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Updated: June 25, 2025
An engagement took place lasting forty-five minutes, during which the Russians sank the auxiliary cruiser Herzmann, capturing her crew and two other craft, one of which was believed to have been a destroyer. In the confusion all of the merchant ships reached the Swedish coast and other destroyers and armed trawlers accompanying them made good their escape.
At dawn the following morning, well behind the German lines in the vicinity of Roncheres, Count von Herzmann's famous Circus was making feverish haste to take the air. Von Herzmann himself was coolly instructing the pilots in the purposes of their coming expedition.
"Luck!" the senior officer retorted, heatedly. "You call it luck! It was luck that we did not lose you and that you got your crippled plane back across the line. But can you be sure that those Spads came upon the scene, at the right moment, by chance?" Count von Herzmann shook his head. "No, Herr Hauptmann, in this war we can be sure of only one thing death, if the war continues.
His elation was great indeed, and his entire manner, as well as the pleased smile that played over his youthful, handsome face, indicated that he was confident of victory. Confidence, however, was no new trait in von Herzmann. He always possessed it, but it stopped just short of blind egotism. Perhaps therein could be found the reason for his fame and his success.
The squadron losses could have been held down had the members been less keen about scoring a personal victory over von Herzmann. Every pursuit pilot along the entire front was willing to take the most desperate chances in the hope of plucking the crest feathers of this German war eagle.
Cowan was enjoying the curiosity provoked by the suspense he was creating. "I believe both of you have heard of a certain German ace, Count von Herzmann?" "Have we!" Larkin replied. McGee ran his fingers along a white scar still showing through the hair which had not yet grown out long enough to be the flaming red mop of old. "Seems I've heard of him," he said.
I have a great fear that it will be the luck of some cub, fresh at the front, to bring me down. Ha! How he would swank around, boasting how he brought down the great von Herzmann. Bah! Death, Herr Hauptmann, I do not fear in the least, but I hate the thought of a cub boasting over my bones. Besides, there are no new adventures left for me in the air. I am a little weary of it all.
"And I seem to recall that one of his flyers left me this little souvenir on the top of my head. I'd like to pay the Count back in person." "You'll never get the chance!" Cowan replied. "But if all our plans work out, you will meet him in person soon in this very room!" "What!" It was a duet of surprise. "Yes, here. Count von Herzmann in person and in Lieutenant Larkin's long lost uniform."
But this this is new adventure and " "And deadly dangerous," reminded the cadaverous, thin-faced officer at the far end of the table. "If not dangerous, it is not adventure, sir," von Herzmann replied. "Do we not all enjoy the thing that presents some hazard? Youth lives it; age thrills to the reports of it. If I fail, I fail.
"I regret that it will probably be returned to him with bullet holes in it. Oh, well such is war, eh? Perhaps he can find some satisfaction in keeping it as a souvenir. He can point to the holes and say, 'Count von Herzmann, the German ace and spy, was just behind these holes." Every man in the room felt awed and a trifle uneasy. Here was a man whose cool courage they could envy.
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