nded
close to a motor ambulance, which at once conveyed him to hospital."

This appears to be only the second instance recorded during the first
two months of the war in which our airmen have suffered mishap, yet
half-a-dozen German machines have been brought down and their navigators
either killed or wounded. Private Harman, King's Royal Rifles, describes
an exciting pursuit in which a German aeroplane was captured. The
British aviator, who had the advantage in speed and was a good revolver
shot, evidently greatly distressed the fugitive, for, surrendered, he
planed down in good order, and on landing was found to be dead.

According to an officer in the Royal Flying Corps the worst aerial
experience in war is to go up as a passenger. "It is 'loathly,'" he
says, "to sit still helplessly and be fired at." In one flight as a
spectator his machine was "shelled and shot at about a hundred times,
but luckily only thirteen shots went through the planes and neither of
us was hit." An interesting account of a battle seen from the clouds is
given in a letter published by _The Times_. "I was up with ---- for an
evening reconnaissance over this huge battle. I bet it will ever be
remembered as the biggest in history. It extends from Compiegne right
away east to Belfort. Can you imagine such a sight? We flew at 5 p.m.
over the line, and at that time the British Army guns (artillery, heavy
and field) all opened fire together. We flew at 5,000 feet and saw a
sight which I hope it will never be my lot to see again. The woods and
hills were literally cut to ribbons all along the south of Laon. It was
marvelous watching hundreds of shells bursting below one to right and
left for miles, and then to see the Germans replying."

Another officer of the Flying Corps describes his impression of the
Battle of Mons, seen from a height of 5,000 feet. British shells were
bursting like little bits of cotton wool over the German batteries. A
German attack developed, and the airman likens the enemy's advance
formation to a "large human tadpole"--a long dense column with the head
spread out in front.

Evidently the anti-aircraft guns, though rather terrifying, do very
little damage. Airmen have had shells burst all round them for a long
time without being hurt. Of course they are careful to fly at a high
altitude. When struck by shrapnel, however, an aeroplane (one witness
says) "just crumples up like a broken egg." On the other hand, bombs
dropped