have not referred to in
| these pages because their value to US
might be diminished if the Germans
knew we were aware of them, but they
were all reported to the authorities,
and it was very gratifying to me to
| hear that the experts considered some
| of them of the greatest value
One of the most amusing incidents
| OF my return occurred when I. called
! at my bankers in London to get my
| personal effects.
The practice in the royal flying corps
when a pilot is reported missing is to
have two of his comrades assigned 10
go through his belongings. check them
over. destroy anything that il might
not be to his interest to preserve and
send the whole business to his banke'
or his home, as the case may be.
Every letter Read
Every letter is read through, but their
contents is never afterward discussed
or revealed in any way.
If the pilot is finally reported dead
his effects are forwarded to his next
of kin, but while he is officially only
missing" or is known to be prisoner
Of war they are kept either at the
squadron headquarters or sent to his
bankers.
In my case, as soon as it was learn
ed that 1 had fallen from the sky, it
was assumed that 1 had been killed and
nv chum, Paul Raney. and another Of