"HOW TO BE AN AIRMAN.”

Taihape Daily Times, 23 November 1918, Page 3

"HOW TO BE AN AIRMAN.”

For lid, according to his confession, a 19-year-old canal-boat hand named Emil Blumenau, acquired a book entitled "How to be an Airman/’ and on the strength of the information, therefrom derived converted himself into such a convincing counterfeit of a schneidiger (smart) flight lieutenant that he was able to lead a luxurious life in several of Berlin’s best hotels. Eigged out in pilot’s uniform with the Iron Cross of the first and second classes, he masqueraded as "Count B'odo von, Blumenau.’’ He learnt his lesson so well from reading of the exploits of Immelmann, Boleke, and Eichthofen that he made everybody believe in his tall talcs of thrilling victories over British and French airmen. Having run up large hills for food and wine on credit freely extended, he suddenly disappeared after having robbed fellow-guests at several hotels of cash and jewellery. The young swindler told the police that it was easy to live for nothing in Germany if one was "an air hero.’’