Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-01-28
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CHAPTER v.
The Prison Camp At courtraI.

CHAPTER v.
The Prison Camp at courtrai.
From the intelligence department ]
was conveyed to the officers prison
camp at Courtrai in an automobile. 1t
was about an hours ride. My escort
was one Of the most famous flyers In
the world, barring none. He was later
killed In action, but I was told by an
English airman who witnessed his last
combat, that he fought game battle
and died hero's death.
The prison. which had evidently
been a civil prison Of some kind before
the war, was located right in the heart
of Courtrai. The first building we ap-
preached was large and in front of
the archway, which formed the main
entrance, was a sentry box. Here we
were challenged by the sentry, who
knocked on the door; the guard turned
the key In the lock and / was admit
ted. We passed through the archway
and directly into courtyard, on which
faced all of the prison buildings. the
windows, Of course, being heavily
barred. After / had given my pedigree
my name, age, address, etc.-1 was
shown to a cell with bars on the win
dows overlooking this courtyard. !
was promptly told that at night we
were to occupy these rooms, but I had
already surveyed the surroundings,
taken account of the number Of guards
and the locked door outside, and con-
cluded that my chances Of getting
away from some other place could be
no worse than in that particular cell.
As had no hat, my helmet being the
only thing / had worn over the lines,
1 was compelled either to 60 bare
headed or wear the red cap OF the
Bavarian whom I had shot down on
that memorable day. 1t can be i'm
agined how looked attired In Brit
ish uniform and bright red cap.
Wherever I was taken my outfit
aroused considerable curiosity among
the Belgians and German soldiers.
When I arrived at prison that day l
still wore this cap, and as was taken
into the courtyard, my overcoat cover
Ing my uniform, all that the British
officers, who happened to be summing
themselves in the courtyard. could see
was the red cap. They afterwards told
me they wondered who the "bug Hun"
was with the bandage on his mouth.
This cap I managed to keep with me.
but was never allowed to wear 1t on
the walks we took. I either went bare
headed or borrowed cap from some
other prisoner.
At certain hours each day the pris-
oners were allowed to mingle In the
courtyard, and on the first occasion OF
this kind found that there were II
officers imprisoned there besides my
self.
They had here interpreters who
could speak all languages. One Of
them was mere boy who had been
born in Jersey City, N. j., and had
spent all his life In America until
the beginning Of 1914. Then he moved
with his folks to Germany, and when
he became Of military age the Huns
forced him into the army. think If
the truth were known he would much
rather have been fighting for America
than against her.
found that most Of the prisoners
remained at Courtrai only two or
three days. From there they were In.
variably taken to prisons In the inte-
rior Of Germany.
Whether it was because ! was an
American or because I was a flyer, ]
don't know, but this rule was not fol-
lowed in my case. ! remained there
two weeks.
During this period Courtrai was con-
stantly bombed by our airmen. Not a
single day or night passed without one
or more air raids. In the two weeks
I was there counted 21 Of them. The
town suffered q great deal Of damage.
Evidently our people were aware that
the Germans had a lot Of troops con-
centrated in this town and besides the
headquarters staff was stationed there.
The kaiser himself visited Courtrai
while was In the prison, was told by
one of the interpreters, but he didn't
call on me, and for obvious reasons
couldn't call on him.
The courtyard was not a very popu'
lar place during air raids. Several
times when our airmen raided that
section in the day time went out and
watched the machines and the shrap-
mel bursting all around; but the Ger
mans did not crowd out there, for their
own antiaircraft guns were hammer
ing away to keep our planes as high
In the sky as possible, and shells were
likely to fall In the prison yard any
moment. OF course watched these
battles at my own risk. Many nights
from my prison window / watched
with peculiar interest the air raids
carried on, and 1t was a wonderful
sight with the German searchlights
playing on the sky. the Flaming on
ions" fired high and the burst Of the
antiaircraft guns, but rather an un'
comfortable sensation when ] realized
that perhaps the very next minute 9
bomb might be dropped on the building
In which I was prisoner. But per
haps all Of this was better than nc
excitement at all, for prison life soor
became very monot0nous.
One of the hardest things had tt
endure. throughout the two weeks
spent there was the sight Of the Hur
machines flying over Courtrai, know
| ing that perhaps 1 never would have
another chance to fly and ] used to 81
by the hour watching the German ma
chimes maneuvering over the prison
| as they had an airdrone not far ava!
and every afternoon the students
/ took them for students because theil
flying was very poor-appeared owe
the town. One certain Hun seemed t.
find particular satisfaction. In fyini
right down over the prison nightly, to-
my special discomfort and benefit. 1
seemed, as II he knew an airman Inn
prisoned there was vainly longing Il
try his wings again over their lines
But / used to console myself by say
ing: "Never mind, old boy, there wa
never a bird whose wings could no