ddle the engine and tanks, they are always
able to escape by gliding. But in this case, I think I wounded the
pilot also, because the machine made the typical lengthwise tilt that
shows it is out of control. But as the fight was too far behind the
French front, I flew home.

The next day I again had tangible results. In the afternoon I flew on
both sides of the Meuse. On the French side two French battleplanes
were flying at a great altitude; I could not reach them. I was about
to turn back, and was gliding over L'homme mort, when I saw two
Caudrons below me, who had escaped my observation till then. I went
after them, but they immediately flew off. I followed, and at a
distance of 200 meters, attacked the one; at that very instant I saw a
Nieuport coming toward me. I was anxious to give him something to
remember me by, so I let the Caudrons go and flew due north. The
Nieuport came after me, thinking I had not seen him. I kept watching
him until he was about 200 meters away. Then I quickly turned my
machine and flew toward him. He was frightened by this, turned his
machine and flew south. By my attack, I had gained about 100 meters,
so that at a range of 100 to 150 meters, I could fill his fuselage
with shots. He made work easy for me by flying in a straight line.
Besides, I had along ammunition by means of which I could determine
the path of my shots. My opponent commenced to get unsteady, but I
could not follow him till he fell. Not until evening did I learn from
a staff officer that the infantry at L'homme mort had reported the
fall of the machine. In the evening, I went out again, without any
particular objective, and after a number of false starts I had some
success. I was flying north of Bois de ----, when I saw a Frenchman
flying about. I made believe I was flying away, and the Frenchman was
deceived by my ruse and came after me, over our positions. Now I
swooped down on him with tremendous speed (I was much higher than he).
He turned, but could not escape me. Close behind the French lines, I
caught up with him. He was foolish enough to fly straight ahead, and I
pounded him with a continuous stream of well-placed shots. I kept this
up till he caught fire. In the midst of this he exploded, collapsed,
and fell to earth. As he fell, one wing broke off. So, in one day, I
had gotten Numbers 17 and 18.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

JULY 4, 1916

I was at S. collecting all the equipment of my