 He suffered a severely broken leg early in June when his polo pony "Joe" slipped on a paved street in Omaha and fell on him.As he was about to start sick leave, Lahm was offered a six-week inspection tour of balloon schools, equipment, and operations in both Britain and France.He received confidential orders from Gen. Tasker H. Bliss on July 25, and another promotion to temporary lieutenant colonel, Signal Corps, on August 5.