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WITH THE FOURTH ARMY 173
groups of cavalry officers, amongst them a couple of Swedes,
Counts Lewenhaupt and Cronstedt, lieutenants respectively
of the Dragoons and Hussars of the Regiment of Life Guards.
On the 1st of October we made an excursion to the troops,
and had the company of the delightful and plucky chief of
the flying corps, stationed just then at Vouziers, Captain
H. von Chamier-Glisczinski. He called for us in his car and
we drove at a wild pace through the avenue south-westward
to Somme Py. Before however getting so far, we stopped a
moment at the flying station, where the Captain had some
business to attend to. Whilst we halted a Taube came swoop-
ing down in a glorious vol-plane. It descended at what ap-
peared a terrific speed, with its light graceful wings sharply
silhouetted against the glorious blue sky. It came to the
ground quite close to us and I thought I should have to step
aside a bit not to be struck by one of the planes. When near
the ground, the machine made a slight movement as if in-
tending to rise again. But it was merely to lessen the shock on
landing. Then it rolled along a little way on its wheels and
came quietly to a standstill.
The airman and his companion accompanied us a little
distance on our way. Once more the many phases of the
active life in the rear of the fighting troops unfolded them-
selves before our eyes. It was not so difiicult to advance as
I expected, for nowadays it is the custom to keep still and
under cover during daylight. Here and there little fires were
burning in the shadow of trees. Cooking was going on, and
the soldiers were contentedly drinking their coffee, smoking
their pipes or taking sun-baths on overthrown wheat-sheaves.
The food wagons with their white and yellow arched awnings
were as usual covered with leafy branches in order not to
attract more than necessary the attention of the French
airmen.
Somme Py was not much of a place to stop for, nearly the
whole village is burnt and destroyed, leaving nothing but
naked walls with sides blackened by the? soot of flames. We
proceeded on our way. Now and again we catch a glimpse
of an ambulance section with doctors and stretcher bearers
and vehicles, or of the fighting train of some infantry regi-
ment. We recognise our old friends the foliage-shrouded
kitchen wagons, the yellow ambulance wagons, surrounded
by stretcher bearers with their white bands round the arm.
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