Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 43649-h.htm or 43649-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43649/43649-h/43649-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43649/43649-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See http://archive.org/details/overfrontinaerop00pulirich Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). [Illustration: [See page 2 "A FEW SECONDS LATER THE TWO GREAT PROPELLERS BEGAN TO FLASH ROUND"] OVER THE FRONT IN AN AEROPLANE AND SCENES INSIDE THE FRENCH AND FLEMISH TRENCHES by RALPH PULITZER Illustrated [Illustration] Harper & Brothers Publishers New York and London OVER THE FRONT IN AN AEROPLANE ------- Copyright, 1915, by Harper & Brothers Printed in the United States of America TO MY WIFE CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. A FLIGHT TO THE FIRING LINE 1 II. HOW THE FRONT IS VISITED 16 III. IN THE FRENCH TRENCHES 41 IV. A TYPICAL DAY'S TOUR 59 V. A GRENADE-THROWING SCHOOL 88 VI. WITH THE BELGIAN BATTERIES 99 VII. IN THE FLEMISH TRENCHES 120 VIII. LESSONS 140 ILLUSTRATIONS "A FEW SECONDS LATER THE TWO GREAT PROPELLERS BEGAN TO FLASH ROUND" _Frontispiece_ "BELOW US STRETCHED AN UNBROKEN WHITE OCEAN OF THESE LOWER CLOUDS" _Facing p._ 6 "THERE WERE AUTOS WITH ... RAZOR-EDGED KNIFE-BLADES ATTACHED" " 32 CAPTAIN D'A---- AND THE AUTHOR " 32 "THERE MASS IS STILL HELD EVERY SUNDAY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SIXTEEN INHABITANTS WHO STILL PERSISTED IN STAYING IN THE VILLAGE" " 48 THE AUTHOR IN A FRONT TRENCH NEAR RHEIMS " 52 "WE WERE COMPLETELY ABSORBED IN WATCHING THE SOFT LITTLE CLOUDS PLAYFULLY DANCING ALONG AHEAD OF THE LAZILY DRIFTING AEROPLANE" " 68 "AS WE HIKED ALONG AT THE GENERAL'S FAVORITE PACE" " 72 "A HEAVY FIELD-PIECE STANDING ON TREADLED WHEELS" " 72 PART OF THE ENORMOUS ENCAMPMENT OF SUPPLY-WAGONS, WHICH CARRY THE COMPLETE SUPPLIES FOR THREE FULL DAYS FOR ONE ARMY CORPS " 84 "COLONEL D----, COMMANDING THE ARTILLERY OF THE SECTOR" " 104