isten to them. Hundreds of them
have visited our aerodrome during the past week, mainly, I think, for
a glimpse of Whiskey and Soda, our lions, who are known to French
soldiers from one end of the line to the other. Whiskey is almost
full-grown, and Soda about the size of a wild cat. They have the
freedom of the camp and run about everywhere.

The guns are thundering at a terrific rate, the concussions shaking
our barracks and rattling the dishes on the table. In the messroom the
gramophone is playing, "I'm going 'way back home and have a wonderful
time." Music at the front is sometimes a doubtful blessing.

We are keyed up, some of us, rather nervous in anticipation of
to-morrow. Porter is trying to give Irving a light from his own
cigarette. Irving, who doesn't know the meaning of nerves, asks him
who in hell he is waving at. Poor old Porter! His usefulness as a
combat pilot has long past, but he hangs on, doing the best he can. He
should have been sent to the rear months ago.

The first phase of the battle is over. The French have taken eleven
thousand prisoners, and have driven the enemy from all the hills down
to the low ground along the canal. For the most part, we have been too
high above them to see the infantry actions; but knowing the plans and
the objectives beforehand, we have been able to follow, quite closely,
the progress of the battle.

It opened on a wet morning with the clouds very low. We were to have
gone on patrol immediately the attack commenced, but this was
impossible. About nine o'clock the rain stopped, and Rodman and Davis
were sent out to learn weather conditions over the lines. They came
back with the report that flying was possible at two hundred metres.
This was too low an altitude to serve any useful purpose, and the
commandant gave us orders to stand by.

About noon the clouds began to break up, and both high and low patrols
prepared to leave the ground. Drew, Dunham, and I were on high patrol,
with Lieutenant Barry leading. Our orders were to go up through the
clouds, using them as cover for making surprise attacks upon enemy
_reglage_ machines. We were also to attack any enemy formations
sighted within three kilometres of their old first lines. The clouds
soon disappeared and so we climbed to forty-five hundred metres and
lay in wait for combat patrols.

Barry sighted one and signaled. Before I had placed it, he dived,
almost full motor, I believe, for he dropped like a stone. W