The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1919-07-31
YANKS IDOL OF ENGLAND
Ice Was Completely Shattered By the
News of the Americans Progress
at the Front.

Now that Americas part in hurting
Mt Popocatapetl and a few other bits
of brio a-brac the Kaiser is being read
aloud in the family living rooms from
Bangor to San Bernardino and from
the 49th parallel to Corpus Christi, the
general public is unable to grasp the
real significance of the mighty labor
atory work that was performed in the
British Isles and of American Aviation
during the early months of the United
States participation in the war.
In order to understand properly the
difficulties which beset the pioneers of
the Aviation Section, it is necessary to
state that when war was declared the
United States found itself empty hand
ed as to aeroplanes and training aero
domes, as we'll as sadly deficient in the
matter of flying and mechanical per-
sonnet.
The task of developing and expanding
the Aviation Section from an organi-
cation, consisting of small number of
efficient officers and approximately TO-
900 men, to powerful and virile arm
of the service, doomed up as a stupen-
dious undertaking-one that might we'll
have daunted man in the days of peace
BY this time it had been demonstrate
ed that war no longer could be classified
as an exciting pastime for fox hunting
gentlemen in pink" coats or a season
&c -
buck-skin breeches.
War has become a grim busness-one
requiring Specialization spelled with
capital rs" and, Specialization of ex-
pert aeroplane filters and riggers, in
strument repairmen, bombers, machine
gunners and fabric workers could be Sc
cured only by careful instructions and
tedious work on machines actually in
use at the front.
This, then, became the job of the
American Aviation officials in England
theirs the responsibility of training
fully and completely, sufficient num-
Der of efficient mechanics to look after
the machines of thousands of American
fiiers under instructions in the United
States, France, England and Italy.
In short, there were in training IN
England on June LIST, 1918, approx
mately 5000 men. During this month
the first of these English trained squad
rons began to move to their stations be-
hind the grimly shouted front line
battlements in France, in response to
an urgent summons from General
Headquarters of the American Exped-
tionary Forces.
Some squadrons had been ready for
many weeks, and, when the siren sound
ed it needed no encore" to start the
ball rolling.
During the momentous twelve months
preparation the Aviation Section took
over and maintained no fewer than II
separate training stations IN England.
In other words. the supply of American
Air mechanics trained in England was
far in excess of the number required at
that time to assemble the parts and re-
pair the machines of the American air
fighters actually in service in France.
The accumulation of personnel and the
over-growlng matters of executive and
administration detailed necessitated the
expansion of the Headquarters in Lon
don to such an extent that in the
spring of 1918. the London Aviation
staff numbered more than so officers
and in excess of 100 enlisted men, while
the dingy two or three rooms in the
Goring Hotel had given way in the
march of progress to four story head
quarters structure at 35 Eaton Place,
London, s. W., which hummed with in
dustry from early morn until late at
night.
1t Z as at No. training depot station.
Stamford, that cadet Harold Ainsworth
was killed. He was the first member
of the American Air service to loo Sc
his life IN England. He was stunning a
Curtiss N 8 the morning of December
18th, when, at point 1000 feet, his
port planes broke and he plunged to his
death. 1t was great blow to the whole
station, for he was fine soldier and a
splendid fellow. Practically the entire
strength of the post took part in his
funeral-both British and Americans.
The British welcomed the first Ameri-
can soldiers with the perfunctory Eng
lish hospitality of peace times. That is
to say, the men were greeted by the
civic authorities at solemn functions,
were taken to luncheons or dinners and
that ended 1t.
American soldiers, on the other hand,
enjoyed the novelty of the new condl-
tons. All displayed keen interest in
the romatic signs on the saloons 1.-The
Bald Faced Stag, Hare and Hound"
"Rising Sum-" The White Horse"
"The Black Swan, " THE Coal Hole"
The American soldiers we're very we'll
Ill Al I.AAI