German Airmen

III.

HEADQUARTERS OF GERMAN NTH ARMY, "Somewhere" in France, Dec.
6.--Sensational duels between hostile aeroplanes are regular occurrences
now, and not infrequently aerial battles take place between whole
squadrons. I heard this from the chief of an aeroplane squadron, who was
returning from a reconnoitring flight around Rheims. When I met him he
was traveling in his luxurious private limousine which he had brought
with him into the field from Berlin. My military motor car had executed
a flank attack on the road embankment with disastrous results, and the
aviator kindly gave me a lift into town and some interesting
information.

"We are all eagerly awaiting orders for a raid on England," the Captain
led off. "Yes, I have flown over Paris. Going to Paris is mere
chauffeur's work. The six machines of my squadron have covered 15,000
miles since the war began. The French machines are about twenty miles an
hour faster than ours; but there is no advantage in going so fast, for
you can't make good observations. At a height of 6,000 feet, you are
quite safe against fire from below. We also find the safest thing to do
is to circle right over a battery. They can't get at you then.

"Fights in the air are regular occurrences now. We attack every chance
we get in spite of the fact that we have only our revolvers against the
machine guns which they have mounted on their aeroplanes. We find the
best defense against their machine-gun fire is to get up close to the
French aeroplane and then dodge and twist in sharp dips and curves,
spoiling the aim of their mounted machine gun, and giving us an
advantage with our revolvers.

"One of the most interesting engagements was between a squadron of four
of our aeroplanes armed with revolvers and a big and a little
'Bauerschreck,' [the German nickname for the armored French aeroplanes
armed with machine guns.] The fight lasted for nearly an hour at an
altitude ranging from 5,000 to 6,000 feet, the big 'Bauerschreck' being
finally forced to land, while the little one flew off. One of our
aviators did a fine piece of work recently, landing behind the French
lines, destroying the railway at that point and flying off again. The
French are magnificent fliers, and so are the English, but we Germans
have the training. Especially in trained observers we have a big
advantage."

I saw one of the German flier heroes in a base hospital. To the nurse's
chart over his cot were pinne