One Hundred Years Ago

[Rix Gins]

The Tonopah Daily Bonanza, March 22, 1917.

MIRAGE IN SKY SEEN BY BIRDMEN

  LONDON, Mar. 22. An account of a mirage in the clouds is given in a letter from a British flying corps officer on the western front. He says,  "I had often wondered what it would feel like to see a machine coming straight for me and to know that a collision was inevitable. I had the experience this afternoon, only the collision did not take place.
  "I was on patrol with five other machines over the lines, and had just gone into a cloud bank. Just before going in I saw the plane on my right turning to cross in front of me. Suddenly I saw a machine the same type as mine appear out of the cloud about 50 feet away making straight for me.
"Instinctively I jammed my nose hard down and went as near a nose dive as possible. The other airplanes did the same. I turned. The other turned into me.
  "I was in a cold perspiration all over by this time, so I thought 'here goes; if I am going to crash, it might as well be complete.' So straight for it I went. We got closer and closer, and biff! my machine and its mirage in the clouds met.
  "It seemed like a hideous nightmare and I can still see that machine doing its utmost to crash into me. I think I can say I have had the full horrors of a collision in the air without its actually taking place.  I finally got out of the clouds and had not the faintest idea where I was, until a shell reminded me that I was a little too low over the German lines."

[Rix Gins]

The Tacoma Times, March 22, 1917.

[Rix Gins]

Twenty eight seconds worth of the year 1917.  (No sound.)

https://youtu.be/2R1bDvV2fo8

[Rix Gins]

Manfred Von Richthofen hadn't planned on doing any flying on March 21, 1917.  The weather was bad and there was a strong east wind.  But then a message came through that enemy planes had been seen at an elevation of 1,000 meters, so the Baron took to the skies.

He didn't see anything for an hour but then he spotted a large amount of enemy aircraft flying over their own lines.  Richthofen noticed that the planes pretty much stayed on their side of the line, though occasionally a few would fly rather close to the German side.  He hid in some clouds and was able to surprise one of the enemy planes (a BE2f) that had ventured over a bit too far.

Richthofen wrote in his report; "The adversary made the mistake of flying in a straight line when he tried to evade me, and thus he was just a wink too long in my fire (500 shots).  Suddenly he made two uncontrolled curves and dashed, smoking, to the ground.  The plane was completely ruined."

The pilot of the BE2f, Flight Sergeant Sidney Herbert Quicke, and his observer, Second Lieutenent William John Lidsey (who was making his third flight as an observer that day) did manage to crash on their own side of the lines but unfortunately, Sergeant Quicke perished in the wreck.  Observer Lidsey was pulled from the crash still alive, and was taken to a hospital, but he was in too bad of shape to be operated on and the 21 year old airman passed away at 3:00 o'clock the next morning.

This would be the Red Baron's 29th victory.

Photo and info on Sidney Herbert Quicke: https://greatwarlondon.wordpress.com/2013/04/18/sh-quicke-fought-the-red-baron/

Some info on William John Lidsey: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/52613/LIDSEY,%20WILLIAM%20JOHN


A BE.2f A1325 at Masterton, New Zealand, 2009 By Flyernzl at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22406805

[Rix Gins]

Everett True, March 23, 1917.

[Rix Gins]

The Sun, March 23, 1917.

[Rix Gins]

The Chicago Day Book, March 23, 1917.

NEWS OF THE DAY CONCERNING CHICAGO

Policeman Dan Crotty, 3528 S. Honore, dead. Wounded with own gun while fighting with brother-in-law. Accident, verdict of coroner's jury.

Mrs. Emma Botke, 21, 3067 Broad St., badly burned when clothes caught fire. Poured kerosene into stove.

Body of suicide, man about 35, found on bench in Humboldt park. Carbolic acid.

Mrs, Emma Horwitz, 3414 W. 12th, tried to jump into river at 12th st. Stopped by policemen.

Carl Dunkler, 27, 928 Leland av., shot himself. Will live. No reason for act known.

J. McKinnon, 1025 Rundel pl. beaten unconscious and robbed of $150 by footpads.

Mrs. Alma Strode, 4526 Emerald av., almost suffocated when robbers tied her mouth with towel. They got $45 and escaped.

Ale Zlius, 17, 3036 S. Union av., captured as he tried to blow safe in Metropolitan Loan Bank, 426 S. Halsted. 

All theaters, public hall and school buildings being fumigated by health department to fight disease.

Big business men met in Roebuck Y. M. C. A. to induce employees to become citizens.

Mrs. Ruth Williams, 3533 Dickens, sued for divorce. Says husband tried to kill her by turning on gas.


NEUTRALS MAY TRY TO SETTLE U. S. GERMAN TROUBLES

  Washington, March 23. That neutral nations may renew their previous offers to assist in "straightening out difficulties" between the U. S. and Germany was suggested at the state department yesterday.
  Several neutral diplomats called on Sec'y Lansing during the forenoon, but none claimed to be taking part in such a move.
  When Germany and the United States broke relations a number of neutrals then offered their services to "do anything we can to prevent trouble."
  This country, however, will negotiate neither with Germany, directly nor with her through neutrals, until the imperial government has withdrawn its U-boat decree and renewed its pledges to the United States.


BOSTON STORE SUED FOR $5,000 FOR ELEVATOR ACCIDENT

  It was during the Christmas shopping rush in the Boston store. The shoppers crowded around an elevator door. As soon as the door was opened the car filled. There was a shriek of pain and terror that startled the shoppers that packed every aisle on the floor.
  Chris Ebbole, in court yesterday, filed suit for $5,000 against the Boston Store. His attorney, L. L. Bauer, says his hand, arm and shoulder were crushed by the heavy doors of the elevator cage when they were slammed shut before he was completely in the car on Dec. 18.


STUFFED SQUASH

  Wash the squash, put on in cold water and parboil until tender, not soft. When tender cut each squash in half, crosswise; take out the inside, being careful not to break the shells. Put on a fryer with 2 table spoons of butter (or fat) ; when hot lay in a half an onion cut fine, brown lightly, then put in a handful of soaked bread from which all water has been squeezed, add the squash which has been scraped out, fry all together for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the fire, season with salt and pepper, add 2 whole eggs, mix well and fill each half with the mixture. Sprinkle cracker meal and bits of butter ontop, Put in oven and brown evenly.


AIN'T NATURE WONDERFUL
Chewing Gum.

  Chewing gum is a piece of rubber tire without a backbone flavored with a smell. A good tire will average about 5,000 miles, but the mileage of a stick of gum is unlimited. The original flavor in a stick of gum soon exits and then it's like chewing a chunk of 24-hour boiled trip. But expert gum wrestlers never throw away a wad of gum that ha all the taste un-chewed. Each day they give it a different flavor such as brass bed flavor, movie seat taste, office furniture flavor, etc. Then, after a month or so it can be thrown on the sidewalk or floor for somebody to step on so they can give an imitation of a fly schottishing across a stack of wheats flooded with New Orleans molasses.
  The gum landscape on the underpart of movie seats and soda fountain chairs makes the rocky mountain scenery look flatter than Mexican beer. The more modern movie houses don't have the wire hat holders under the seats since a Chicago genius got the hunch of letting George Gum do it. Soon they'll have restaurant signs reading, "Not responsible for hats, coats, articles, and chewing gum." The old gag of walking away and forgetting your umbrella now has chewing gum for a teammate.
  Chewing gum and talking at same time is worthy of applause. Telephone operators win with this trick. They've got it down so pat a clever linguist can almost make out what they say.

[Rix Gins]

The Seattle Star, March 23, 1917.

[Rix Gins]

The Tacoma Times, March 23, 1917.

[Rix Gins]

A big tornado roared through the town of New Albany, Indiana on March 23, 1917.

Info & photo: http://www.newsandtribune.com/news/winds-of-change-cyclone-of-remembered-in-new-albany-in/article_1a66961a-0f63-11e7-9ef1-4761297c7524.html

[albrecht]

The Chicago Day Book, March 23, 1917.

NEUTRALS MAY TRY TO SETTLE U. S. GERMAN TROUBLES

  Washington, March 23. That neutral nations may renew their previous offers to assist in "straightening out difficulties" between the U. S. and Germany was suggested at the state department yesterday.
  Several neutral diplomats called on Sec'y Lansing during the forenoon, but none claimed to be taking part in such a move.
  When Germany and the United States broke relations a number of neutrals then offered their services to "do anything we can to prevent trouble."
  This country, however, will negotiate neither with Germany, directly nor with her through neutrals, until the imperial government has withdrawn its U-boat decree and renewed its pledges to the United States.


BOSTON STORE SUED FOR $5,000 FOR ELEVATOR ACCIDENT

  It was during the Christmas shopping rush in the Boston store. The shoppers crowded around an elevator door. As soon as the door was opened the car filled. There was a shriek of pain and terror that startled the shoppers that packed every aisle on the floor.
  Chris Ebbole, in court yesterday, filed suit for $5,000 against the Boston Store. His attorney, L. L. Bauer, says his hand, arm and shoulder were crushed by the heavy doors of the elevator cage when they were slammed shut before he was completely in the car on Dec. 18.


STUFFED SQUASH

  Wash the squash, put on in cold water and parboil until tender, not soft. When tender cut each squash in half, crosswise; take out the inside, being careful not to break the shells. Put on a fryer with 2 table spoons of butter (or fat) ; when hot lay in a half an onion cut fine, brown lightly, then put in a handful of soaked bread from which all water has been squeezed, add the squash which has been scraped out, fry all together for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the fire, season with salt and pepper, add 2 whole eggs, mix well and fill each half with the mixture. Sprinkle cracker meal and bits of butter ontop, Put in oven and brown evenly.


AIN'T NATURE WONDERFUL
Chewing Gum.

  Chewing gum is a piece of rubber tire without a backbone flavored with a smell. A good tire will average about 5,000 miles, but the mileage of a stick of gum is unlimited. The original flavor in a stick of gum soon exits and then it's like chewing a chunk of 24-hour boiled trip. But expert gum wrestlers never throw away a wad of gum that ha all the taste un-chewed. Each day they give it a different flavor such as brass bed flavor, movie seat taste, office furniture flavor, etc. Then, after a month or so it can be thrown on the sidewalk or floor for somebody to step on so they can give an imitation of a fly schottishing across a stack of wheats flooded with New Orleans molasses.
  The gum landscape on the underpart of movie seats and soda fountain chairs makes the rocky mountain scenery look flatter than Mexican beer. The more modern movie houses don't have the wire hat holders under the seats since a Chicago genius got the hunch of letting George Gum do it. Soon they'll have restaurant signs reading, "Not responsible for hats, coats, articles, and chewing gum." The old gag of walking away and forgetting your umbrella now has chewing gum for a teammate.
  Chewing gum and talking at same time is worthy of applause. Telephone operators win with this trick. They've got it down so pat a clever linguist can almost make out what they say.

1) "How do you spell Lansing? H-O-U-S-E"
When William Jennings Bryant refused to go along with the Wilson's changed policy abandoning "honest neutrality" and quit Wilson wanted his close advisor, and politician maker for several Texas governors, to replace Bryant as Sec of State. Col. House though rather liked to be "the man behind the man," fixing and operating so Wilson appointed Lansing. Not much history is taught about Col. House but one of the more powerful "operators" in our history that not much is ever talked about. Except one of our HS football stadiums is named after him.
http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=2294

2) So many good lines in that rant against chewing gum. And most are true!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_M._House

[Rix Gins]

1) "How do you spell Lansing? H-O-U-S-E"
When William Jennings Bryant refused to go along with the Wilson's changed policy abandoning "honest neutrality" and quit Wilson wanted his close advisor, and politician maker for several Texas governors, to replace Bryant as Sec of State. Col. House though rather liked to be "the man behind the man," fixing and operating so Wilson appointed Lansing. Not much history is taught about Col. House but one of the more powerful "operators" in our history that not much is ever talked about. Except one of our HS football stadiums is named after him.
http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=2294

2) So many good lines in that rant against chewing gum. And most are true!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_M._House

Interesting...they built the football stadium on House's former horse pasture.  Also that he and Wilson fought over the League of Nations negotiations, to the point that they never spoke to each other afterwards.  I noticed that Wilson got 'deathly ill' during that time in France.  I guess historians note that he suffered a bout with the flu, but I wonder.  Could the friction between Wilson and House, (plus the president's other advisors,) been severe enough to have caused Woodrow to suffer a first stroke?

[Rix Gins]

The Chicago Day Book, March 24, 1917.

NEWS OF THE DAY CONCERNING CHICAGO.

Passengers on I. C. road frightened by boys throwing stones.

Mrs. Clara Coleman, 2003 Adams, says Jos. Thomas, accused of wife's murder, lived at her home for two weeks with another woman.

Desplaines st station got smallpox scare when Fred Gilman was found suffering from malady. Cops vaccinated.

Marie Garland, 6542 Stewart av., found guilty of running unlicensed maternity home. Sentence later.

Clubwomen want law for modest bathing costumes passed.

O. B. Jacobs, night watchman, missing since fire at Chicago Copy Co., 754 Milwaukee av., Thursday, believed dead.

Willis Ellsworth Wright, head of American Land Credit Co., missing. Business reported in bad shape.

Mrs. Catherine Keyes, 1865 S. Sawyer av., and daughter, Genevieve, 22, died together. Believed to have accidentally taken poison.

Mrs. A. Newberg sues A. M. and Fred Firey, Forest Park, for $4,200. Says hubby lost money gambling with Fireys. 


HOCKEY

The Dentals of Toronto defeated the All-Chicago ice hockey team, 16 to 1, at White City rink. The national amateur champions completely bewildered the locals by the perfection and dash of their play.

[Rix Gins]

The Tonopah Daily Bonanza, March 24, 1917.

VEGETABLE SEEDS FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION BY BONANZA

  The Bonanza has received from government vegetable seeds which may be had by applying at this office. Where parents or adults are unable to call in person children will receive the packages on presentation of a written order. This is a start in the right direction for promoting a lower cost of living and all who have the ground available should take advantage to grow their own gardens. The packages comprise beet, cucumber, endive, lettuce, radishes and parsnips. The seeds are distributed in Nevada through the courtesy of Hon. E. E. Roberts.

[Rix Gins]

The Tacoma Times, March 24, 1917.

[Rix Gins]

https://youtu.be/62whYk-xqio

[Rix Gins]

Remember those lines from the song Snoopy vs. the Red Baron..."Eighty men died tryin' to end that spree.  Of the Bloody Red Baron of Germany.?)  Well, I'm certainly not the first, nor the last to point out that the Royal Guardsmen were way off base with those lyrics. To be precise, Manfred Von Richthofen scored 80 victories over his opponents, not kills.  So, 80 planes downed but remember, there were lots of British and French planes that had two people in them, a pilot and an observer (gunner). Then you have to figure in that not all of the Baron's opponents died.  Some were rescued from their machines without life threatening injuries and went on (after German imprisonment) to lead full lives.  Other pilots were forced down inside German lines without any injuries at all.  Again, most of these pilots were able to return home after the war.

So how many died trying to end that spree?  Most historians think the number is 63, though no one really knows for sure because in addition to the 80 confirmed victories, there were another forty plus machines that Richthofen had a hand in downing, but he wasn't given any credit for them.

Canadian Richard (Dick) Plunkett Baker, Lieutenant in the 19 Squadron 11/Canadian Mounted Rifles, was one of the lucky ones to survive a Richthofen victory, in this case, number 30, on March 24, 1917.

Richthofen and several of his 'gentlemen' were flying about when they came across a squadron of enemy planes flying into the German side of the front.  The Red Baron spotted two new one-seater planes and he noted that they were "extremely fast and handy." (These two planes were in fact, French Spad VIIs, much improved over the slower BE12s.)  He gave chase and was able to shoot at one of the newer planes. After what he termed as being 'a long fight' Richthofen managed to hit his adversary's tank, causing the propeller to stop. 

In his combat report, Richthofen noted that: "As the fight had taken place above the trenches, my adversary tried to escape, but I managed to force him to land behind our lines near Givenchy.  The plane turned over, in a shell hole, upside down, and was taken by our troops."

In their book 'Under The Guns of The Red Baron' authors Norman Franks, Hal Giblin and Nigel McCrery noted that Lieutenant Baker had been taken prisoner and that he had been wounded in the knee.  Baker was an inmate at a number of German POW camps until he was finally freed on December 12, 1918.  He returned to his native Vancouver and worked at import and export and lived to the age of sixty six.

Richard Baker would be bothered by a war wound in his later years but it wasn't from his knee wound.  He had served in the trenches in 1915 and received shrapnel wounds to the head.  The authors note that the wound was slight but that small pieces of shrapnel remained lodged in his skull, and this is what caused him considerable discomfort in his old age.

There is a nice photo of Richard in the Under The Guns book but I couldn't find one of him on-line.  (You can purchase a hardbound copy of the book on Amazon for 5 bucks, and that includes postage.)


SPAD VII at Vadelaincourt in 1917  By Raoul Berthelé - This photograph is part of the Fonds Raoul Berthelé, preserved by the city archives of Toulouse.It was provided to Wikimedia Commons as part of a cooperation project with Wikimédia France.English | français | +/−, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37035176

[Rix Gins]

Canadian flyer Billy Bishop scored his first victory on this day, one hundred years ago.

https://youtu.be/2HsSXe8cNRo

[albrecht]

The Chicago Day Book, March 24, 1917.


HOCKEY

The Dentals of Toronto defeated the All-Chicago ice hockey team, 16 to 1, at White City rink. The national amateur champions completely bewildered the locals by the perfection and dash of their play.

Hockey, Dentals. Perfect name for a team. Actually I'm surprised that more dentists and dental implant companies don't sponsor the sport! ESPECIALLY back then!

Speaking of hockey and the "Great White North"7:
The Windsor Swastikas disbanded around this time due to WWI. Interestingly there are several "funny" aspects to this, though unrelated to the team or symbol at the time, presumably.) House of Windsor (the current UK Royal House is German ("Saxe-Coburg and Gotha" and changed its name to Windsor in 1917 due to the war and perception,) and the Swastika symbol, once common in many cultures but now, obviously, verboten and hockey, at least as perceived, as being a "white sport.")
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor_Swastikas

[Rix Gins]

Hockey, Dentals. Perfect name for a team. Actually I'm surprised that more dentists and dental implant companies don't sponsor the sport! ESPECIALLY back then!

Absolutely.  They didn't wear helmets, that's for sure.  I was thinking that 'Dentals' might have stood for something else, but there is a big time Dental College that goes way back, in the town of Toronto.  Could they have had the hockey team?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Toronto_Faculty_of_Dentistry

[albrecht]

Absolutely.  They didn't wear helmets, that's for sure.  I was thinking that 'Dentals' might have stood for something else, but there is a big time Dental College that goes way back, in the town of Toronto.  Could they have had the hockey team?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Toronto_Faculty_of_Dentistry

Could be. Clearly, the business of dentistry and implants owes a lot to hockey! Even today. A couple months ago I was at a relative's adult, no checking, "old-guy" league and a tooth was lost and blood on the ice due to a high-stick. Good times!

[Rix Gins]

The Chicago Day Book, March 26, 1917.

NEWS OF THE DAY CONCERNING CHICAGO

Mrs. Agnes Koster, 2040 Elston av., twice widowed, killed self. Poison. Believed to have grieved over suicide of husband four months ago.

Fred Mueller, 2137 Barry av., suicide. Gun. Ill health.

Mrs. Florence Bodgett, 2314 Walnut, tried, suicide. Poison. Ill health.

Mary Weakley, 6115 Dorchester av., fell from roof of four-story bldg. Dead.

Michael Maclewsky, 139 154th st, fell from porch. Killed.

Michael Morris, 5121 S. Morgan, shot and wounded in fight with gang.

Mrs. Catherine Marquis; 807 E. 41st, said two men took her to hotel and tried to attack her. N. Miller and Benj. Crager arrested. 

Catherine Kohler, 25, 932 N. Monticello av., shot and wounded by unidentified gunman while walking on streets. Police probing. (Ed. She died. See below.)

Walter Tinselski, Lyons, III., hurt when motorcycle hit curb.

Arthur Kolebeck, 1219 N. Western av., motorcyclist, hurt by auto of Geo. Selib, 1958 Erie.

Earl and Melvin Heaver, 1227 Newport av., hurt when motorcycle hit Street car.

C. Kerrigan, 4143 Wellington av. struck David Gane, 1621 Davison, during show at McVickers' theater. Said Gane insulted Mrs. Kerrigan.

Police raided 17th Ward Republican Boosters' club, 666 Pay. Found beer and booze. No one present.


SAFEBLOWERS CRACK THREE "BOXES" ONE IN SUB-STATION

  SafebIowers whirled through the city last night in gay abandon and blew three safes before they were through. One of the jobs will interest the federal gov't. it was a postal sub-station safe.
  H. H. Kohlsaat & Co.'s bakery, 12 E. 18th st, was first visited. There the safe yielded $600. Sub-postal station No. 264, located in the drug store of R. A. Shapiro, 1259 W. 12th, was next. The safe was dragged from the front of the store to the rear, where the gang could work more comfortably, and there blown open, $51 in stamps and $35 of Shapiro's money being taken. They neglected a kit of brand-new tools in their flight.
  The safe in the office of the Bryant Electric Co., 223 W. Jackson, added $76 in cash and $21 in stamps to the proceeds of the night.
  After that the gang went home and to bed.


SAFE BLOWING SQUAD LATEST

  Something new in police business was promised by Chief of Police Herman Schuettler today when he organized a "safe-blowing squad." This squad will not spend its time blowing safes, as its name might indicate. It will be sent out to rid the city of a certain class of citizens who have the discouraging habit of prowling at night with a tube of nitroglycerin or a stick of dynamite in their clothes.
  Lieut. James Larkin of the detective bureau will boss the new squad. It was organized to offset the increasing number of safe blowings in the past month. One theory is that Chicago has been made the home of an experienced gang of cracksmen.


SHOOTING OF GIRL REMAINS A MYSTERY

  The shooting of Katherine Kohler last night near her home at 932 N. Monticello av. remained an unsolved problem today that promises to give the police something hard to grapple with. She died at St. Anne's hospital this morning. Miss Kohler went to a movie with Mabel Buhmann, 930 N. Central Park av. and on a corner near Katherine's home the girls separated.
  Before she had gone far Miss Buhmann heard screams and a shot She ran back and found Miss Kohler at the mouth of an alley with a bullet in her head. The police say the gun had been fired with the muzzle in the girl's mouth. No weapon was found near the scene, however. The police have been unable to find a love affair that might explain the deed.

[Rix Gins]

The Evening Star, March 26, 1917.

[Rix Gins]

The Tonopah Daily Bonanza, March 26, 1917.

JAMES BOYLAND GOES T0 TAKE THE CURE

  James Boyland, who is interested in developing a property fifty miles north of Indian Springs in the southern end of Nye county, was induced by Billy Walker, who was passing through there in an auto, to come to Tonopah and journey on to Reno to the university, for the purpose of taking the Pasteur treatment. According to the story, Boyland was bitten in the arm while be was sleeping in a tent. Several shots were fired at the animal but it is not known whether it was killed or not. Miss Margaret Hyland accompanied Boyland to Reno.

[Rix Gins]

The Tacoma Times, March 26, 1917.

[Rix Gins]

Mississippi singer Rufus Thomas was born on March 26, 1917.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufus_Thomas

https://youtu.be/M6AZNywvF-s

[albrecht]

Mississippi singer Rufus Thomas was born on March 26, 1917.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufus_Thomas

https://youtu.be/M6AZNywvF-s

Great song and covered by SO many folks.
I like the Aerosmith cover.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SLVrd-TDZw

[Rix Gins]

On March 25, 1917, Lieutenant Christopher Guy Gilbert and Lieutenant T.J. Owen took off in their new Nieuport Scouts and headed across the lines to provide cover for a larger FE2b plane that would be taking pictures.

Unbeknownst to them, a German ground observation base spotted them and quickly notified Baron Manfred Von Richthofen's squadron of their presence.  Manfred himself took off to investigate and after a bit of flying, came up behind Gilbert, and Gilbert alone.  (Lt. Owen's Scout had developed carburetor problems and he was forced to return to the base at Le Hameau.)

Lt. Gilbert was still trying to get the feel of the new Scout (it had less than 9 hours of recorded flight time) so he wasn't much of a match for Richthofen, who had actually thought that Gilbert was the last pilot in a group of enemy aircraft.  He didn't know that Gilbert was out and about by his own little lonesome self.

Richthofen's combat report notes that, "An enemy squadron had passed our lines.  I went up, overtaking their last machine.  After only a very few shots, the enemy's propeller stopped turning.  The adversary landed near Tilloy, upsetting his plane.  I observed that some moments later the plane began to burn."

Indeed, the downed craft did burn to a crisp but Gilbert Christopher Guy was able to thank his lucky stars that there were some German soldiers nearby who pulled him out of the flames.

In their book "Under The Guns of The Red Baron" authors Norman Franks, Hal Giblin and Nigel McCrery noted that Gilbert had been taken prisoner wearing a greatcoat and pajamas.  He had thought that the mission would be a short one and that he would return to base for breakfast.  Gilbert was taken to a hospital after being captured and Richthofen sent him flowers and fruit.

After a year and nine months of imprisonment in various German POW camps, Christopher Gilbert returned to England and, with his wife, ran a hotel near the Ascot racecourse.  When World War Two rolled around, he was once again in the service, as an 'Officer Commanding Troopships.'  Mr. Gilbert lived to the ripe old age of 80 years, having died in 1973.

Info and (photocopied) pics of Christopher Guy Gilbert: http://www.battlefieldsandbeyond.com/2011/07/red-baron-and-dorset-flyer.html


Nieuport biplane fighter. (Haut-Rhin, France 1917) by Paul Castelnau. This image has been digitally manipulated. The factual accuracy of this description or the file name is disputed. Reason: Attributed to Fernand Cuville by Réunion des musées nationaux [1] - Source BNF Available at http://gallica.bnf.fr/scripts/ConsultationTout.exe?E=0&O=03300083 (bad link), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5967740

https://youtu.be/Ddnb3ONkByY

[albrecht]

This is so cool, in Prussian way.

"Gilbert was taken to a hospital after being captured and Richthofen sent him flowers and fruit."

[Rix Gins]

This is so cool, in Prussian way.

"Gilbert was taken to a hospital after being captured and Richthofen sent him flowers and fruit."

Yeah, I liked that part too.