Evening journal., 1919-08-08
1t. ROBERTS dies
AFTER AIR BATTLE

prisoners have long since been released
by the Germans.
A letter received by Mrs, Roberts
from a fellow aviator OF her sons,
probably tells the true fate OF Lieuien-
ant Robertss
This letter followss
Kingston. n, ", June 8, ieie,
Dear Mrs. Roberts,
have Just received your letter, a
few days ego, due 20 my moving
around so fast II was forwarded to
me from home, but have been In ten
towns since then, and the letter fel-
lowed me,
| was very much surprised TO hear
about Lawrence. or Bobby" as ne was
known In The squadron, There were
six OF us shot down on the 26th or Az.
susi. and Lieutenant Tipton and ] could
only account for Ave,
The other we supposed TO DO new
man named Wicks, and | had thonght
that for so long that finally believed H.
Tlpton and were uninlurcd and were
taken prlsonorH We wore moved back
tovothcr and made every ondoavor to
and out about the fight we had had.
An We could md. though, was that
we had been caught IN trap. About
thirty Huns had como down on us from
The clouds, and there was too strong
wind agalnst us to escape,
We found that Lieutenant Frost was
seriously inlurods Lloutenonts Jackson
and p!ponTer killed And ono moru
that We could not definitely place, lie
was killed, though.
I'm very sorry 10 learn now that
"pobby" was one OF them, I'd been
with him for nearly fivo months, and
We were the best OF friends. ] nrst
mel him al The Chat,es Hill Camp IN
ENGLAND, and wo went from there TO
Scotland together. After our training
IN Ensland was completed, we were
sent 20 France, and posted to The iIth
Squadron.
fighter that we could depend on N
close place. He did his most valuable
work In lighting patrols ana on
ground straflng." And l can assure
you that every one Of his army friends
misses him.
am sure the men In tho squadron
would have written you n they han
known anything at all definite concern
ing him. But In France all news Is
censored more than IN the States. And
n was not until our letters came
through from Germany that they knew
anything about us. !
The red Cross and Government prob
ably notified YOU that he was a prls-
oner because Of an Australian Of tho
same name-Roberts. This man was
shot down and taken prisoner on the
26th, and very near where we had our
nght.
/ want TO offer you my sympathy Tor
your sacrifice and TO congratulate you
for brave son who was killed In
action. Sincerely,
ROBERT NJ. TODD.
Roberts enlisted IN the Delaware
Militia at the axe Of is. He was soon
promoted corporal, and served as ser
.geant during the Mexican border trouble
in 1916. His enlistment expired April
i3, 1917, and he Immediately tried TO
enter the First Officers Training Camp,
at Fort Myers. Va, the United States
having declared war upon Germany 81
the time. In this he was successful,
and six weeks after enrolling at Fort
Meyer, Roberts asked for transfer TO
the aviation branch OF the service.
His request was granted, and on July
10. 1917, he was first sent to the ground
school Of the Royal Flying Corps, at
the University Of Toronto.
-Four days after his solo" flight in
October. 1917. he was transferred TO
Hicks Field near Fort Worth, Texas.
Here he earned his "wings" as a Re
serve Military aviator, and on HIS
birthday anniversary,
December 81. 1917, he was commits
stoned first Lieutenant in the Flying
Corps.
Roberts was home on January 26,
1918. for the last time. He left VIII
mington on the 2Sth OF that month,
and on the 3ist, he sailed for England.
On the English and Scottish flying
fields. Lieut.. Roberts received instruc-
ton in aero acrobatics" and on June
%. found him in France. He was with
the 22d Aero Squadron when he lost
his life at Cambria.
The young man was at one time a
student at the Wilmington High School,
and later was employed in the Office Of
the American Vulcanized Fibre Co.
Robbie" and "Bobbie" were the
which young Roberts re-
ceived from his friends. When asked
how me liked flying he replied: Am
fed up? mol ] still think it's the great |
est game in the world"
Mrs. Roberts has a propeller from
one Of the planes which her son flew.
It rests on the mantel in the parlor
of the Roberts home. as a mute re-
membrance Of the boy who gave his
life for freedom.
r. w. F. Roberts. Mrs. Roberts hus-
band. died last October during the
epidemic Of influenza.