Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 January 1919 — How English Aviator Exercised the Commander’s “Privilege” [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

How English Aviator Exercised the Commander’s “Privilege”

AVIATORS were often compelled to destroy their own machines to prevent the Gered secret about the new type of aircraft. This is a story of an aviator who did that at the cost of his own life. ■- ■ . There were two men —the pilot and his observer — in the latest flying boat which England’s aircraft builders had turned opt. The twb flyers w’ere wellout to sea when a fog came down and cut them off from their companions. The pilot headed for home, but the engine suddenly “died.” % A hasty examination showed the pilot that only a repair shop and a squad of expert mechanics could hope to make the engine run again. He told the observer so, and the two men —the observer was really’ little more than a boy-—sat down »to watch and wait with the hope that a British patrol boat would come along and pick them up. The night came on and the young observer fell asleep. The pilot sat on the deck-coaming and listened all the night through. In the morning the fog lifted and the observer, looking out over the waters, caught sight of a little black smudge on the horizon, which grew steadily in size, and behind it another smudge and another. It was a patrol flotilla rapidly approaching them. The boy was elated. “It is German, my son,” spoke the older man in

a quiet voice, as he turned his eyes from the smudges to his rocking craft. “Have you your life belt on securely?” “Yes,” answered the boy. “Then go over the side and swim for all you’re worth.” “But don't you want me to stay and help you?” persisted the boy. “Get over the side,” commanded the pilot sharply, “and good-by, Sonny. It is my privilege, you know.” About 200 yardsawaythe boy paused and looked back at the dis-

abled plane. The pilot was crouched on the top of the under plane just over the bomb rack with a heavy wrench in his upraised hand, ready to strike" a blow. A mile away the first of the German destroyers was tearing the sea in its haste to take the broken plane and get away before the British patrol should appear. The boy turned and swam away from the tragedy which fie " knew was about to take place. A few moments later there was the. mighty roar of an explosion, and he heard the' swish of the air blast along the surface waters and the rush of the approaching wave from the sea disturb-