For a military _revue_ it was decidedly amusing. Aviators are not very military. The chief of one of the _escadrilles_ was commissioned to command the mechanics who are plain soldiers with rifles and steel helmets for the occasion. He is a bit of a clown and amused the entire gathering, kidding with the officers. The pilots of each of the five _escadrilles_ were in more or less formation, most of them with hands in their pockets for it was chilly, and presenting a mixture of uniforms unparalleled in its heterogeneity. Every branch of the service represented and endless personal ideas in dress. Because of the occasion, _repos_ has been granted to the entire group for the afternoon, another group taking over our patrols. So that after the _revue_, everyone had the afternoon to waste--a sunny day which is quite unusual this month. Within a half hour, every machine that was in working order was in the air--forming into groups and then off for the lines, just looking for trouble--a voluntary patrol they call it. Which opened my eyes a bit to the spirit in the French service after three years of war. Word from Paris that those Americans in the French service who have demanded their release to join the U. S. A. have obtained that release--which probably means that all we wait for now ... is the commissions. This afternoon I took another trip with one of the old pilots to look over the sector. We stayed over France and didn’t get into trouble although there were lots of Boches around. Hope to get really started soon.... An amusing one this morning: two pilots from the group were on patrol and attacked a single German about two kilometres behind the German lines. They completely outmanoeuvred him, he got cold feet and started for the French lines, giving himself up. The funniest part about it is that the machine gun of one of the attackers was jammed and he couldn’t possibly have hurt the Boche--just had the nerve to stay and throw a bluff. They came back to camp just before dark this evening, one of them flying the German machine and the other guarding him in a Spad. The machine is an Albatross monoplane (biplane)--finished in silver with big black crosses on the wings and tail--a really beautiful thing. It flew around camp for several minutes before landing. It is the second machine that has been scared down since I’ve been out here. XVII AT THE FRONT, SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE, November 17, 1917.