[Illustration: © International Film Service. THE BALLOON CORPS EXPERIENCE THE SENSATIONS OF THE POLAR EXPLORER]
[Illustration: DROPPING A BOMB FROM A DIRIGIBLE _It is Pleasanter to See This in a Volume Than Overhead!_]
[Illustration: A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THIS WAS A GERMAN BATTLE PLANE _But the Aircraft Guns Got His Range. The Insert Shows a Naval Plane_]
[Illustration: © International Film Service. SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING IN THE FIRST LINE TRENCH _A British Trench at Orvillieres_]
TALES OF THE DARING RIDES OF A FRENCH TROOPER
_With the Twenty-second Regiment of Dragoons_
_Told by Lieut. Christian Mallet, of the Dragoons_
This famous 22nd regiment of Dragoons was raised in 1635 and took part in all the great wars in which the French were engaged before the Revolution. It fought under the Republic and then with Napoleon's armies--at Austerlitz (1805); Jena (1806); Eylau (1807); Oporto (1809). It saw service with the Army of the Sambre and Meuse, the Army of the Rhine, the Grande-Armee, in the War in Spain, the Campaign in Saxony, the Campaign in France (1814). The regiment was disbanded in 1815 at the close of the Napoleonic Wars and was not raised again until 1873. The first great charge of the 22nd Dragoons in the Great War occurred on the night of September 10-11, 1914. It has since been fighting heroically "For France and Civilization." Lieut. Mallet has fought his way up in the ranks with the Dragoons. He presents the unconquerable spirit of France in his book: "Impressions and Experiences of a French Trooper." It is dedicated: "To my Captain, Count J. de Tarragon, and to my two comrades, 2nd Lieut. Magrin and 2nd Lieut. Clère--who fell all three on the field of honour in defense of their country." One of his stories is recorded herewith by permission of his publishers, _E. P. Dutton and Company_: Copyright 1916.
The battle finished (September 10, 1914) the pursuit of the conquered army commenced and kept the whole world in suspense, with eyes fixed on this headlong flight towards the north, which lasted till the end of the month, and which was to be the prelude of the great battles of the Yser.
The region round Verberie was definitely cleared of Germans and was become once more French. The little town for some days presented an extraordinary spectacle.