fired when I could get my sights
on him. In this way, we circled around, I often not firing a shot for
several minutes. This merry-go-round was immaterial to me, since we
were over our lines. But I watched him, for I felt that sooner or
later he would make a dash for home. I noticed that while circling
around he continually tried to edge over toward his own lines, which
were not far away. I waited my chance, and was able to get at him in
real style, shooting his engine to pieces. This I noticed when he
glided toward his own lines, leaving a tail of smoke behind him. I had
to stop him in his attempt to reach safety, so, in spite of his
wrecked motor, I had to attack him again. About 200 meters inside our
positions I overtook him, and fired both my guns at him at close range
(I no longer needed to save my cartridges). At the moment when I
caught up to him, we passed over our trenches and I turned back. I
could not determine what had become of him, for I had to save myself
now. I flew back, and as I had little fuel left, I landed near the
village of F. Here I was received by the Division Staff and was told
what had become of the Englishman. To my joy, I learned that,
immediately after I had left him, he had come to earth near the
English positions. The trenches are only a hundred meters apart at
this place. One of the passengers, the pilot, it seems, jumped out and
ran to the English trenches. He seems to have escaped, in spite of the
fact that our infantry fired at him. Our field artillery quickly
opened fire on his machine, and among the first shots one struck it
and set it afire. The other aviator, probably the pilot, who was
either dead or severely wounded, was burned up with the machine.
Nothing but the skeleton of the airplane remains. As my helpers did
not come till late, I rode to D. in the Division automobile, because
I had to be with the King of Bavaria at 5:30. From D. I went directly
on to Lille. King and Crown Prince both conversed with me for quite a
while, and they were especially pleased at my most recent success.
Once home, I began to see the black side of being a hero. Everyone
congratulates you. All ask you questions. I shall soon be forced to
carry a printed interrogation sheet with me with answers all filled
out. I was particularly pleased by my ninth success, because it
followed so close on the _Pour le merite_.

S., MARCH 16, 1916

Since March 11th I am here in S. As the