If this little book should fall by chance into His Excellency’s hands, may I be forgiven that I forgot, when addressing him, what clothes I was wearing at the time.
At seven o’clock that evening the train entered the Zoo Station.
A pair of wonderful blue eyes swimming in tears, a gorgeous bunch of crimson roses, and unable to utter a word through sheer happiness and the joy of reunion we left the station.
I passed the next days as in a dream. When I entered the Admiralty, the porter naturally would not allow me to come in; and also in the large shops, where I had to buy things in double-quick time, as nothing was left me but my workman’s attire, the commissionaires were bent on ejecting me.
I only worked a few days at the Imperial Naval Ministry, and then I received my Emperor’s thanks.
And with the Iron Cross of the First Class I proudly went home to my people.
After a few weeks’ rest I received my greatest reward.
I became a “flying-man” again, and was allowed to co-operate in the great work of Germany’s fight and victory.
And when, at the Eastern Front, my most gracious Emperor and Master inspected the Naval Flying Station, under my command, and shook hands with me and personally expressed his Imperial satisfaction, I looked straight into his eyes, and pressed in burning letters graven in my heart stood:
“With God for Emperor and Fatherland.”