len out. The machine
had fallen through the trees with tremendous force, both pilot and
observer, of course, being dead. The doctors, who examined them at
once, could not help them any more. The pilot had seven bullet wounds,
the observer three. I am sure both were dead before they fell. We
found several important papers and other matter on them. In the
afternoon my observer, W., and I flew back to D., after a few rounds
of triumph above the village and the fallen airplane. On the following
day, the two aviators were buried with full military honors in the
cemetery at M. Yesterday we were there. The grave is covered with
flowers and at the spot where they fell there is a large red, white
and blue bouquet and many other flowers.

I was very glad that my observer, W., got the Iron Cross. He fought
excellently; in all, he fired three hundred and eighty shots, and
twenty-seven of them hit the enemy airplane.

LETTER OF JULY 16, 1915

... Father asks if it will be all right to publish my report in
the newspapers. I don't care much for newspaper publicity, and I
do not think that my report is written in a style suitable for
newspapers. The people want such a thing written with more poetry
and color--gruesome, nerve-wrecking suspense, complete revenge,
mountainous clouds, blue, breeze-swept sky--that is what they want.
But if the publication of the report will bring you any joy, I will
not be against it.

AUGUST 11, 1915

Early August 10th the weather was very poor so that our officer
'phoned in to the city, saying there was no need of my coming out. So
I was glad to stay in bed. Suddenly my boy woke me up, saying an
English flyer had just passed. I hopped out of bed and ran to the
window. But the Englishman was headed for his own lines, so there
wasn't any chance of my catching him. I crawled back to bed, angry at
being disturbed. I had hardly gotten comfortably warm, when my boy
came in again--the Englishman was coming back. Well, I thought if this
fellow has so much nerve, I had better get dressed. Unwashed, in my
nightshirt, without leggings, hardly half dressed, I rode out to the
camp on my motorcycle. I got there in time to see the fellows (not
one, but four!) dropping bombs on the aviation field. As I was, I got
into my machine and went up after them. But as the English had very
speedy machines and headed for home after dropping their bombs, I did
not get with