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Show missing in WOR IS W Lieutenant H. B. Willis of Lafayette Escadrille a Prisoner Pris-oner in Germany. NEWTON. Mass.. Dec. 15. The first direct communication from "Lieutenant Harold B. Willis, of the Lafayette escadrille, esca-drille, who disappeared while flying over the German lines August IS, was received by his parents here today. The Red Cross had discovered the missing aviator in a German prison .camp, but Willis's letter revealed for the first time the story of his capture. "My last flight was some distance within the lines' he wrote. "One of the boys in front of me attacked, and I was able to put away my assailant, but was immediately jumped on by two others, later by a third. To avoid being riddled from the rear, 1 had to turn and engage, and was thus separated from friends on my level, French machines above us evidently did not see my situation. "Almost immediately my motor was hit and only ran intermittently, so that they could always keep above me. My efforts became the avoidance of fire on the line of flight, and to regain tlie group or lines. 1 I did not succeed, however, in any of these, on account of loss of motor and tlie odds against ine. I landed twenty twen-ty kilometers in tlie rear. An adversary landed beside me and proved 'very courteous cour-teous and sympathetic. My machine was hit thirty times, in body, motor and windshield. wind-shield. Half the cables were cut, tire shot away and an unknown number of holes in the wings. "They took me to lunch and later to the rear. The treatment since continues courteous. "My chief distress has been my inability inabil-ity to tell you of my safety and further my exile from the front and the fighting. "Am with splendid French officers. Am studying1 German. Doing sketching and wood carving." |