Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-01-23

the disposition in England and Europe
we knew nothing.
The long flight to London was maze
without mishap, and here, In the
Bank of England and elsewhere, we
created as much trouble for business
quarters as we could. To drop bombs
all about the Houses of Parliament
and nestle on the terrace was the
easiest thing we have ever done, Tor
the district round about was little
frequented at the moment we ala
not even have to take any precau-
lions against traffic running amok.
This raid was demonstration OF
power. pure and simple, and our leav-
ing of the radlum beside the mace
was definitely done, so that 1t should
be quite realized that IL was we who
had put the Commons to sleep
My helper in this exploit was Lord
Devonridge, and as he had been tolo
of the idea beforehand he was pre-
pared. 1t was he who blackened the
faces of the members of the front
bench-in revenge, he said. for the
heavy taxation of his class, which
had driven him from the country. and
as a reprisal for the docking OF the
privileges OF the Lords.
When I turned to find him thus
busy with his prepared cork, my hrst
feeling was one of surprised annoy
ance, but there was something so
ludicrously unexpected In the busi-
nesslike sangfroid with which he set
about the task that continued anger
was impossible. 1 imagine, to be
candid, that the absurd spectacle af-
forded me in one particularly often
sive politician, from whose obtuse-
ness / had frequently suffered while
in the air service, had a great deal
to do with my complacence over the
scheme. To see the pompous fat
head with his face blackened was
complete solace for all the irritation
1 had experienced formerly through
his fatuous Ignorance.
The chief, however, took another
view. He considered that our mission
had been degraded, and he gave Dew
onridge a wigging which. while 1t
held no trace of anger, did not lack
In point. But even the chief was not
proof against the gay, insouciant
humor of Devonridge, and In the end
think he forgave the culprit fully.
At any rate, the joy of the English
members of the crew was worth any
little lowering of tone we suffered
by the exploit.
The raid on the House OF Commons
occupied little more time than II takes
to write of 1t, and after operations
on the army and navy stores we
dropped down the river to Purfieet,
where we replenished our depleted
store of petrol. Once again we took
to the highest we could compass and
we drifted slowly west to be In
readiness for our descent on Berlin.
The Berlin raid was accomplished
without mishap, but 1t was at Paris
that we were made fully aware of
the preparations against US. We
were comfortably settled on the top
of the buildings in Rue Bailif and
the burglary party was inside the
Banque when we heard the drone of
airpIanes Fortunately, Thetford was
on the ships observation top in readi
ness for such an emergency, and in
spite Of the machine-gun fire the 1T
tie fellow pluClSily manipulated the
ray for upsetting the electric circuits
of the plane engines. He came out
of the scrap without seattle and had
the satisfaction Of seeing both his
opponents go down out Of control.
We FASTENED the depositing of the
gold, which was designed for creating
further confusion in the minds of
those after US. and left our usual
quantity of radium before speedily
taking to the air again. From Paris
at a great height we bore due south
until we were over the Pyrenees,