New Britain herald., 1919-03-11
JIbEkY FALL 
Cor l Crean Watchfd Uneven
 Air Battle Over French Lines

Corporal Gerald Crean. who return ed to Camp Merritt last night, where he expects to be discharged within 10 or 12 days after having served IS months overseas, was one of the eye witnesses to the tragic death of Raoul Lufbery, the famous American ace.
 Corporal Crean was serving with Company I of the 102d U. s. infantry and was at the front on the day that Lufberv met his death He said that an airplane raid warning signal was given and a few mnutes later several heavy Boche bombing planes appear ed over the American lines. No French or American plapes were in the air at the time, but a few seconds later there was the hum of Q, heavy motor and a big touring car carrying Lufbery rushed through the village en route for his hangar on the out skirts. Immediately Lufbery arose into the air, flying in a light French plane, and gave battle to the three heavy German machines. Up and down, turning first this way and then that way, the brilliant American en- gagged the three Germans. Finally tho American started what was appar- ently a tail spin and began a rapid descent When about 200 feet from the ground his machine was seen to suddenly burst into flames. COolly, the American aviator unfasteped himself from his seat and leaped out of his car in Q jump that he knew was a million to one chance of death. He landed on an open field, only a mile from where Corporal Cream was and died within a very short time.
 Corporal Crean has only words of the greatest praise for the work of the 26th division in France, his off, 1 cers and it's men, From the time the unit took over front line position until the signing of the armistice, it was given only a 15 day relief It fought on every front and it was none other than the 18th division that 1 was set up to the relief of the hard pressed Second division and it's Ma l rine battalion at Chateau-Thierry in the historical drive that turned the ! tide of the war Although one of the 1 leading military officials on the other side is credited by the local soldier 1 with having made disparaging re- marks about them and their ability, | likening them to Boy Scouts, he adds | that every time a hard fighting diyi- 1 sion was wanted, or some particularly bloody or desperate work had to be done, it was the battle scared 18th l from New England that was picked to do the trick. The fact that the 26th division heads all other units of the National Guard or tKe National Army in the number of war medals of honor 1 won for distinguished service, no fur 1 ther eulogy of the boys that will nevef 1 come back and those who will return | is needed
 The local soldier has many inter- esting as well as pathetic tales about 1 other New Britain boys at the front and mentions Sergeant William Hop kins as especially deserving of praise which he did not officially receive in 1 the army. It was Sergeant Hopkins Corporal Cream says, who carried the mortauy wounded Private William 1 O'Dell of Blake road off the field to a hospital where he later died. On this particular day, Corporal Crean says
 Sergeant Hopkins made six different trips through 8 a,murderous German and American barrage, carrying 1 wounded soldiers back to the dressing 1 stations. He was not seen by obser-
 vation men and consequently his ac. ! ton was never officially noticed. "But
 if you had ever seen that barrage you
 would have known what it meant tc
 go through it six times. Those shells
 were ripping up every square foot o1
 ground" the corporal says
 Personal "reminiscences of the bat.
 tie of Seicheprey, Chemin-des- Danes
 Verdun, Chateau -Thierry, the Ar.
 gonne forest and other brilliant en.
 agreements in which the 18th figured
 are told by Corporal Cream.