d' is always used by a
seaplane pilot even if there is no land within a hundred miles of him.
Our aerial had been thrown out. It was too rough to go on the water--or,
at least, not worth risking damage to the seaplane. We carried on our
conversation partly by shouting and partly by signals, which were
quickly understood. From the ships we received further instructions, and
sped on to carry them out. We had no further difficulties, and reached
home just before sunset."
As an illustration of modern warfare, and the fact that single British
flyers are feared even by two of the enemy's planes, here is a story
told by a young Englishman, who knows no nerves when he is in the air,
no matter how near he comes to being snuffed out by the shrapnel and
bullets. He is a man of 5 feet 10 inches, with clear blue eyes and blond
hair--one of those truth-loving Britishers who prefers to err against
himself in his reports rather than tell of an uncertainty as a
certainty.
"'Saw and attacked a German submarine, which dived before we could close
in on her,'" read this man from a log-book. He turned the pages, and a
little afterwards came on this:--
"'Sighted German patrol, and exchanged fire. Got over Zeebrugge----'
"That reminds me," he said, looking up from the little book which held
the notes of so many exciting events. "They sent me out then when I
ought to have been off duty."
He smiled, as did his hearers.
"Well, I got over the Mohl," he added. "That's the German pier at
Zeebrugge. The Mohl showed up black, and the water looked lighter in the
darkness. I was up about 2,500 feet, and dropped bombs on the seaplane
base. I mean, of course, the German air base. Only a few moments, and
they showed that they were ready for me, as the heavens around were
lighted up with searchlights. I dropped a few more of my 'eggs,' and
could not be certain of what damage I accomplished, although I saw
flames spurt up from several places. Then the enemy sent up two long
rows of rockets, making an avenue of light so that I could have read by
it. These infernal things parachute when they get to a certain height
and, with the fire hanging from them, stay stationary, leaving but one
exit. If I had run the machine into the rockets it would have been
ablaze in no time. These fireworks stay in the air for about two
minutes, which is a devil of a long time when you are up there. Thanks
to this lighted avenue, I showed up more distinctly than I would
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