A THRILLING ESCAPE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 May 1916, Page 2

A THRILLING ESCAPE.

TERHIBLE DROP FROM ■BALLOON. The Paris correspondent of the London Daily Xcws writes:— One of the most thrilling adventures of this war was the escape from capture or death of a lieutenant who, .while, in a captive balloon., above the roar of the battle of Verdun, suddenly realised that the steel liawser connecting him with the earth had been severed by a shell and that he was drifting towards the enemy's lines. Yesterday afternoon a report ran through the French lines that the "sausage was off." Thousands of anxious eyes were directed towards the little speck which grew fainter and fainter as the southerly wind wafted it towards the German positions. Four aeroplanes started in the vain 'hope of rendering assistance, but everyone felt that the lieutenant was doomed. Minutes passed. The balloon kept rising, and only the car could now be discerned. The soldiers forgot to fire, the suspense -was so terrible. Then suddenly a tiny greyish speck was scon to part from the balloon, which shot up a thousand feet,' 'but instead of falling to earth the speck seemed to be caught up sharp in midair. At last, with the aid of glasses, observers saw that the speck was a human body suspended from a parachute. A mighty cheer rose as the truth wan realised, but a full ten miriutea of suspense lasted as the parachute with its human freight slowly descended, and finally landed close to the French lines. M. Paul Erio, who tells the story in the Paris Journal, came upon the hero of this miraculous adventure in a hut in a wood near Verdun. The young officer described his experience thus:— "The first intimation that something had gone wrong was when T felt a slight shock. I thought the telephone cable had parted. All at once I became aware that the other balloons were growing smaller, and I grasped the fact that I was adrift. A glance at my barometer told me I was already five thousand feet up. T tried to pull the cord working the hydrogen automatic control, but it had become entangled awl refused to work. I tried to climb up to it, but failed. "Then I feared I was lost. My first thought was to destroy my papers, then I thought of blowing out my 'brains to avoid falling, into the hands of the Bodies. Then, however, '■ante inspiration. Why not try the parachnte? I haij to be quick, for I was now eleven thousand foot up. The cord, which was tied round my body was sixty-five feet long, so I bad to jump that distance, into the void before the box containing the parachute could open and set it free. I "For a few seconds I held on to the car by my hands. Then I let go. 1 must have dropped over a hundred feet before the parachute unfurled, and it was not an agreeable sensation. But filter that I did not mind, and was ab]c to look about me. After a time I felt the sensation of complete security. When I was only two thousand five hundred feet from the earth I became aware that the wind was carrying me towards the German lines. Then I seemed to lose consciousness. I rebounded three times before I finally landed and discovered I was 300 yards from the enemy. I had been twenty minutes falling. I' am only slightly bruised." The officer obstinately refuses to allow his name to be published. "Just think," he protested, "what a shock it would be to my mother, who fancies I am in a safe billet."