DECEMBER 30,1918
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Hugh Garvie of K. U.
Writes of Experiences
In Hun Prison Camps
Former Engineering Studen
Was Shot Down in Air
Battle Near Verdun
Almost Starved to Death
Red Cross Proved Great Aid to Americans Captured By Hume
Mr. and Mrs. James Gavine of Abilene, received a letter from their son, Lieut. Hugh Gavine, former student of engineering in the University, and an aviator in the U. S. Army who was taken prisoner by the Germans, and released after the signing of the armistice. The letter reads in part:
In order to give you the straight of things, I suppose it will be necessary to start at the beginning. Although it will mean a long letter. I guess you can find time to read it.
I was brought down September 28, about 11 a.m. our Mournship got up at 4 o'clock in the morning on the day of the beginning of the American drive between Verdun and Argonne Forest. The barrage opened up about 2 p.m. We could hear the roar of the heavy artillery long before we took off. Just as it was, beginning to get light, our squadron had a patrol. We flew up and down the lines at a height of about 14,000 feet. It was a wonderful sight on the ground when it was not yet bright.
GASOLINE GIVES OUT
The attack had not been expected and the aerial activity was not very great on our first patrol. On the way back, a few of the men attacked two biplane machines. In the combat, the gasoline gave out but through using the reserve supply, they were able to get over the lines.
actives diving down on you.
FOKKERS GOT HLM
Upon arriving at the field, our machines were filled with gas and oil and equipped, each with two small bombs. We were ordered out to "strife" German troops, reinforcements, truck trains, etc., which were brought up to the front. This requires flying very low because at great heights one is unable to see troops on the ground and can not fire the guns and drop bombs accurately. When flying low it is much more dangerous than when flying high. Machine guns on the ground. Then, the Archies are much more effective and there is always the danger of enemy machines diving down on you.
Well, that is just what happened to me. We were back about ten miles and had dropped our bombs and were "straffling" a road leading the front. I was flying last man in the formation when a number of Fokkers came diving down, firing at us. In this flight, my gas tank was hit and my pressure went down I turned on my reserve tank and continued in a zig zag course. In the fight which followed my motor was hit, I knew all was over then and that I had no chance of getting back. I started to glide toward ground, enemy machines firing at me all the way down.
My machine was just riddled with holes. Gasoline, water, oil and steam from the engine were coiling back in my face. I was expecting at any minute to catch on fire. My windshield had been shot out from in front of me and my face was cut a little by small pieces of flying glass. I made a landing without breaking up. They dived down on me after I had landed, firing a few bursts. I unblocked my belt, dropped down in the cock pit as if I had been hit and they flew off and left me.
I then got out of the machine and was taken to a dugout where I was questioned. From theme they took me to a higher officer in another dugout. After finishing with him, I was taken out and turned over to a number of guards. They all took out a clip of cartridges and loaded their guns. I was standing up against a stone wall. I thought I had done something they did not approve of and was to be shoe. Instead, they were only taking a little precaution against my escape. If I remember my knees were trembling just a little at that moment. They then brought in another lieutenant by the name of Evans who had been brought down. He was wounded in the leg and his head had been bruised a little in landing.
We started out on a march and walked steadily until about 8 o'clock at night. Then we were met by a car and rode for about half an hour, arriving at a little town by the name of Joef, north of Metz. By that time I was so tired I could hardly move and was going to sit down. We had no water, or dinner. When we reached Joef, we were kept at a
guarded house where we met two more aviators, who had been brought down in a bombing raid. They had had a very narrow escape, but I have not time to mention it here. Later two infantry officers, another aviator from our squadron and an engineer were brought in.
ZERO STUFF IN FOOD
ZERO STOCK IN FOOD
In the morning I got a small piece of black bread which I frightful of a little jam made out of sugar beets, and a cup of cream from roasted potatoes. This was the first meal I had bad since the morning before. At noon and evening we received a bowl of soup made of cabbage, carrots and I can't guess what all. Anyway I know I had never seen anything like it before. Sometimes we might receive a side dish at noon, of a bowl of soup, but that was seldom. We remained at this place four days.
We were then sent to the prison at Karlshrue which is a sort of a distribution point. We stayed ten days at this place, locked up in a hotel. I never came so near starving in my life as I did while there. We received norn coffee in the morning a bowl of soup for dinner and a side dish of either sauer kraut, potatoes slaw or sometimes fruit they called it—made of the culls from the cider mill. No one could eat it. It was awfully disagreeable there. We were locked up in a small room with frosted windows and nod nothing to read. We got so hungry we were willing to eat anything. I was fortunate in having a little money on me and was able to get the guarls to buy some extra bread or anything. For these we hiked any ridiculous prices. We all learned to get out in a small room about twenty feet from an hour a day to get a little fresh air. The most disagreeable
few square for a hour a day to get a little fresh air. The most disagreeable part of all was that the place was just 'full of fleas and lice.'
RED CROSS TO THE RESCUE
On November 16 we left this place for Villingen. We were told we were going straight back but we stayed there ten days. While there I met Colonel Brown who was captain of my company at Fort Riley. At Villinger we were given our parole and were able to see German troops when they came back. They were in awful condition. It must have been a sad affair for a lot of them but they took it very well.
WE were then sent to a camp in a park in town. This place was sur rounded by a board wall and barricade wire. We lived in wooden barracks and were able to take a bait twice a week and eat all of we received R.C. Cross issues of food twice a week. With this and the Hun food were able to get along quite well. From there we were sent to Landeshut, a camp for American flyers only. We lived in the court yard of an old castle built in 1100 and furnished by the King of Bavaria but who never lived in it. We were in wooden barracks and live quite comfortably. The Hun food was much better here and the Red Cross issue was very good. At this place we received inoculation for typhus, typhoid and cholera. We were at this place when the revolution broke out. We thought things were going to be serious but they were not. We were all moved into stone barracks and given extra guards. Frequently we could hear living in the town but we were not disturbed.
We left there November 26 and were told we were going straight through Switzerland. In $ ^{a} $ Switzerland we received a wonderful reception—one that I shall long remember. Large crowds met us at every station and treated us simply grand. The Red Cross had something to eat in every town and the civilians loaded us with chocolates, cigarettes, etc. We arrived in France December 1st.
ON LIFE I went to a house party not long ago and met there a dear old lady with fluffy white hair and sad eyes; a little old lady who had known the pangs of parting and sacrifice, had to leave and lost. And she told to me that a wondering seeing look in her eyes.
TWO POINTS OF VIEW ON LIFE
"I wouldn't give up one of the sorrows that I have had to bear. I wouldn't give up one of them! They've been part of my life."
I saw a man, a very old man, yesterday. His hair and his beard were white. He was quite tall. But I noticed that in his face, when I drew near him, was curiously unlined.
"Somehow," I said to my companion, "that man's face doesn't match him. Somehow he seems a bit wrong. He has the forehead of a child."
"Probably," answered my companion, "he has the mind of a child, too, and the reasoning power of a child. A face with no lines on it, an old face, is not particularly desirable. It isn't only sorrow that leaves its mark. Thought and deep feeling and sympathy leave their lines, too!"
Ferdinand Gottlieb, who was elected editor-in-chief of The Daily Kansan, will not return to school the second term. Helen Peffer, who was news editor of the Kansan last month, will be editor-in-chief.
By The Way
Miss Eugenie Gallo, professor of French, spent the holidays at Aurora III.
Mignon Schell, c'18, who is teaching in high school at Waverly is in own visiting friends.
Miss Elizabeth Sprague of the department of home economics, spent her vacation in Chicago and Cincinnati.
Earl Beiderwell, m'20, was calle to Edna, last night, by the serious illness of his father the Rev. S. I Beiderwell.
Miss Meguiar of the department or home economics, visited relatives at Wichita, during the vacation.
Harlow Tibbetts and Henry Rebspent their furlough at Blue Rapids, and will return to the University for this quarter.
Lieutenant George Strong, son of Congressman-elect J. G. Strong, of the Fifth District, Blue Rapids, who was an instructor in naval aviation at Washington, will re-enroll in the School of Law.
Miss Lois Tice, of Dowagiac, Mich,
who is attending school in Kansas
City, Mo., spent the holiday week-ena
with Prof. and Mrs. W. A. Dill.
H. Howland, '19, of Great Lakes Training School, is spending a 5-day furlough with Mrs. Holland in Lawrence.
Willard Glasco, '19, of the Great Lakes Naval Training School, is spending a 7-day furlough in Lawrence. Mr. Glasco will enroll in the School of Law as he expects to receive his discharge from the navy within the next month.
SMART BOY
"Bang," went the rides of the soldiers at the training maneuvers.
"00-oo," screamed the pretty girl a nice, decorous, surprised little scream, and stepped backward into the arms of a surprised young man.
All of the latest magazines at the City Drug Store.-Adv.
"Not at all," said the young man,
"Let's 'go over and watch the artillery." -Green Bag.
"oh," said she, blushing. "I was frightened by the rifles. I beg your pardon."
Lieutenants to Scatter at
. End of Demobilization
Young Officers Attached Here To Resume School Work And Vocations
The domobilizing or the S. A. T. C. probably will be complete within a short time and the officers who have been attached to the organization will take up various vacations. Several of them
First Lieut. Frank A. Cramer will go to his home in Garnett and rest until spring.
First Lieut. Thomas G. Foltz will await further orders from Washington.
Lieut. Judson S. Allen expects tc resume medical practice.
Lieutenant Brown, dentist, will return to his practice in Junction City. Lieut. Frank L. Normile will remain in the army individually.
Lieut. Thomas C. Madden will resume the practice of law.
Lieut. Robert W. Cretney expects to resume college work as a student.
to resume college work as a student.
Lieut. John B. Chapple will go to Wisconsin where he will take up newspaper work.
Lieut. Vallie E. Compton will leave for his cotton plantation in Texas.
for the cotton plantation in Paula.
Lieut. William W. Peterson will go to Iowa University to finish a law course.
Lieut. Joseph W. Cummings will return to Michigan to school.
Lieut. Ralph E. Carter will return to his position on the faculty of the UU School of Law.
Lieut. Eugent D. Crittenden will return to the University of Alabama.
Lieut. Ben A. Copass goes to his plantation in North Carolina.
Lieut. Min H. Li will return to North Dakota to resume his work in the university there.
Lieut. Frederick E. Croxton will continue his education in the University of Ohio.
Lieut. Daniel Den Uyl expects to attend Michigan Agricultural College.
Lieut. Otis P. Hornaday says perhaps he will come to K. U. next quarter.
Lieut. John N. Covington will return to Virginia.
Lieut. Carter P. Ulmer will return to his home in Alabama.
Lieut. Henry P. Constans will attend school at the University of Minnesota.
Lieut. Lev. F. Curl, expects to attend Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College.
Lieut. Archibald B. Cummings will return to Kentucky Military Institute.
Lieut. Jack L. Curran ' expects to take up business in New Orleans.
Lieut. L. N. Uher will attend the
Case School of Applied Sciences in Cleveland.
Lieut. George J. Uhland will enter business in Minnesota.
Lieut. John F. Brackett will enter the University of Missouri next semester.
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INTRODUCED THE SPIDER
Varsity and Bowersock Closed Monday and Tuesday--Will Open NEW YEAR'S DAY
The lawyer had been away in the country calling upon a client, but on his return there were signs of loafing at home on the part of the junior clerk.
"Thomas, that typewriter has not been touched today?" snapped the man of
"Oh, sir!" ejaculated Thomas. "Why,
I was using it only an hour ago!"
"Then thundered the employer, "how comes it that there a spider on the machine and that he's woven a web over the keyboard?"
"Sir," remarked the lad. "I'll tell the truth. There was a fly in the works of that machine. Rather than waste my time in entrapting the insect, sir, I—er—introduced the spider, sir!"—Tid-Bits, London.
NEW WAY TO READ
Dorothy always begins a novel in the middle of it."
"What's that for?"
WHAT THERE WAS
As a result of this advice, a tenderfoot wrote the following composition:
"Why, then she has two problems to be excited over: how the story will and how it will begin."—Ladice Home Journal.
The teacher told his class that in writing compositions they should not attempt any flights of fancy, but only what was in them.
foot wrote the following composition:
"I shall not attempt any flutes of fancy, but wright just what is imne. In me there is my stummick, lungs, liver, two apples, two cakes and my dinner."—Ladies Home Journal.
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