[Footnote 19: "Once knightly heroes wandered over earth...."]
Major de Rose ordered enemy-chasing, and electrified and inspired his
escadrilles. The part he played during those terrible Verdun months can
never be sufficiently praised. Guynemer's comrades held the sky under
fire, as their brothers, the infantrymen, held the shifting ground
which protected the ancient citadel. Chaput brought down seven
airplanes, Nungesser six, and a drachen, Navarre four, Lenoir four,
Auger and Pelletier d'Oisy three, Puple, Chainat, and Lesort two. The
observation airplanes rivaled the fighting machines, often defending
themselves, and not infrequently forcing down their assailants in
flames. Twice Sergeant Fedoroff rid himself in this manner of
troublesome adversaries. But other pilots deserve to be mentioned,
pilots such as Stribick and Houtt, Captain Vuillemin, Lieutenant de
Laage, Sergeants de Ridder, Viallet and Buisse, and such observers as
Lieutenant Liebmann, who was killed, and Mutel, Naudeau, Campion,
Moulines, Dumas, Robbe, Travers, _sous-lieutenant_ Boillot, Captain
Verdurand--admirable squadron chief--and Major Roisin, expert in
bombardments.
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