The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-01-06

Hlcr ana SOluiei VI
found that flying with the Span
ish loyalists involved fighting
not only the enemy but his own
officers. In the following ex-
elusive dispatch he describes his
experiences. - Editors note -
United Press Associations.)
~ MAJOR FREDERICK LORD
Noted American Aviatorl
(World copyright, 1887. by Unit
cd Press)
PARIS, Jan. 6. (UP).-I have
looked down IL Spanish rifle bar
rcls, with my back to the wall,
and counted my seconds to live.
| have been within an acc Of
death at the point of a pistol held
by my own commander-after l
had brought down an antique
plane safely when the wing snap
ped off.
Once my plane was riddled by
German machine-gun bullets from
a sky full of crack, modern Heink-
els.
A motor-boat pilot, smuggling
me into France, was shot dead at
his steering wheel off the rebel
coast and | was forced to return
to Bilbao.
And | spent Is hours in the
Port Bou Jail. -.
But, somehow. here ! am to tell
my story of fighting for the loyal
lists in Spain.
As head Of a squadron Of Amer.
leans, including Bert Acosta, Hal
Du Bcrricr, Eddie Schneider and
Gordon Barry, I sailed from New
York-not very appropriately
on ArmiSticc day and arrived on
the Europa Nov. II. took an
Air France plane to Alicante and
motorcd to Valencia.
At first nobody knew what to
do with me and my men. We were
shuntcd from one airport to an
other for 10 days without flying.
Finally, we got to Barcelona from
where we flew across France to
Santandcr. II seems that our pi-
lots could fly over French terri
tory as much as they liked.
reported for duty Dec. 2 at
Bilbao where suspicious and
hostile commander Immediately
wanted to see whether could fly.
This seemed a little foolish for a
flier who had been in the air since
he fought with the White Russian
army, but felt worse than that
when saw the 1926 Breguet in
which was supposed to fight.
It was an aged, wo.seat bomb
er and we scarcely had gained al
titude when n wing cracked. l
didn't want to use my parachute
as thought I could save the
plane.
The commandant frantically
motioncd me upwards so VIC could
Jump. but refused and on a Sec
ond attempt was able to land with
the engine running. The COM
mandant, in a blind rage at being
shown up, nearly tore off his tunic
grabbing for his gun and before i
knew what was happening it was
in my ribs. He was screaming in
Spanish. He had backed me
aga:ns: a wall, with murder in his
eye, still screaming, when group
Of pilots whom later learned
didn't like him any better than l.
came up, gun in hand. thought
they were a firing squad, but when
they appeared he put his gun
back.
Later one Of the pilots told me
at wouldn't have helped you,
but il ! had killed you we would
have popped him off on the spot
and he knew it."
A few days later another VEN
cradle Breguet which | had to fly
without maps or compass stalled
with a fun load of bombs. was
high enough to bring it back to
land safely and this time, while !
still was strapped in the seat, the
commandant rushed up, whipped
out his revolver and yelled:
ely or I'll kill you. Fly or I'll
kill you.
The other pilots saved me again.
This time they said they definitely
were going to shoot the comman-
der full Of holes.
But a real expedition took our
minds off that for the time being.
I had suggested bombing the rebel
airport at Vittoria and bombing
party finally was organized on De-
ccmber IL. The Bilbao authorities
thought the rebels had a few old
planes there.
wanted a .45 calibre pistol so