AIR MEN O' WAR
| BY THE SAME AUTHOR |
| BETWEEN THE LINES $1.50 net ACTION FRONT $1.50 net DOING THEIR BIT $1.25 net GRAPES OF WRATH $1.50 net FRONT LINES $1.50 net |
| E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY |
AIR MEN O' WAR
BY
BOYD CABLE
AUTHOR OF "BETWEEN THE LINES," "ACTION FRONT,"
"GRAPES OF WRATH," "FRONT LINES," ETC.
NEW YORK
E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY
681 Fifth Avenue
Copyright 1919
By E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America
TO ALL
AIR MEN O' WAR
AND ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO ARE OR HAVE BEEN ON THE WESTERN FRONT, WHOSE HOSPITALITY AND FRIENDSHIP I HAVE ENJOYED, AND TO WHOSE HELP AND INTEREST THESE TALES ARE LARGELY DUE, THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED AS A TRIBUTE OF ADMIRATION AND A TOKEN OF CHERISHED FRIENDSHIP BY
The Author.
In the Field,
September 5th, 1918.
FOREWORD
It has been my endeavour throughout these tales not only to chronicle some of the wonderful work done in the air, but also to show the connection between it and that of the Armies on the ground, the assistance rendered in so many ways by the air arm, and its value in a battle and in a campaign. I hope that my stories may show something of the skill and daring of the air men and—what is less well known to the public—how much they are doing to save the lives and cut down the casualties of the men on the ground, and to help our arms to victory.
Already I have been rebuked for exaggerating and making my characters perform impossible feats, so I may forewarn the reader that I have written nothing here for which I cannot find an actual parallel—and in some cases even more wonderful—fact. Practically every incident I have pieced into my tales has, to my own knowledge, occurred, and I have left untold many which for sheer sensationalism would beat these hollow. There are many in the Air Force who will recognise incidents and feats, but will not recognise the characters I have attached to them, because—mainly at the urgent wish of the men themselves—I have used entirely fictitious[Pg viii] characters and names throughout. Because most of the writing was done while the R.N.A.S. and R.F.C. were still in existence I have left this as written.
I ask the indulgence of critical readers amongst the air men to any technical