Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-01-21
CHAPTER III.
Captured by the Huns.


August, 1917. l killed two Huns In
the dOuble-seated machine in the
morning, another In the evening, and
then l was captured myself. may
have spent more eventful days In my
life, but / can't recall any just now.
That morning, in crossing the line
on early morning patrol, noticed
two German balloons. decided that
as soon as my patrol was over 1
would go off on my own hook and see
what q German balloon looked like
at close quarters.
These observation balloons are used
by both sides in conjunction with the
artillery. A man sits up in the bal
loon with wireless apparatus and d.
rects the firing of the guns. From his
point of vantage he can follow the
work of his own artillery with a re-
markable degree of accuracy and at
the same time he can observe the enc
my's movements and report them.
The Germans are very good at this
work, and they use great number OF
these balloons. 1t was considered a
very important part of our work to
keep them out Of the sky.
There are two ways Of going after a
balloon in a machine. One Of them is
to cross the lines at low altitude, fly
ing so near the ground that the man
with the antiaircraft gun can't bother
you. You fly along until you get to the
level of the balloon and If, in the
meantime, they have not drawn the
balloon down, you open fire on 1t and
the bullets you use will set 1t on fire
If they land.
The other way is to fly over where
you know the balloons to be, put your
machine In spin so that they can't
hit you, get above them, spin over the
balloon and then open fire. In going
back over the line you cross at a few
hundred feet.
This is one of the hardest jobs In
the service. There is less danger In
attacking an enemy's aircraft.
Nevertheless, 1 had made up my
mind to either get those balloons or
make them descend, and I only hoped
that they would stay on the job until
I had a chance at them.
When our two hours duty was up,
therefore. dropped out Of the forma-
ton as we crossed the lines and turned
back again.
Twas at height Of $1,000 feet, con-
siderably higher than the balloons.
Shutting my motor off. I dropped down
through the clouds, thinking to find
the balloons at about five or six miles
behind the German lines.
Just as / came out Of the cloud
banks / saw below me. about thou
sand feet, q two-seater hostile ma
chine doing artillery observation and
directing the German guns. This was
at a point about four miles behind the
German lines.
Evidently the German artillery saw
me and put out ground signals to at
tract the Hun machines attention. for
I saw the observer quit his work and
grab his gun. while their pilot stuck
the nose Of his machine straight
down.
But they were too late to escape me.
I was diving toward them at speed
of probably two hundred miles an
hour, shooting all the time as fast as
possible. Their only chance lay IN
the possibility that the force OF my
drive might break my wings. l knew
my danger In that direction, but as
soon as l came out Of my dive the
Huns would have their chance to get
me. and knew had to get them first
and take a chance on my wings hold
ing out.
. Fortunately some Of my first bullets
found their mark, and / was able to
come out Of my dive at about four
thousand feet. They never came out
of theirs!
But right then came the hottest sit
uation In the air ] had ever expert
enced up to that time. The depth OF
INV dive had brought me within reach
of the machine guns from the ground
and they also put a barrage around me
of shrapnel from antiaircraft guns
and l had an opportunity to ride the
barrage," as they call 1t in the r. +. q
To make the situation more interest
Ing, they began shooting Flaming on
ions" at me. FLAMING onions" are
rockets shot from q rocket gun. They
are used to hit a machine when 1t Is
flying low, and they are effective VI
to about FIVE thousand feet Some
times they are shot up one after an
other In strings of about eight, ant
they are one of the hardest things tt
20 through. If they hit the machine
it is bound to catch fire and then tho
Jig Is up.
All the time, too, / was being at
tackled by "Archie"-the antiaircraf
gun. / escaped the machine guns ant
| the Flaming onions" but "Archie." tn
antiaircraft fire, got me four or fiv'
times. Every time a bullet plugged
me, or rather my machine, 1t made
loud bang, on account of the tension
on the material covering the wings.
None of their shots hurt me unit
I was about mile from eur lines, ant
then they hit my motor. Fortunately
tI still had altitude enough to drift OF
TO our own side of the lines, for m!
motor was completely out OF commis
sion. They just raised the dickens
with me all the time was descend
ing. and began to think I wouit
strike the ground before crossing tn
line. but there was slight WIND II
INV favor, and It carried me two mile
behind our lines. There the balloons
| i had gone out to get had the satisfac
| tion Of "pin-pointing" me. Througl
| the directions which they were able &
| give to their artillery they commences
shelIing my machine where 1t Lay. s
This particular work Ii. to direct IN
FIRE Of their artillery, and they ar
used Just as the artillery Observation
airplanes are. Usually two men ar
| stationed In each balloon. They ascen'
to q height of several thousand Zee
about I'VE miles behind their own line