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diff --git a/old/60808-0.txt b/old/60808-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index ef2027d..0000000 --- a/old/60808-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2839 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of War Flying, by L. F. Hutcheon - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: War Flying - -Author: L. F. Hutcheon - -Release Date: November 29, 2019 [EBook #60808] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WAR FLYING *** - - - - -Produced by deaurider, Charlie Howard, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - -WAR FLYING - - - - - WAR FLYING - - - BY A PILOT - - THE LETTERS OF “THETA” TO HIS HOME PEOPLE - WRITTEN IN TRAINING AND IN WAR - - - _And the sentinel stars set their watch in the sky._--CAMPBELL. - - - BOSTON - HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY - 1917 - - - - -THESE-- - -FROM “THETA” TO HIS MOTHER - - - - -PREFACE - - -This little volume of “Theta’s” letters to his home people is offered -in the hope that it may prove useful, and not for glory or reward. The -Royal Flying Corps in war-time works in secret. Many of our gallant -lads would gladly become pilots if they knew how to set to work, and, -approximately, what they would have to face. When “Theta” decided to -try to enter the service he had nothing to go on save a determination -to “get there” and a general idea of the difficulty of achieving his -purpose. His careless and unstudied notes, written at odd moments in -the work of training and of war, do show how a public-schoolboy may -become a flying officer and how he may fare thereafter. Names, dates, -and places, about which the Censor might have concern, have been -concealed, and extraneous matters have been omitted. The letters are a -cheery and light-hearted record, and may stimulate others. From first -to last they have not contained a grumble. - -It should be understood, however, that the experiences of the writer -must not be taken as typical of those of all pilots at the front. The -R.F.C. has different squadrons for different duties, and different -types of machines suited to the nature of those duties. In the faster -type of machine it is possible to do better and more dangerous work, -and, even in one’s own squadron, the duties of a colleague may have -been more onerous and more trying than those described. In a fighting -squadron the pilot may have almost daily combats in the air; in -another, he may have very long and very trying reconnaissance work. -“Compared with that of some squadrons,” writes “Theta,” “our work is -pleasant.” - - _November 26, 1916._ - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - ORDERED OVERSEAS (AFTER KIPLING) 17 - - - INTRODUCTORY - - THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN IDEA 23 - - - BOOK I - - _IN TRAINING_ - - I. FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE 33 - EARLY IMPRESSIONS 33 - MY FIRST FLYING LESSON 34 - ON GOING “SOLO” 38 - TAKING A TICKET 41 - FIRST CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT 44 - - II. SOME EPISODES: AND A “CRASH” 47 - - III. FROM PASSENGER TO PILOT 53 - - - BOOK II - - _ON ACTIVE SERVICE_ - - R.F.C. ALPHABET 56 - - I. THE OPENING MOVEMENTS 57 - SOMEWHERE 57 - MAP STUDY 59 - A FORCED LANDING 61 - ARCHIES 62 - AGED NINETEEN 64 - A CONCERT 65 - - II. INCREASING THE PACE 67 - FRENCH AVIATOR’S BAG 67 - THE ENEMY IN OUR MIDST 68 - “HOT-AIR STUFF” 71 - A BIG “STRAFE” 72 - LOOPING THE LOOP 75 - NIGHT FLYING 80 - PHOTOS 81 - HIDE AND SEEK 82 - “MISSING” 85 - PANCAKING IN A WHEAT FIELD 87 - AN EXCITING LANDING 89 - DUAL CONTROL 90 - - III. STORM AFTER CALM 94 - BACK TO DUTY 94 - A GOOD STORY 96 - A FOKKER’S FLIGHT 97 - A TAIL PIECE 98 - NIGHT BOMBING 99 - GESTICULATION IN MID-AIR 102 - A FIREWORK DISPLAY 104 - A MIXED GRILL 106 - STALLING 110 - AN AIR FIGHT 116 - - - - -ORDERED OVERSEAS - -(_After Kipling_) - - - Does he know the road to Flanders, does he know the criss-cross tracks - With the row of sturdy hangars at the end? - Does he know that shady corner where, the job done, we relax - To the music of the engines round the bend? - It is here that he is coming with his gun and battle ’plane - To the little aerodrome at--well _you_ know! - To a wooden hut abutting on a quiet country lane, - For he’s ordered overseas and he must go. - - Has he seen those leagues of trenches, the traverses steep and stark, - High over which the British pilots ride? - Does he know the fear of flying miles to eastward of his mark - When his only map has vanished over-side? - It is there that he is going, and it takes a deal of doing, - There are many things he really ought to know; - And there isn’t time to swot ’em if a Fokker he’s pursuing, - For he’s ordered overseas and he must go. - - Does he know that ruined town, that old ---- of renown? - Has he heard the crack of Archie bursting near? - Has he known that ghastly moment when your engine lets you down? - Has he ever had that feeling known as fear? - It’s to Flanders he is going with a brand-new aeroplane - To take the place of one that’s dropped below, - To fly and fight and photo mid the storms of wind and rain, - For he’s ordered overseas and he must go. - - _Then the hangar door flies open and the engine starts its roar, - And the pilot gives the signal with his hand; - As he rises over England he looks back upon the shore, - For the Lord alone knows where he’s going to land. - Now the plane begins to gather speed, completing lap on lap, - Till, after diving down and skimming low, - They’re off to shattered Flanders, by the compass and the map-- - They were ordered overseas and had to go._ - - - - -_INTRODUCTORY_ - - - - -THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN IDEA - - -I - -The first number of the well-thumbed file of _Flight_, carefully kept -by “Theta” up to the present day, bears date July 30, 1910, just two -years after the first public flight in the world. At that time this -particular public-schoolboy was thirteen years of age. His interest -in aviation, however, dated from considerably before that period, and -its first manifestation took the form of paper gliders. Beyond the -fact that they could be manipulated with marvellous dexterity and -that they could be extremely disturbing to the rest of the class in -school, no more need be said. In December 1910 “Theta” felt that he -had a message on airships to convey to the world, and he communicated -it through the medium of the school Journal. Thenceforward he wrote -regularly on flying topics for the Journal, and for four years acted -as its Aeronautical Editor. Throughout 1911, with two school friends, -he also assisted in producing _Aviation_, a cyclostyle sheet of small -circulation proudly claimed as “the first monthly penny Aviation -journal in the world.” Therein the various types of machines were -discussed with all the delightful cocksureness of youth, and various -serial stories based on flying adventures duly ran their course. For -some years he pursued the construction of model aeroplanes with an -assiduity that may well have been fatal to school work and games, -and that was kept up until the German power-driven model drove the -elastically-propelled machines into the realms of toydom. A motley -crowd of enthusiasts used to gather every Saturday and Sunday in one of -the great open spaces of London for the practice of their craft--nearly -all boys in their teens, occasionally one or two grown-ups with -mechanical interests. When the War came the group broke up. Some of -them took up real aircraft construction; others became attached to the -Air Service, naval and military, as mechanics. At least two became -flying officers. - -In July 1911 “Theta” obtained his first Pilot’s Certificate, from an -Aero Club which he had assisted in founding. The document is perhaps -sufficiently interesting to reproduce: - - No. 1 - - X.Y.Z. AERO CLUB: PILOT’S CERTIFICATE - - I hereby Certify that “Theta” has passed the required tests for - the above-named Certificate. The tests have been witnessed by - the undernamed: - - R. H. W. and J. H. C., - - who are Members of the X.Y.Z. Aero Club. - - The tests are as follows:-- - - 1. Flight of 100 yards. - - 2. Circular flight of any distance provided the machine does - not touch the ground and lands within fifteen yards of the - starting-point. - - 3. Or (alternative) flight of any distance when machine flies not - less than six feet higher than the starting-point. - - 4. Flight lasting at least eight seconds. - -The above tests have been approved by the members of the Club. - - (_Signed_) R. H. W., _Secretary_.[1] - J. H. C., _President_.[2] - -The tests would have been very different a few months later, and really -wonderful long-distance flights were afterwards accomplished. - -In order to be able to write with some authority, “Theta” kept abreast -of all developments in Aeronautics, reading with avidity all the -literature on the subject and visiting the flying-grounds. The first -aeroplane he saw in the air was when Paulhan gave a demonstration of -flying at Sandown Park. Subsequently numerous pilgrimages to Brooklands -and Hendon were made. - -There followed visits to France in the vacations. On the second visit -“Theta” and a companion, it was afterwards discovered, cycled round -the rough and narrow stone parapet of a fort when a single slip would -have meant precipitation into a moat on one side, or into the sea on -the other. It was a test of nerves. The return from the third visit -was memorable. “Theta” had left his portmanteau on a railway platform -in Normandy and his waterproof on the Cross-channel steamer; but he -arrived at Waterloo serenely content with the wreck of his model -aeroplane wrapped up in an old French newspaper and a bathing-towel. -His knowledge of French and his customary luck, however, served him, -and the missing impedimenta duly followed him up in the course of a -day or two. Of his French friends--three brothers--one was killed in -the opening months of the War; a second was wounded and taken prisoner -by the Germans, after an adventure that would have won him the V.C. -in this country; and the third, as interpreter, was one of the links -between the Allied forces at the Dardanelles, and is now engaged on -similar work. - -A few months before war broke out “Theta” visited Germany and -photographed the Zeppelin “Viktoria Luise” and its hangar at Frankfort. -He was immensely struck by the ease with which the huge airship was -manipulated, and with its value as a sea scout; but as a fighting -instrument he put his money on the heavier-than-air machines. So -grew day by day, month by month, and year by year--without the least -slackening--that interest in aviation which came to fruition in war -time. - - -II - -“Theta” was born in May 1897; the War broke out in August 1914. On -his eighteenth birthday “Theta” decided that it was time to “get a -move on.” His ambition from the first had been to enter the Royal -Flying Corps. This was opposed chiefly because of his youth and -seeming immaturity and the excessive danger attached to training. -But fate, impelled by inclination, proved too strong. He had been -a member of his O.T.C. for four years, and had attended camps at -Aldershot and Salisbury Plain; but he deliberately set his face against -“foot-slogging.” He urged that though he was old enough to risk his -own life he was not old enough to risk the lives of others--his -seniors--by accepting an infantry commission. - -After many preliminaries an appointment was secured at the War Office -with a High Official of Military Aeronautics. There “Theta” was -subjected to a curiously interesting catechism which seemed to touch on -nearly every possible branch of activity under the sun except aviation. -Finally the High Official, probably seeing a way of ridding himself of -a candidate who had accomplished little or nothing of the various deeds -of daring enumerated in the Shorter Catechism, suggested an immediate -medical examination on the premises. That ordeal safely passed, “Theta” -returned to his catechist, who said wearily, “Well, we’ll try you, but -you know you have not many of the qualifications for a flying officer.” -“Theta” returned to school to await his summons, which was promised -within two months. The school term ended; a motor-cycling holiday in -Devon followed--and still no call. On the return to London a reminder -was sent to the War Office. There immediately came a telegram ordering -“Theta” to report for instruction at what may be called Aerodrome “A.” - -Training began almost at once with a joy-ride of ten minutes’ duration. -But the weather was for the most part what the aviators in their -slang call “dud.” An “abominable mist” hung over the aerodrome, and -consequently, though the period of instruction was fairly prolonged, -the opportunities for flights were few. There was much waiting and -little flying, and the bored youth was driven to music and rhyming to -fill up the interstices. But before the end of the year a good deal had -been accomplished. At the close of his eleventh lesson “Theta” was told -to hold himself in readiness for a “solo” performance. - -After four more flights came the successful tests for the “Ticket” -which transforms the pupil into a certificated aviator. This -preliminary triumph was celebrated the same evening by a joy-ride at -nearly 2,000 feet, the highest altitude that “Theta” had reached on a -solo performance. Nearly four years and a half had elapsed between the -schoolboy “Ticket” and the real thing. - -Then came a transfer to another and more advanced type of machine. -On this there were but three flights with an instructor, and then -another “solo” performance. Towards the close of the year “Theta” left -Aerodrome “A” for Aerodrome “B,” having in the meantime been gazetted -as a probationary second lieutenant, Special Reserve. - -The advanced course occupied about three months. It proved more -exciting in many ways. In the elementary portion of training “Theta” -saw many “crashes,” none of which, however, proved fatal. In the -second, war conditions more nearly prevailed, and at times--when, for -example, three colleagues lost their lives in flying, and a Canadian -friend who shared his hut in training was reported “missing, believed -killed,” within a few weeks of reaching the front--the stern realities -of his new profession were driven home. - -But youth is ever cheerful and optimistic. In fulness of time there -came a flight of a covey of seven “probationaries” in one taxicab to an -examination centre for “wings,” a successful ending, followed shortly -afterwards by final leave, an early-morning gathering of newly made -flying officers at Charing Cross Station, the leave-taking, and the -departure to the front. - -Training was over; the testing-time had come. Before his nineteenth -birthday was reached “Theta” had been across the German lines. - -His letters may now be allowed to “carry on.” - - - - -BOOK I - -_IN TRAINING_ - -(OCTOBER-APRIL) - - - - -I - -FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE - - -[Sidenote: Early Impressions.] - -Arrived here O.K. and reported. Spent the best part of the morning -signing papers and books, and buzzing around. On the way across to the -hangars discovered two R.F.C. men lying on the ground trying to look -like a mole-hill, and fidgeting with a gadget resembling an intoxicated -lawn-mower, the use of which I have not yet discovered. Am posted to -“A” Flight (and wondering when I am going to get it, so to speak). You -report at six o’clock if you are on the morning list; at nine o’clock -if you are not. When you report possibly you go for a joy-ride, weather -and number of pupils permitting. You spend some time in the shops, -followed by a lecture and then drill. At four o’clock you report again. -If it’s fine, and the officers don’t feel too bored with life, they may -take you for a flight, but it is generally some one else they take and -not you. Then you smoke till 5.30 p.m., when you go home. However, I’m -enjoying myself, and the pupils seem a decent lot. I don’t think there -will be anything doing for the next few days, as there is an abominable -mist all over the place. The machines are the safest in the world. - - * * * * * - -Have had a ten minutes’ flight this evening. It was splendid, and felt -perfectly safe. Machine seems quite simple to control. I had my hands -on the dual set, and felt how the pilot did it. Don’t expect I shall -get up again for a long time. I was quite warm, and felt happy, calm, -and confident. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: My First Flying Lesson.] - -My first flying lesson was in the gathering dusk of a cold evening, but -an extra leathern waistcoat and an overcoat and muffler kept me warm. I -mounted to my seat behind the pilot in the nacelle of the huge biplane, -fastened my safety belt, donned my helmet, and sat tight. - -A duologue ensued between the pilot and the mechanic who was about to -swing the propeller and to start the great 70-h.p. Renault engine. - -“Switch off,” sang out the mechanic. - -“Switch off,” echoed the pilot as he complied with the request. - -“Suck in,” shouted the mechanic. - -The pilot moved a lever. “Suck in,” he echoed. - -The mechanic put forth his strength, and turned the propeller round -half a dozen times or so to draw petrol into the cylinders. - -“Contact,” he shouted. - -“Contact,” came back the echo from the pilot as he switched on. - -A lusty heave of the propeller, and the engine was started. - -For a moment the machine was held back, while the pilot listened to -the deep throbbing of the motor, and then, satisfied with its running, -he waved his hand, and we began to “taxi” rapidly across the aerodrome -to the starting-point. The starting-point varies almost every day, as -the rule is to start facing the wind. Then we turned, the pilot opened -the throttle wide, and a deep roar behind us betokened the instant -response of the engine. With the propeller doing its 900 revolutions a -minute we were soon travelling over the ground at 40 m.p.h. The motion -got smoother, and on looking down I found to my surprise that we were -already some thirty feet above the ground. A slight movement of the -elevator, and we started to climb in earnest. A couple of circuits and -we were 700 feet up. - -The pilot looked round and signalled to me to put my hands on the -controls. I did so, and then--apparently to test my nerves--he started -doing some real sporting “stunts,” dives, steep-banks, and so on--in -fact, everything but looping the loop. However, it did not occur to me -at the time to be nervous, I was enjoying it so much. And so at last -the pilot, who kept casting furtive glances at me, was satisfied, and -taking her up to 1,000 feet put her on an even keel, and took both his -hands off the controls, putting them on the sides of the nacelle and -leaving poor little me to manage the “’bus.” This I did all right, -keeping her horizontal and jockeying her up with the ailerons when one -of the wings dropped a little in an air pocket. On reaching the other -side of the “’drome” he retook control, turned her, and let me repeat -my performance. - -Then, again taking control, the pilot, after a few more stunts, -throttled down till his engine was just “ticking over,” and did a _vol -plané_ from 1,000 feet into the almost invisible aerodrome. A gentle -landing in the growing darkness and rising fog, a swift “taxi” along -the ground to the open hangar, and my first lesson in aerial navigation -was concluded. - -The teaching methods may be considered rather abrupt, but they are -those adopted now by all the flying schools. The pupil is taken up -straight away on a dual-control machine to a height of about 1,000 -feet, and then is allowed to lean forward and amuse himself with the -second set of controls, any excessive mistake being corrected by the -pilot. After a time he is allowed to turn unaided, to do complete -circuits unaided, and finally to land the machine unaided. If he does -this successfully he is sent “solo,” and after a few “solos” is sent up -for his “ticket” or Royal Aero Club Certificate. At the time of writing -I am doing circuits unaided, but I hope, weather permitting, to have -come down unaided by the time this appears in print.--_Reprinted from -the School Journal._ - - * * * * * - -Have not been up again, but hope to go up to-morrow. Am enjoying -myself, and am quite fit. - - * * * * * - -Had a nice flight yesterday with Captain ----. If fine, hope to have -another to-morrow. - - * * * * * - -Up this evening. We passed over a field and spotted a B.E. smashed. It -had run into a hedge. No one hurt; machine new. - - * * * * * - -Three flights yesterday, and would have gone “solo” in the afternoon -but a pupil smashed the solo machine. - - * * * * * - -Nothing doing! Nothing done! - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: On Going “Solo.”] - -At last I have gone “solo.” On Sunday and Monday two of our machines -were smashed by pupils on their first solos and both machines had to -be scrapped. In consequence, the pilots have been rather chary about -letting us go up alone, and we too have been wondering whether we were -fated to follow the example of the others. - -At length, however, Captain ---- sent up X this evening, and _he_ got -on all right. So he turned to me suddenly and said, “Well, you’d better -go and break your neck now.” Thus cheered, I gave my hat as a parting -gift to Y, shook hands mournfully all round, and amid lamentations and -tears took my seat for the first time in the pilot’s seat. - -“Contact,” etc., and my engine was running. I pointed her out into the -aerodrome, and then turned her to the right; but “taxiing” is almost -as tricky as flying, and before I could stop it the machine had turned -completely round. However, I got it straight again, and taxied to the -starting-place. - -A “biff” of my left hand on the throttle, and the engine was going all -out. Faster and faster over the ground; a touch of the controls, and we -were off! The next thing I recollect was passing over a machine on the -ground at a height of 200 feet, and then I was at the other end of the -aerodrome. This meant a turn; so down went the nose, then rudder and -bank, and round we came in fine style. A touch on the aileron control, -and we were level again. Thus I went on for ten minutes, and as Captain ----- had told me to do only one circuit and I had done considerably -more, I decided to come down. - -It was growing dusk, so it was as well that I did. I took her outside -the “’drome,” then pointed her in, put the nose down and pulled back -the throttle. - -The roar of the engine ceased, and the ground loomed nearer. A very -slight movement of the controls and we flattened out three feet above -the ground and did a gentle landing. - -A touch on the throttle, a roar, and I taxied back to the waiting -mechanics. “Good landing,” sang out one of them, and a moment later -some half a dozen pupils were shaking me violently by all the hands -they could find and all talking at once in loud voices. “Where’s my -hat?” I asked, and a crumpled object was handed to me. Then up came -Captain ----, very red in the face, and looking exceedingly happy. -“Damn good, ‘Theta’!” and so it ended. Heaps of love to you both. - - * * * * * - -Went “solo” last Wednesday and shall be surprised if I do so again -before Christmas. It is cold and misty, and when not misty it is windy; -when it is neither it rains and so on, but mist from the marshes is the -worst by far. So sometimes we sits and thinks and cusses and smokes; -and sometimes we just sits. - - * * * * * - -Have been up again at last--the first time for a week. Four solo -flights to-day. Went up 1,500 feet on the third and stayed up an hour -on the fourth, between 900 feet and 1,000 feet. It was lovely flying -this evening, but bumpy and airpockety this morning. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: Taking a Ticket.] - -“Theta,” C. Av. What! At last I am a certificated pilot. As soon as -I arrived this morning they sent me up for my ticket, although (as I -said) I had never done a right-hand turn alone! I took my ticket in -fine style, landing right on the mark each time, while X, who went up -first for his, was helping to extricate his machine from a ditch. He -finished his tests, however, all right afterwards. When I landed after -finishing my eights, my instructor said I could consider myself “some -pilot” now. I went up to nearly 2,000 feet this evening for a joy-ride, -and stayed up until I got bored and it got dark and began to rain. -Well, I have got my ticket without “busting” a wire, so I hope I shall -keep it up. Was overwhelmed with congrats, from pupils, etc. I expect I -shall be transferred to “B” flight, and get taken up as a passenger so -as to learn to fly another type. - - * * * * * - -Up this morning for a joy-ride with Sergeant ----, and got into a fog -bank and lost sight of land and sky. Got out of it all right in the -end. Rather interesting. - - * * * * * - -To-day was the first nice day for flying for a week, so the officers -and men arranged a football match! All the same I did manage to get a -flight; so cheer-o. I had my hair cut yesterday, and a new glass put in -my watch. To-day I find my glass cracked, and my hair grown almost as -long as before, in the night. - - * * * * * - - Whizzing through the azure blue - In an aeroplane, say you. - Must of sports the nicest be; - So it is, but then, you see, - The only part that can give pain - Is the return to earth again. - -Got on splendidly to-day. Went solo all right. This type is much nicer -to handle than the other, but you land faster owing to higher speed. -This I managed so well that Sergeant ---- clapped his hands and said -“Very good!” - - * * * * * - - The wind has been blowing. - Ye gods! How it blew! - Stopped bicycles going. - Not one pilot flew. - Up above--eighty-five! - Down below it blew--well-- - In this place dead ’n’ alive - It is absolute ----! - -(Deleted by R.F.C. Censor as not being sufficiently expressive.) -However, we attended a very boring lecture, and walked through slud and -mush at drill time; so we have not done so badly. - - * * * * * - - Some poets say, - As well they may, - Congenial surroundings - Conduce a lay - With rhythm gay, - And artful phrase compoundings - With helpful muse - To air their views - On Nature’s grand aboundings. - - E’en so as joy and sorrow - Do in cases bring forth tears - (A simile to borrow), - In this case it now appears - _No_ sunshine sets the muse to work - In humble little me; - ’Tis wind, and rain, and fogs that lurk - Drive _me_ to poesy. - - * * * * * - -Cleaning wires with emery paper is grand exercise, albeit a trifle -monotonous. However, the pay (15_s._ 6_d._ a day) is good. And as we -pass we hear the voice of R---- weeping for his pupils (which are not) -and will not be comforted. - - * * * * * - -A most wonderful exhibition of flying by Hawker, Raynham, and Marix. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: First Cross-country Flight.] - -Did you see your little son to-day emulating the antics of Nature’s -aerial ornithopters? I left Aerodrome “B” about 10.15 a.m. and went -over to S., then I branched off at right angles for W., but as I was -about 4,000 feet up I could not pick it out from the other parks and -commons, and so, finding myself running into a formidable set of -clouds, I “about turned,” and after taking my map from my pocket and -studying it on my knee for a few minutes, I found out where I was and -set out for Aerodrome “A.” I found it all right, landed, had a chat -with the pupils, borrowed a “bike” and went round to my old rooms, -with chocolate for Betty. Teddie, the dog, was overjoyed to see me.... -I soon got going again and did a few circles over the hospital where -Mrs. S. was nursing, climbed to 2,000 feet, and followed the railway -to--home! Here I did a circle, trying to cover the houses of as many -of my old friends as I could, and then made off at right angles to the -railway for Aerodrome “B.” Before I left home I dropped four letters -with streamers attached--two to you, one to A. C., and one to the Head. -Only a few words inside, so it does not matter whether they are lost -or opened by some one else. I have no idea where they fell. I could -see Aerodrome “B” eight miles away directly I left you, and landed -beautifully in time for lunch. I covered the distance in about seven -and a half minutes, having had a ripping morning. I hope you saw me; -and if you did, how much money did Dad win betting it was _me_? - - * * * * * - -The following extracts are from a letter from home which crossed the -above in post: - - “We saw you. It was all very interesting, and has sent a thrill - over the neighbourhood! To ease your mind I may tell you that - your letter was duly picked up and delivered within three hours - of your visit.... The Mater saw an aeroplane passing over - earlier in the morning and told me she was sure you had taken - Betty her chocolate. Later it became borne in upon me that you - were on your way back. I went to the door. Immediately there - came the roar of a Gnome-engined biplane, and I yelled ‘Here - he is.’ Up came the Gnome-engine biplane, gaily waving its - propeller; then it turned and circled round home. I gurgled ‘It - is Theta,’ seized my handkerchief and waved it violently. Then - there fluttered down from the aeroplane some little things - that glittered in the sun as they fell, and we _knew_ it was - your machine.... Then you appeared to go up over the school - grounds and so home. I watched you till you were only a speck - in the sky, and then turned away. I shall hope when I wake in - the morning to have the scene described as it appeared to you - from above. Meanwhile our hearty congratulations on your first - cross-country flight.” - - - - -II - -SOME EPISODES: AND A “CRASH” - -(_Extracts from “Theta’s” Private Log-Book_) - - - Date. Remarks. - - _November._ Stalled machine all round aerodrome. Captain L----: - “Flying with your tail between your legs: looked d--d - dangerous.” - - „ Wind screen completely frosted over; had only done few - solos; had to take machine to 1,000 feet, lean out, and - clean screen. - - „ Same day got in hot air over factory chimneys. Hell! - - _January._ Second solo on new type. Side-slipped through turning - without flying speed. Ghastly sensation. Captain ----: - “You would have been killed on any other machine but a - ----.” - - „ Another side-slip, but not so bad; pulled her out of it. - - „ First forced landing. Connecting rod broke, and inlet - valve went. Machine ought to have caught fire. Was two - miles from the ’drome. Just got in, machine vibrating - horribly from 2,200 feet down. - - _February._ Worst day so far flown in. Chucked about like a leaf. - No goggles, so could hardly see. Nearly strafed - officers’ mess. Landing all right, but frightful day. - - „ Engine lost 100 revs. per minute over trees. Had to - “bird’s-nest”; unpleasant. Lucky engine did not cut out - altogether. - - „ Rising over hangars when another aeroplane rose and - headed me over tree, and kept too close. Had I not - turned quickly at low altitude might have rammed me. - Unpleasant. - - „ Cut out just in front of trees at 50 feet. Steep bank; - quick right-hand turn; landing close beside trees. O.K. - - „ As passenger; pilot, Lieutenant ----. Engine missing - badly over trees. Attempted to land in small field, - but seeing would crash into trees at the other side at - 40 m.p.h. pilot put nose up, and with missing engine - cleared them by inches, the wheels actually touching - the top. Then more tree dodging and steep banks just - above ground, landing in aerodrome. - - _March._ Climbed into clouds and steered by instruments out of - sight of earth for practice. Spiralled down. - - „ Climbed 7,000 feet. Glorious view from above of clouds - 4,000 feet below me. Most beautiful spectacle I have - ever seen. Climbed till engine would go no higher, then - stopped engine and did right- and left-hand spirals - down, landing without starting engine again. - - „ Started on cross-country to A. Mist very thick; lost my - way, and found myself over London [No compass.--_Ed._] - Turned and discovered Aerodrome “C” below me, so - landed. Later, when mist cleared, restarted, but a - following wind and mist made me over-shoot A., and - landed in field near D. to find out whereabouts. Engine - refused to start, so pegged down machine for the night, - and ’phoned H.Q. - - „ Restarted next day when weather cleared up, but all - landmarks covered by snow. Landed in field again, but - decided to go on. So restarted, and again lost my way. - Circled over town and railway, but could not decide - what they were, and could not find a landing-ground. - Eventually I found one and landed, just stopping in - time at the other end. Kept engine ticking over, and - was told was four miles from A. Restarted, clearing a - large tree by one foot; saw blizzard coming up; had no - time to land, so headed into it and flew for twenty - minutes at 200 feet altitude unable to see either - instruments or ground. Wind and storm increased in - violence; was frequently blown up on to one wing tip, - the machine side-slipping once to within a few feet of - the ground, and just recovering in time for me to clear - a house. Driving snow prevented machine from climbing - and nearly drove it to earth. When a lull came and I - saw a clear place beneath, I promptly circled round, - clearing semi-invisible trees by a matter of inches (I - was told). Finally landed well, and was running along - the ground when a fence dividing the field in two - loomed up a few yards ahead. Elevated, and the nose - cleared it, but the tail skid did not, and caught the - fence, bringing the machine down on its nose with a - crash, and turning it over. My head went through the - top plane, and I remained suspended upside down by my - safety belt. - - „ Propeller smashes in mid-air. - - „ Tested new-rigged machine which had not been flown - since it was smashed. Weather very bad for flying, much - less testing a reconstructed machine. Did not seem to - answer well to the controls and flew left wing down. - Landed machine successfully and reported on it.[3] - - - - -III - -FROM PASSENGER TO PILOT - - -The following notes from “Theta’s” Diary show the progress from novice -(with accompanying pilot) to certificated aviator (solo): - - ---------------+----------------------+---------------------------- - Height. | Course. | Remarks. - ---------------+----------------------+---------------------------- - 350 ft. |Circuits of Aerodrome |Calm and even; dusk; - | | rested hands on controls. - | | - 1,000 ft. |Round Aerodrome |Smooth; dusk; felt controls. - | | - 1,000 ft. |Aerodrome and |Had control a little time, - | neighbourhood | and did left-hand turn. - | | - 900 ft. |Aerodrome |Controlled along straights. - | | - 800–1,000 ft. |Aerodrome with |Bumpy. Had control along - | occasional turns | straights for some time. - | outside | Did several left-hand - | | turns, and one complete - | | turn right round. - | | - 600–700 ft. |Aerodrome |Did circuits, turns, and - | | one landing. - | | - 600 ft. |Aerodrome |Bumpy; so did not get much - | | control. - | | - 500 ft. |Aerodrome |Controlled circuits, and - | | two landings. - | | - 600 ft. |Aerodrome |Entire control; recovery - | | from bank not quite quick - | | enough. One landing. - | | - 400 ft. |Aerodrome |Better; two landings. - | | - 300 ft. |Aerodrome |Two landings; taxi and - | | take off. Told to go solo - | | in afternoon. - | | - 300 ft. |Aerodrome |Two good landings; one - | | bad. Too bumpy for solo. - | | - 400 ft. |Aerodrome |Bumpy; one landing. - | | - 300 ft. |Aerodrome |One landing; bumpy. - | | - 300 ft. |Aerodrome |Entire control, and then - | | sent solo. - | | - 350 ft. |Aerodrome |First solo; a few circuits - | | and smooth landing. - | | - 500 ft. |Aerodrome |All right. - | | - 800 ft. |Aerodrome |Bumpy; landed with engine - | | ticking over too fast. - | | - 1,500 ft. |Aerodrome |Climbed too steeply and - | | nosed down too much on - | | turns. Very bumpy. - | | - 700–1,000 ft. |Aerodrome |Calm; flew for half an - | | hour solo; landing fairly - | | good. Climbed at better - | | angle and turns slightly - | | better. - | | - 500 ft. |Figure eights in |Did first part for ticket - | ’drome | successfully, and landed - | | right on T. - | | - 500 ft. |Eights in ’drome |Did second part of ticket - | | right again, landing - | | within few yards of T. - | | - 580 ft. |One wide circuit with |Completed tests for R.A.C. - | engine switched off | Certificate. - | | - 1,600 ft. |Aerodrome |Joy-ride; landed with too - | | much engine. - ---------------+----------------------+---------------------------- - - - - -BOOK II - -_ON ACTIVE SERVICE_ - - - - -R.F.C. ALPHABET - - - =A= stands for Archie, the Huns’ greatest pride, - - =B= for B.E., our biplane they deride. - - =C= for the “Crash” when by “A”[4] “B” gets hit, - - =D= for the Dive before “C” ends the flit. - - =E= is for Engine, which sometimes goes dud, - - =F= is Cold Feet, as you wait for the thud. - - =G= is the Gun that you keep on the ’plane, - - =H= as per “trig”[5] is the height you attain. - - =I= am the Infant who flies a 2C,[6] - - =J= the Joy-stick on most ’buses you see. - - =K= is the Kick that you get from a gun, - - =L= a forced Landing, too oft to be done. - - =M= for Mechanic; in France most are “firsts,”[7] - - =N= for the Noise that A makes when it bursts. - - =O= which is oil, stops the seizing of E, - - =P= Petrol used by the E of the B. - - =Q= is the Quiet one gets on a glide, - - =R= the Revolver you keep by your side. - - =S= is for Side-slip, some Shot, or a Stunt, - - =T= is the Thrill of a big Fokker hunt. - - =U= Under-carriage, first to go in a smash, - - =V= a V.P.[8] oft precedeth a crash. - - =W= the Wireless, for directing big guns, - - =X= =Y= =Z= I don’t want, so I’ll give to the Huns. - - - - -I - -THE OPENING MOVEMENTS - - -[Sidenote: “Somewhere.”] - -I am here at last. Where that is, however, I can’t tell you.... We -had a good journey, but while I was snoozing the carriage door--which -must have been carelessly shut by one of our men--opened, and one of -my field boots departed. I had taken them off so as to sleep better. I -told a police corporal at the next station, and he is trying to get it. -I had to put on puttees and boots, and pack the odd field boot.... You -would hardly believe we were on Active Service here, although we are, -of course, within hearing of the big guns. There is a stream near by -where we can bathe. We have sleeping-huts fitted with electric light, -nice beds, a good mess, and a passable aerodrome. The fellows all seem -nice, too. I have met three of our squadron before. - - * * * * * - -I have been up several times, but have not had a job yet. I have been -learning the district, and how to land and rise on cinder paths ten -feet wide. The ground here is rather rough, and it speaks well for our -under-carriages that they stand up to it so well. A good landing is a -bounce of about twenty feet into the air, and a diminuendo of bounces, -like a grasshopper--until you pull up. A fairly bad landing is a bounce -of fifty feet and diminuendo. Every one here is cheerful, and thinks -flying is a gentleman’s game, and infinitely better than the trenches; -when your work is over for the day, there is no more anxiety until your -next turn comes round, for you can read and sleep out of range of the -enemy’s guns. What a pity the whole war could not be conducted like -that, both sides out of range of each other’s guns all the time! - -One of our more cheerful optimists feels sure the war will end in the -next four or five years. - -My field boot has turned up, much to my surprise. It was forwarded on -to me by our local Railway Transport Officer. - -We are having quite a good time in our squadron and are rejoicing in -bad weather. Our messing bill is reasonable, and cigarettes and tobacco -are very cheap; so are matches. - - * * * * * - -I have just been over to get some practice with the Lewis gun. They -are rather amusing toys, for you get rid of 100 shots in ten seconds, -as you are probably aware.... - -I took up a mechanic who is a good gunner, to act as an escort to -one of our men who was going photographing. The corporal was awfully -amusing. He was always getting up and turning round, or kneeling on his -seat looking at me and signalling to me. I thought several times he -was going to get out and walk along the planes. The flight was quite -uneventful. Next time I write I hope to be able to tell you what the -trenches are like; at present, owing to low clouds and bad weather, I -haven’t been able to look at them. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: Map study.] - -On Thursday I went up with an officer observer on a patrol, to look for -Huns and gun flashes, etc. We could not see anything above 3,000 feet; -so we came down to 2,500 feet and flew up and down the lines--well on -this side, though--for a couple of hours. I thus got a splendid view of -the trenches on both sides for miles, and it was awfully interesting -to see the fields in some places behind our lines, originally green -pasture land, now almost blotted out with shell holes and mine craters. - -There has been a craze here for gardening recently, and people are -sowing seeds sent over from England, and building rockeries and what -not. A counter-craze of dug-out digging was started by our C.O. so as -to provide a place of retreat if over-enthusiastic Huns come over some -day to bomb us. The dug-out was almost finished when the rain came and -converted it into a swimming-bath. The dug-out mania has now ceased. - -Thanks for your advice about studying maps. If I carried it out as you -suggest in all my spare time, this is something like what my diary -would have been for the past week: - - 3.30 a.m. Wakened for early patrol work. Weather is dud, so study - maps until: - - 8.30 a.m. Breakfast. Raining, so return to room to study maps. - - 12.30 p.m. Snatch ten minutes for lunch, and get back to maps. - - 4.30 p.m. Have some tea, having violent argument meanwhile on - contoured and uncontoured maps. More study. - - 8 p.m. Break off map study for dinner; then go to bed and study - maps till “lights out.” - - Here ends another derned dull day. - -Still I quite understand what prompted your advice. If one does get -lost, however, one has only to fly west for a few minutes till one -crosses the lines, and then inquire, as we never go far over the lines -unless escorted. - -I have been up two mornings running at 3.30 for work, but the weather -has been “dud.” We do not always get early work, of course; we take it -in turns. - -I was up over the lines yesterday about 4,000 feet and they put up a -few Archies at me. They were rather close, so I zigzagged to a cooler -spot. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: A Forced Landing.] - -This morning we were up at half-past two o’clock. We got up 8,000 feet, -and awaited the signal to proceed from our leading machine; but the -clouds below us completely blotted out the ground, so we were signalled -to descend. When I had dived through the clouds at 5,000 feet, I -discovered to my surprise what appeared to be another layer of clouds -down below, and no sign of the ground at all. I came lower and lower -with my eyes glued on the altimeter, and still no sign of the ground. -Finally I went through the clouds until I was very low, and then -suddenly I saw a row of trees in front of me, pulled her up, cleared -them, and was lost in the fog or clouds again. I decided that that -place was not good enough, and, not knowing where I was, I flew west by -my compass for about a quarter of an hour and came down very low again. -This time we had more success, and could occasionally see patches of -ground fairly well from about twice the height of a small tree. We -cruised around till we spotted a field, and, after a good examination -of it, landed all right, and found on inquiry, to our great relief, -that we were in France. The observer-officer and I shook hands when we -landed. We returned later in the day when the weather cleared up. I -am not the only one who had a forced landing, but we all came out all -right, I believe. - -I was getting some well-earned sleep this afternoon when there came a -knock at the door of my hut, and R. H. W. walked in. He is not far from -me and so motor-cycled over. He stopped to tea, and I showed him round. - -We are very hard up for games, so I want you to send me a Ping-Pong -set--wooden or cork bats, and a goodly supply of balls. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: Archies.] - -(_To B.C._) I have been putting off writing to you till I can tell you -how I like German Archies. Well, I can tell you now; that is, I can -tell you how I don’t like them if you promise not to show any one else -this letter. Still, perhaps I’d better not; you are such a good little -boy and have only just left school; perhaps one day when you are grown -up I’ll tell you my opinion of Archie. - -Yesterday I was some miles across the line with my observer, as an -escort to another machine, and was Archied like the--er--dickens, -shells bursting all round and some directly under me. Why the machine -wasn’t riddled I don’t know. I was nearly 10,000 feet up too. The -Archies burst, leaving black puffs of smoke in the air, so that the -gunners could see the result. Those puffs were all over the sky. Talk -about dodge! Banking both ways at once! ’Orrible. What’s more, I had -to stay over them, dodging about until the other machine chose to come -back or finished directing the shooting. Both W. and J. who came here -with me got holes in their planes from Archie the day before yesterday, -and W. had a scrap with a Fokker yesterday and got thirty holes through -his plane about three feet from his seat. The Fokker approached to -within twenty-five feet. W. had a mechanic with him, and he fired a -drum of ammunition at it, and the Fokker dived for the ground. So the -pilot was either wounded or--well, they don’t know how the machine -landed, but are hoping to hear from the people in the trenches. The -funny part is that the Fokker attacked as usual by diving from behind, -and W.’s observer turned round and fired kneeling on the seat; but W. -never saw the Fokker once during the whole fight or after. W. had his -main spar of one wing shot away, and several bracing wires, etc., so he -had a lucky escape. - -My latest adventure is that my engine suddenly stopped dead when I was -a mile over the German lines. My top tank petrol gauge was broken, and -was registering twelve gallons when it was really empty. I dropped -1,000 feet before I could pump up the petrol from the lower tank to the -top, and was being Archied, too; but I could have got back to our side -easily even if the engine had refused to start, though it would have -been unpleasant to cross the lines at a low altitude. I have had the -petrol gauge put right now. Incidentally, not knowing how much petrol -you have is rather awkward, as I landed with less than two gallons at -the end of that flight; that is ten minutes’ petrol. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: Aged 19.] - -It is rather strange having a birthday away from home, but the letter -and parcels I got to-day made it all seem like old times.... I have -done some night flying here, and when I was up 2,000 feet I could see -flares and lights over in Hunland. I stayed up some time, and finally -by a colossal fluke did the best landing I have ever done at the -Aerodrome. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: A Concert.] - -I went to a concert at Wing Headquarters the other evening; it wasn’t -at all bad. “The Foglifters” had really quite good voices, and some of -the turns were excellent. One made up as a splendid girl. The programme -may interest you: - - _IN THE FIELD_ - - Lieut. ---- presents, by kind permission of Lieut.-Colonel - ----, his renowned Vaudeville entertainment, - - THE “FOG-LIFTERS.” - - (They are thoroughly disinfected before each performance.) - - PROGRAMME - - PART I - - 1. The Fog-lifters introduce themselves. - - 2. C---- tries--but can’t. - - 3. B---- sings a Warwickshire song in Yorkshire brogue. - - 4. Six-foot picks his mark. - - 5. B---- on his experiences in the Marines. - - 6. C---- relates his visit to Hastings. - - 7. T---- on Acrobatic Eyes. - - 8. The Second-in-Command ties himself in a knot. - - 9. Six-foot warns the unwary. - - 10. The Fog-lifters, feeling dry, retire at this point for a drink, - and leave you to the tender mercies of H----. “Watch your - watch and chain yourself to your seat.” - - - PART II - - 11. T---- thinks of leave. - - 12. The “Boss” makes a bid for the biscuit. - - 13. B---- and his Favourite Topic. - - 14. Rather a Fagging Turn. - - 15. B---- in Love. - - 16. T---- endeavours to sing a Sentimental Song. - - 17. Six-foot shows B---- how it’s done. - - 18. The Second-in-Command excels ’iself. - - 19. B----’s memories of the Spanish Armada. - - 20. Six-foot and C---- have a Serious Relapse. - - _The Beginning of the End._ - - THE KING. - - - - -II - -INCREASING THE PACE - - -[Sidenote: French Aviator’s Bag.] - -Only time for a few lines before the post goes. I was flying at a -quarter to three o’clock this morning. I was orderly pilot, and a Hun -was reported in the neighbourhood. I went to bed after two hours’ -flying and was knocked up again, and spent another couple of hours -in the air--all this before I had anything to eat or drink. Luckily -I was not at all hungry or thirsty. The Hun I was chasing (or rather -looking for) on my second patrol was brought down a few miles from our -aerodrome by a French aviator. The pilot and observer were killed. -Neither my observer nor I saw anything at all of the fight, as we were -patrolling further down the line. You bet I was fed up when we landed. -The smash was brought to our place and taken away by the French. The -machine seemed essentially German--very solid and thick, weight no -object. The French aviators were very nice. I had a chat with them. -The rumours at the aerodrome were various--one that I was brought -down; another that I had brought down a Hun; and a third that a French -aviator and I had had a scrap! - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: The Enemy in our Midst.] - -Here is a true story. There was some night flying at one of our -aerodromes the other day, and a machine came over and fired a coloured -light asking “Can I come down?” The people on the ground fired one in -reply meaning “Yes,” and a completely equipped German biplane landed -and a guttural German voice was heard shouting for mechanics. He got -them all right, but they were R.F.C. and not German mechanics. The -coincidence of the signals was extraordinary. The machine--it was an -Aviatik--was in perfect order, and has since been flown and tested -by the R.F.C. It was wonderfully kind of them to plank their machine -down in that aerodrome, and the surprise on both sides must have been -extremely comical to watch when the Hun discovered it was an English -’drome, and the mechanics discovered it was a Hun pilot. - -I know that this is Sunday, as we have had a lot of work to do. I have -just come down from my job. I went up at 12.30 and landed at 3.40. Not -a bad flight? I was up and down the lines patrolling most of the time. -Our escort lost us soon after leaving the ’drome, but it didn’t matter. -I got Archied two or three times, but nothing really annoying. They -are very clever with those guns. For instance, when I was a mile and a -half or perhaps less on our side of the lines they fired Archie on the -French side of me, hoping I would turn away from it and so get within -better range. They generally let you cross the lines in peace, so as to -entice you over as far as possible, and then let you have it hot and -strong all the way back.... - -I have just been to look at the machine. Apparently one of those -Archies got nearer than I thought, for a piece of shrapnel has made -a 6-inch hole in the tail plane. The shrapnel must have been spent, -because it has only pierced the bottom surface of the tail, and has not -penetrated the top. I was rather pleased when I found that, as it is -something to say that your machine has been hit by Archie. - -The ping-pong set has arrived. - - * * * * * - -I’ll let you know right enough when I want any more garments. Our linen -goes off to be washed at any old time, as there are plenty of laundries -near here--an old woman, an old wooden bat, and a smooth worn stone by -a dirty stream. The stuff comes back wonderfully clean, however. - -Don’t you worry about my food while night flying. I get that all -right; it was a very ’ceptional case the other day. If we have an -early stunt we always get hot cocoa and bread-and-butter. But you see, -I was orderly pilot that day, and the Huns weren’t polite enough to -ring me up the night before and tell me what time they were coming; -and so I had to move rather more quickly when they did come. I can get -chocolates and biscuits at the Canteen here. - -This is what you will call another “restful” letter because I have had -no flying yesterday or to-day. We rather like bad weather here when it -is sufficiently bad. - -Dunno why the other squadron was “mentioned” in despatches. They have -about seven of our chaps there--perhaps that’s why--or perhaps the -General lost some money at bridge to the C.O., or perhaps they drew -lots for it. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: “Hot Air Stuff.”] - -I had some ping-pong to-day--quite a relaxation after the job I did -this morning. I went out with an observer on a howitzer shoot, an -officer in this case. We went over to the lines, arriving there about -11.15 a.m. and “rang up” the battery. All being well, we ploughed over -the lines to have a look at the target in Hunland. The battery then -fired, and the observer watched for the burst and wirelessed back -the correction. Each shot fired meant a journey over the lines, and -each time we went over the Huns got madder and madder, and loosed off -“Archie” at us in bucketsful. - - Archie to right of us, - Archie to left of us, etc. - -We were fairly plastered in Archie. Each time I crossed the lines I did -so at a different altitude. The first five times I climbed higher each -time to throw the range out, and the next five times I came down a bit -each time. The last five times I was so fed up with their dud shooting -that I went across at whatever altitude I happened to be at, and that -probably upset ’em more than ever! At any rate they fired about 600 -shells at us in the course of that “shoot,” allowing roughly forty -shells per crossing (at least) and fifteen crossings, and the only -damage they did was to put a small hole through my top plane. My, they -must have been disgusted![9] - -The “strafe” took place between 5,000 feet and 6,000 feet altitude. The -Archies got so near sometimes that we went through the smoke from the -shell. Of course it would never do to go on flying a straight course; -it is a case of dodge, twist, turn, and dive at odd and unexpected -moments, and when it gets really too hot, run away and come back at a -different altitude. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: A Big “Strafe.”] - -The Bosches started a big “strafe” yesterday, and so kept us all -busy on counter battery work; that is, spotting the flashes of the -“hun-guns,” and wirelessing down their positions to the artillery, who -either fire at them or note their positions for a future occasion. With -all the German guns going, the woods behind the lines were a blaze of -flashes, and we sent down as many in the afternoon as the battery had -got in the previous six weeks. The artillery were naturally rather -bucked. It was a wonderful sight seeing all the shells bursting along -the miles of trenches, and the huge white spreading gas shells at -intervals. One could hear the bang of our big guns when they fired -salvos from under us, and at times we got bumps from the shells passing -near us in the air. “Shell bumps” are fairly common, and I have had -them before. I don’t know how near the shells pass, but moving at that -speed they would affect the air for a long way round. I felt them at -5,000 feet once. They were not being shot at us, but shells which pass -through to Hunland, so: - -[Illustration] - - * * * * * - -We got a wireless report here of a naval battle and not a cheery one at -that. We are all waiting to see what the papers will have to say about -it to-morrow.... Later: The C.O. has just been on the ’phone about the -naval battle, and we are relieved to hear that it was not so bad as we -had heard at first, or rather that the German losses were not so few as -we were told. - -I must stop, as I have some letters to censor. “Hoping this finds you -as it leaves me, in the pink.” - - * * * * * - -We have had two or three days of rest, as the weather has been too bad -for flying.... The naval battle was not a defeat after all, and it -seems a case of “as you were” in France; so we just sit here and play -ping-pong and wait for the Army to win the war. - - * * * * * - -We have just had the papers with the news of the loss of Kitchener. We -got the story by wireless a couple of days ago, but could not believe -it until we saw it actually in print. It is a big blow, though probably -morally more than in any other way.... - -Bad news has come through from the wing. Our ten days’ leave will in -future be cut down to seven days from time of leaving here; that means -five clear days in England. I only know this, that I shall be pleased -to have leave in England, however short it is. It is a case of “so near -and yet so far.” An hour and a half or two hours’ flying on a clear -day would land me at home for tea--always providing I did not miss -my way. But we don’t have such a bad time here on the whole, and I -am perfectly frank with you in my letters. On carefully analysing my -feelings, I believe I am actually enjoying the life, for we certainly -do have the best time of any branch of the Army when our job is over. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: Looping the Loop.] - -I had a job in the morning yesterday. A slight bombardment was on, and -the C.O. sent me up to stop it. It was a beastly day--rain stings at -seventy miles an hour--and it was cloudy and misty. We stayed a couple -of hours, got a few Archies and came home. - -The afternoon cleared up, and my Flight Commander suggested I should go -up and practise with a camera and some old plates. So up I went, and, -with the camera tied on very securely in case I “accidentally” turned -upside down, beetled off to a spot behind the lines where I played -a delightful game of “make-believe.” Fixing on an innocent little -farmhouse as my objective, I dodged imaginary Archies on my way to it, -and, regardless of the laws of aerial navigation, put my machine in -such postures that the farmhouse was sighted by the camera. - -I tried a dozen or so shots at it, and then, as I had reached a height -of 6,000 feet, I thought I would try to do my first loop. I shoved -the nose down 70--80--90--100 miles per hour. The pitot tube did not -register any higher; the liquid went out at the top. Then, when at a -speed of approximately a hundred and twenty miles an hour, I pulled the -“joy-stick” back into my tummy, and up went the nose--up--up--and there -I was, upside down, gazing at the sky. Gee, how slowly she seems to be -going! Ah!! she’s over at last. The white blank overhead changes to a -black mass of earth rising up at me, and the nose dive part is over -too, and a final sweep brings me level. - -I glanced at the altimeter. I had lost 400 feet. - -Cheer-o! Now I’ll write home and tell them. No, I _must_ do another. If -I did only one they would think I had funked it after the first shot. - -Down goes the nose, then up--up--and slower--slower. By Jove, she’s -going to stick at the top of the loop this time. Too slow; centrifugal -force is not great enough. My feet seem to lose their contact with the -floor. - -I grip the “joy-stick” fiercely with both hands. Ah! She’s over. Now -the rush down, and then level once more. Now I’ll get off to the -aerodrome and show them how to do it. - -[Illustration] - -I did a couple more quite close to the aerodrome--beauties; and then -came down in a steep spiral. They were all at a height of 6,000 feet, -and I only lost 400 feet each time. Four good loops at the first time -of attempting a loop isn’t bad considering I had never even looped as -a passenger. Strangely enough, I wasn’t half so excited as I expected -to be, and once accomplished, the feat seemed easy and not out of the -ordinary. But to set your minds at rest I do not intend to go in for -stunting. - -I am quite bucked, though, at having done it, and it was a curious -sensation, to say the least. I have been heartily congratulated: they -were “d--d good loops!” - - * * * * * - -Thanks ever so much for the pastries and the cake. They were ripping. -But really, though, you mustn’t trouble so much over me in the food -line, for we have to pinch ourselves and tell each other “There is a -war on” sometimes when we get some unusual delicacies. By the same post -I got a pound of lovely nut chocolate from S. We had a tremendous scrap -in the Mess over it when I discovered what it was, and it ended up -with the box of chocolate on the floor, with me on top of it, and five -people on top of me. When they discovered that the more people there -were on top of me the farther off became the chocolate, they got up, -and I handed it round in the usual civilised manner. It was great fun, -though, and the chocolate being in a tin did not suffer. - -We had a visit from Ian Hay’s friend to-day, if you recall a certain -incident in the trenches. He recently got the Military Cross.[10] - - * * * * * - -One of the difficulties I have to contend with here is finding out the -correct day and date. Days here are all one to us, and it has even -sometimes to be put to the vote. - -Yesterday I spent four and a half hours in my machine! Not all in the -air, though. I took up fifteen different passengers, and gave them all -a spiral. They were sent over to see what signalling on the ground -looks like from a ’plane. I don’t think any of them had been up before. -At Hendon I should have made between £30 and £40 for that. - -As I was going out of the aerodrome I flew over a passing car and we -waved merrily to each other. Then I chased the car, slowed my engine -and dived at it, and a little later flew after it again. The driver -must have been watching me too closely, for he went into the ditch. My -passenger was awfully bucked about it. - -I suppose you know we have adopted the new time now. It only alters the -hour of our meals, however; our work goes on according to the light and -the weather. - -Cricket is the great “stunt” here in the afternoon and Rugby in the -evenings. The mornings are spent in repairing the damage of overnight -caused by the Rugger. All this, of course, provided the little -incidentals of flying, and so on, do not interfere to excess. The -batsman is out-numbered by fielders in the proportion of fifteen to -one, and for his further annoyance he may not smite the ball more than -quite a moderate distance or it counts as out. Still, the game provides -much amusement, and as the batsman generally ignores the boundary rule, -and smites at every ball on the principle of a short life and a gay -one, it is also conducive to short innings. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: Night Flying.] - -I had another twenty minutes’ night flying a couple of nights ago, and -did a good landing. It was almost pitch dark, as there was a long row -of clouds at 2,000 feet which hid the moon. We had flares out, and a -searchlight lighting up the track; but from the moment you start moving -you go out into inky darkness, flying on, seeing nothing till the -altimeter tells you that you are high enough to turn. Then round, and -the twinkling lights of the Aerodrome beneath. Higher, and gradually, -as you become accustomed to the dark, you pick out a road here and a -clump of trees there, till finally the picture is complete. At length, -you throttle down the engine and glide--keeping a watchful eye on the -altimeter, aerodrome, and air speed indicator. When about 400 feet -up you open out your engine again, and fly in towards the aerodrome, -stopping your engine just outside. Then you glide down and land -alongside the flares. - -As I write, I hear a lively bugle band in the distance on the march. -More troops going up to the trenches, I suppose. Our gramophone still -plays on, our gardens and flower-beds are blooming, and all is well. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: Photos.] - -To-day I went up to take photos, and went over the lines four times, -carefully sighting the required trenches, and taking eighteen photos. -I spent nearly two and a half hours in the air, and when I got back -I found the string that worked the shutter had broken after my third -photo, and the rest had not come out. It was disappointing, because -my last three journeys over the lines need not have been made, and -incidentally it would have saved getting a hole through one of my -planes. - -J. saw a scrap in the air to-day in which one of our machines was -brought down. He was too far off to help. The report came in first -that it was my ’bus which was down, but neither I nor my escort machine -saw the fight, which must have been some distance off. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: Hide and Seek.] - -All goes well, and I have finished my job for to-day (a three hours’ -patrol) without seeing a Hun or getting an Archie. Two of us went up -and F had streamers on his wings; he was going to direct the flight, -and I was to follow him. It was very cloudy, and F being in a skittish -mood played hide-and-seek round them. This was good fun for the first -hour, but after that it became boring. Once, when I was following him -a short distance behind, he ran slap into the middle of a huge cloud. -I said to myself, “If you think I am going to follow you there you’re -jolly well mistaken”; so I waited outside the cloud, and was gratified -to see him come out at the bottom in a vertical bank, about 500 feet -directly below me. It turned out that he had been pumping up the -pressure in his petrol tank, roaring with laughter as his passenger -gave a little jump at every pumpful, for the passenger sits on one of -the large petrol tanks, which swells or “unkinks” itself as you pump, -and to his disgust he had run slap into the cloud without seeing it. It -was a wonderful sight among the clouds, and to see the other aeroplane -dodging in and out of grottos, canyons, and tunnels, poking its nose -here and there, sometimes worrying a zigzag course through a maze of -cloudlets, and sometimes turning back from an impenetrable part with a -vertical bank, outlining the machine sharply against the cloud. Finally -we came down to a height of 5,000 feet, and there, just by the lines, -we had a sham battle for the amusement of the Tommies in the trenches. - - * * * * * - -“I have nothink to write about this time. I got a letter from Bert the -other day, he’s out in France, and old George’s group is called up too. -I wonder when those Saterday nites with them will cum back, they were -times. Then that supper with me and him at Eliza’s after--my! Everyone -thinks as how the war will be over with luck in a few years’ time. ’As -Pa got that job or is he still at the ‘Green Man’? Well hoping this -finds you as it leaves me at present, in the pink. I wish you’d send -our cook the resepe for them cooked chips you used ter do on Saterday -nites. Give my love to Rose.” - -No, I’m still sane--merely a temporary lapse owing to an overdose -of censoring. The squadron yesterday, noticing that I was orderly -officer, decided to give me a run for my money, and wrote millions of -letters. - -My Flight Commander--one of the finest fellows I have ever met--is busy -cooking tobacco with E. in a tin by means of a spirit lamp! They are -trying to determine its “flash point,” and I have sent word round to -the M.O. to stand by with stretchers. - -I was up with K. yesterday, strafing some trenches. We started at -3,000 feet and the clouds descended lower and lower till we ended up -at a height of 1,200 feet over a well-known town, where it became too -wet and too hot at the same time for our job. To-day the clouds are -crawling about just over the ground, so there is nothing doing. - -Our food here is English right enough. We get French bread as well, -and it is generally preferred to ration bread. The gardens here have -flowers--planted out mostly--pansies, nasturtiums, etc. I suggested -that asparagus would be rather a good thing to plant, but the idea -didn’t seem to catch on! - -There is no reason whatever to be worried about not receiving letters. -If there is ever a move either way it would not affect the R.F.C. -to any great extent. It couldn’t improve German Archie shooting or -anything of that sort. No fighting on the ground can reach us, and in a -big bombardment it only means that we are kept fairly busy directing -the fire of our batteries, etc. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: “Missing.”] - -Sorry I shan’t be able to write you to-day except this rough note -written in my biplane. I have finished my job, and am writing in the -hope of catching the post. There is bad news to-day. My pal B., who was -on a bombing stunt this morning, has not returned, so I am afraid he -may have landed in Hunland. I am just doing a long glide down to the -aerodrome; my passenger has asked me not to spiral down as he has got -a bad head. I enclose his note. His writing is better than mine, as -he has written on a soft pad. (Enclosure:--“Got a rotten head, so go -steady, will you?”) - - * * * * * - -I’ve got a top-hole souvenir now. It is a machine-gun bullet which my -rigger found in my fuselage--that is to say, the aeroplane fuselage. It -is bent “some,” as it smote something rather hard--a bomb. - -I went up to take some special photos for the C.O. to-day, but the -weather was very bad, and the sky as smothered in clouds as I was in -Archie, and that is saying a good deal. It took me three trips over -the line to get five photos. Four came out, including on them corners -of clouds I was dodging. The Huns got our range to a nicety, but there -was not a scratch on the machine. One Archie burst just in front of us, -and I looked up to see the corporal I had as passenger disappear in the -smoke as we actually went through it. It was like going through a tiny -cloud. I have heard and seen plenty of Archie before, but never before -_smelt_ it. The C.O. was rather pleased, though only one photo was -really of any use. - -The engine in my machine has put up a record for the squadron. It did -over a hundred and ten hours’ running without being touched or even -having the sparking plugs changed. It was still going strong when we -changed it and put a new one in. I have tested the new one and flown -with it, and it is very good. - -We are kept well up-to-date with the London theatre news by the fellows -who come back from leave. They also bring the records of them back for -the gramophone, and now the camp resounds with music from “The Bing -Boys are Here” and “Mr. Manhattan.” - -To people who think this branch of the Service the most dangerous, you -can say I’d sooner be here than in the trenches these days, and I think -the opinion of the whole corps is the same. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: Pancaking in a Wheat Field.] - -I ran out of petrol a quarter of a mile from the aerodrome, and had -to land in a field of wheat about five feet high. I had been up three -hours and twenty minutes non-stop when my petrol ran out, and the gauge -still showed three gallons in the tank, though it was bone dry. I was -700 feet up and had to make up my mind where I was going to land in -about four seconds. I brought her down, and pancaked her beautifully -into the field about three yards from a road. It is jolly hard to land -in wheat without turning over, but I did it without hurting the machine -at all; in fact J. flew it that evening on a night stunt. We wheeled -it from the field along the road back to the aerodrome inside half an -hour. My passenger said he enjoyed the flight more than any other he -had had! - -At the present moment there is _some_ storm on. J. is playing the -violin not two yards from me, and I cannot hear a single note except -during lulls. Perhaps it is just as well. - -One of our squadron was out on a stunt the other day. Next day the -’phone was continually on the go, and there was so much “hot air” in -the office that it was dangerous to fly over on account of the bumps. - -Several of us have got special leave to go to a flicker show some way -off, and a tender is coming in a few minutes. I am very fit, and we are -all a very happy party. I am sitting on my bed, in my little hut about -8 feet by 6 feet. It is really quite snug. Washstand, etc., and shelves -and books _and_ boots and clothes. Diabolo (home made) is the latest -craze here! Here comes the tender, so I must catch the post first. - - * * * * * - -I was up on photos to-day. I hope and expect these are the last for a -while. I had quite a job getting them owing to clouds. I flew about -behind the German lines for over an hour before I could get a single -photo, owing to there being no holes in the clouds. I got practically -no Archie, and got the photos. - -I went to the flicker show the other day and it was quite good. A -splendid divisional band, a Charlie Chaplin film, and tea, _and -patisserie_! Ah! - -I think Gillespie’s book (_Letters from Flanders_) most interesting. -I have only dipped into it here and there at present, but am going to -read it through. Send some more as soon as you like. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: An Exciting Landing.] - -Blessed if I know what to write about. I did the three-hour patrol -yesterday, but it was very cold and cloudy and no Huns ventured out. - -A visitor landed at our ’drome from night bombing and a bomb blew his -machine up on landing. He calmly got out of the scrap-heap and walked -away. It was a miraculous escape, and most of our people who were -asleep thought it was a Hun bombing us. The engine was still running -on the ground, and the C.O. stopped it by using a fire extinguisher in -the air intake--a jolly clever and plucky thing to do, as there were -gallons of petrol all around, and, for all he knew, more bombs. - -There is a darling puppy here belonging to one of the men, and I -go round and have a chat with it every morning when I inspect my -transport. It is a jolly little thing, and quite looks forward to my -visits. - - * * * * * - - At the Base was a Censor, - He chopped up my letter; - Thus he was a base Censor, - Or why didn’t he let her - Go by? Yet he’d some sense or - News even better - You’d get in my letter. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: Dual Control.] - -I am at present flying a machine fitted with dual control. A couple of -days ago I went up to test it and E. came with me. We trotted round -the country very low and stunted gently over neighbouring villages. -You can easily tell when people are watching you, as in looking up the -black blob of the hat changes to the white blob of the face. We went -up again yesterday, and when I had taken the machine to 2,000 feet or -so, I signalled E., and he fitted in his control lever and took charge. -I then had a pleasant little snooze of twenty minutes or so, waking -up now and then to give my lever a pat in the required direction when -he did not get the machine level quickly enough after turning, or -something like that. He did jolly well, turning the machine splendidly -sometimes. Then, when it was just about a quarter of an hour before -dinner time he took out his lever, and I brought the machine down in -the most gorgeous spiral I have ever done. Absolutely vertical bank on. -M. was very amusing afterwards. “Quite a good spiral that,” he said -patronisingly to E., “for a first attempt.” - -I was up again this morning for two and a half hours with E. The -weather was hopeless; our altitude was often under 2,000 feet by the -lines. To relieve the monotony E. flew me for about half an hour while -I observed--the clouds and mist! Finally, we got up a bit higher, and -just before it was time to come home did a beautiful spiral quite close -to the lines for the benefit of a few thousand Tommies and Huns in the -trenches--just to show there was no ill-feeling, you know. - -I had just got my letters to-day when I was sent up, so I had to take -them with me, and read them in the air on the way to the lines. - - * * * * * - -I took up some chocolate the other day when I was on patrol, and gave -some to the observer in the air, and we munched away for some time. -He was a sergeant, one of the ancient observers, and he did not know -that when I waggled the joy-stick--thus shaking the ’bus from side -to side--I wanted him to turn round. I waggled away for about five -minutes, and he sat there quite contentedly, thinking to himself -(as he afterwards told me) that it was rather a bumpy day. Then I -started switch-backing and he endured that, though on what theory I -don’t know. Finally I nearly had to loop him to persuade him to turn -round, and when he did so he had a grin on his face and a sort of -“Think-you-can-frighten-me-with-your-stunts-you-giddy-kipper” look as -well. - -The newspaper stories of the firing in France being heard in Ireland, -the north of Scotland, and Timbuctoo amuse me greatly. Those people -must have “some” ears. - - * * * * * - -I was most frightfully sorry that you hadn’t received up to Sunday my -letter about the postponement of my leave. It must have been a rotten -disappointment, and I raged round the camp until I finally simmered -down again. Never mind, it won’t be long.... Six people have just -invaded my 8 feet by 6 feet hut. That is one of the ways superfine -Virginias depart this life quickly. Rescued the inkbottle from an -untimely death as a billiard ball, the cue a rolled-up map; violent -cussin’, almost worthy of Mother Guttersnipe caused E. to vamoose and -the others buzzed off. - -My dear old ’bus (or aeroplane as the authorities insist on its being -called)[11] has gone under at last. One new pilot too many was called -upon to fly it, and I may be bringing home a new walking-stick! I have -not been flying it for a week now, as I have a nice new--er--machine to -fly. But E. and I did all our “hot-air stuff” on the other ’bus, and I -looped it. - - * * * * * - -The splendid news has come through that my pal B. is “safe and well -though a prisoner.” W., who is on leave, wired us. - -I shan’t write to-morrow, as if all goes well it will be a race between -this card and myself to get home first. The very best of love to you. - - * * * * * - - - - -III - -STORM AFTER CALM - - -[Sidenote: Back to Duty.] - -Back to work and my old friend Archie quickly. I was on bombing -yesterday, not very far over the lines though, and there were about ----- of us. It was a wonderfully pretty sight to see the bombs going -down in a string, dwindling, and finally disappearing below. Bags of -Archie were flying around, but my “machine” was not hit at all. I was -first up to-day and we had a non-stop flight of nearly three hours, -ranging some batteries. The weather was pretty dud, but W. and I -managed all right. S. is missing, as perhaps you have heard. He was on -a long bombing stunt. He is reported unhurt and prisoner of war. - - * * * * * - - I shot a bullet into the air, - It fell to earth I know not where. - -When we were up to-day P. emptied a drum of ammunition from the gun -over the lines--not firing at anything in particular, but just to -test the gun. The empty cartridges as they were ejected landed with -clockwork regularity on the top of my head. I said to myself, “This is -some hail.” - -Last evening E. and I went in a tender to the battery we had been -working with in the morning and saw the wonderful ruins of a town near -there. We were really quite close to the lines, but luckily there was -no shelling, and we got back O.K. - -We have a game here now which is something like tennis. Instead of -racquets and balls, we use a rope quoit, which must be caught and -returned as per tennis, but must not be held in the hand or thrown -over-arm. I had a game of solo yesterday with three others, and I have -discovered two people who are frightfully keen on “Scramble Patience.” -Gee whiz! One of them knows practically all Gilbert and Sullivan by -heart as well. Isn’t it extraordinary how “Scramble Patience” and -Gilbert and Sullivan always seem to go together? We went for a walk -last evening, and sang the Nightmare song through, and several from -“Patience” and the “Yeomen,” etc. We are getting a tennis court made -after all; it is progressing quite well. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: A Good Story.] - -Here is a story as it was told to me. One of the best pilots at the -front one day crashed on the top of some trees. He got out, and was -standing by the remains of his machine when a Staff Officer came up -and remarked, “I suppose you’ve had a smash!” “Oh n-no,” stuttered the -pilot, who was, to put it mildly, somewhat savage, “I _always_ l-land -l-ike this.” The Staff Officer, annoyed in his turn, said, “Do you know -whom you are speaking to? What is your name?” To which: “Don’t try to -c-come the comic p-policeman over me. Y-You’ll f-find my n-number on my -t-tail p-plane.” - -I was called at four this morning, and leapt heroically into the air -at five. It was confoundedly cold, but I had a thick shirt and vest, -a leather waistcoat, double-breasted tunic, the fleece lining from my -waterproof and a leather overcoat, so I just managed to keep warm. - - * * * * * - -Yesterday I was in the middle of a game of tennis when, with one or -two others, I was ordered to fly over to a neighbouring aerodrome to -be ready for a special job in the morning. I landed there all right -and reported, and went into the mess-room slap into the arms of an -old schoolfellow. I was chatting with him when the C.O. sent for me -to explain the nature of the work before us. I went into his office, -and the other pilots detailed for the work came in, and to my utter -astonishment I recognised another old schoolfellow. I had dinner with -him and stayed the night there. This morning the weather was too dud -for our work and it was washed out, and we returned to our aerodromes. -I brought back my bed, valise, pyjamas, etc., with me in the passenger -seat of the aeroplane. I had to fly back without my goggles, as I had -lost them at the other aerodrome. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: A Fokker’s Flight.] - -One of our pilots had my machine up to-day and met a Fokker. His (or -rather my) machine was damaged, but he spun round and let fly at the -Fokker. Then his gun jammed, but to his surprise the Hun went off home -“hell for leather.” The R.F.C. have absolutely got the Huns “stiff” in -the air, partly owing to our “hot stuff” new machines, and partly to -the pilots. But a Fokker running away from the machine L. was flying -must have been a comical sight. My machines always seem to be unlucky -when in the hands of other pilots. - -To-day I have done very little else but sleep, and the weather has -done very little else but rain. I tried to get my hair cut this -morning at a village not far away, but was informed that it was after -twelve o’clock. “Surely not,” I said, and the barber said “Si,” and -unblushingly produced a watch showing about ten minutes to twelve, and -motioned me away. However, I got some magazines, and chocolate, and -some new shaving soap and razor blades. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: A Tail Piece.] - -Just now I bid fair to outdo H.’s record of unpleasant stunts, as I -nearly had a third within twenty-four hours. The first one was just to -whet my appetite, so to speak, but although I only went a few miles -over the lines I was Archied the whole blessed time. The Huns must have -spent fortunes on Archie in the last week. I hit something with one -of my bombs that made a colossal burst--probably some Hun ammunition. -Yesterday they started on me just before I got to the lines, and, I -think, went on until I was a good ten miles the other side. Then the -Archies started from the place I was going to bomb, and clattered away -for ages, but they were not nearly so good as those near the lines, -as they haven’t got so much practice. There were some wonderfully -near shots, and the machine was badly shaken by one which made a most -appalling crash just behind the tail. I was horribly scared, of course. -I looked round, saw the tail still there, said “Remarkable!” and went -on. The Hun aerodrome was a very nice-looking place. It had two landing -T’s out--great white strips of sheet, and there was a machine on the -ground. I dropped several bombs there, one landing on the road beside -the ’drome and one by the landing T. I don’t know if I hit any of the -sheds or not, as it was rather cloudy, and I could not see the effect -of all my bombs. When I had finished I came back with the wind, nose -down, at _some_ pace, and hardly got an Archie at all. I was jolly -pleased when it was over, and pleased too (in a way) that I had been, -as it really was interesting to be so many miles behind the lines and -see their aerodromes, etc. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: Night Bombing.] - -Well, I went night bombing yesterday--rather an Irish way of putting -it, though! I went up after dinner, and as it was a bit misty I -signalled down “bad mist.” They signalled to me to come down, but I -wasn’t having any, and turned my blind eye to ’em and beetled off. -You see, from the ground it didn’t look misty, and so, as I didn’t -want any doubts on the subject, I sloped off towards the lines. I soon -lost sight of the flares and then became absolutely and completely -lost. Everything was inky black and I could only see an occasional -thing directly below me. My mapboard was in the way of my compass, so I -pulled the map off, chucked the board over the side, and then flew due -east for about a quarter of an hour, when I saw some lights fired. I -crossed the lines about 4,000 feet up and tried to find my objective, -but it was no go. I went about four miles over, and came down to 2,000 -feet with my engine throttled down, but could not even recognise what -part I was over, owing to the mist. Then, to my surprise, the Huns -loosed off some Archie nowhere near me, so I expect they couldn’t see -_me_; but it looked ripping. They got a searchlight going and flashed -it all round, passing always over the top of me. Then some more flares -went up from the lines, and I could see the ground there beautifully, -as clear as day, and some deep craters, but it did not show me -sufficient to enable me to recognise what part of the lines I was over. -Deciding it was hopeless, I set out for home, flying due west by my -compass. It seemed ages before I picked up the aerodrome lights again, -and I was afraid I might have drifted away sideways, but I spotted -them all right, and just as I was nearing them, passed another of our -machines by about 200 yards in the darkness. He was a wee bit lower -than I was, and as he passed I could see his instrument lights in his -little cabin. I then switched on some little lights I had on the wing -tips, and flashed my pocket lamp--you know, the one I had in Germany -and at Penlee--and then gave an exhibition of spiralling and banking in -the dark. They said it looked topping from the ground. Then I signalled -down “N.B.G.” and came in, “perched” (with all my bombs on, of course), -and made a perfect dream of a landing. - -Altogether I had really enjoyed myself, and would much rather do night -bombing than day bombing. The only thing that annoyed me was that I -couldn’t find my target, ’cos the bombs would have looked so pretty -exploding in the darkness. I didn’t get up until about twelve o’clock -this morning, and I am playing tennis at 5.15, so it has its advantages. - -A little red spider has just landed on me and buzzed off again; that’s -lucky, ain’t it? - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: Gesticulation in Mid-Air] - -Have just had a forced landing. M. was up with me, and I yelled to -him to work the throttle from his compartment. He smiled benignly on -me, not understanding or taking much heed. Finally I stood up, waved -my arms at him, and shouted. He turned round, and, thinking that I -had a mad fit on, put his thumb to his nose and extended his fingers. -Finally, realising what I wanted, he tried the throttle, but did not -succeed in working it, and in his turn waved his arms. We must have -been a comical sight up there, wildly waving our arms at each other. -As we couldn’t use the engine and were descending, I warned M. that we -were going to have a forced landing. He tumbled to that all right and -removed the gun from behind his head and put it on the front mounting, -just in case--er--we met a hedge! We reached the aerodrome all right a -couple of thousand feet up, and spiralled down. Just as I was coming -in to land, another machine cut in ahead of me, but as I had no engine -I couldn’t “wai-at” (like Peg), but just perched behind him and dodged -him. So all ended well, for I made a perfect landing. - - * * * * * - -Have just been up with E. We spotted a storm coming up and ran for -home. I came down to land, and found myself going too fast, so had to -go round again. Great loss of dignity! I came in again, this time right -at the end of the aerodrome, and closed the throttle, but the blessed -machine went on flying, and I switched off just in time to prevent -running out of the aerodrome. The throttle had become incorrectly set -and the engine continued to run at half speed, although the throttle -was entirely closed. We just got in before the rain came down. - - * * * * * - -I was up 8,000 feet this morning, but the whole sky was clouded over -and one could not see the ground. Flying just above the clouds it was -gorgeous; one felt like leaning out and grasping a handful of snow and -making snowballs, the clouds were so fluffy and white. I had a splendid -game of tennis yesterday, and was in topping form. Lightning services. -Swish! - - * * * * * - -To-day has been “some” day. It started raining in the early hours -and is still going strong. We are going to have floats fitted to the -machines so as to take off the lakes! - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: A Firework Display.] - -Inasmuch as I was out all yesterday afternoon trying to get my hair -cut, I was unable to write to you. Sorry. I was up at 2.45 a.m., and -of course it was pitch dark. I left the ground shortly afterwards by -flares, and had hardly got up a thousand feet when my engine began to -misfire, go “chug-chug,” and lose its revs. I signalled that I was -descending, and came down, trying not to come in too low, as I was -afraid my engine might not pick up. Result: I came in too high (not -having had time to get used to the dark), and had to open up my engine -and crawl round again at a couple of hundred feet. Again I essayed -to land, but failed, and by this time I was absolutely furious with -myself. I gave a glance at the rev. counter, and saw that the engine -had found its revs, again and appeared to be running smoothly; so, -feeling that fate had willed me to stay up, I sent down “Engine O.K. -now,” and went off to the lines. Just after I left the aerodrome, -clouds came up, and the C.O. would not let the next pilot go. I found -my way quite well (in a blue funk, though, lest my engine should let -me down), crossed the lines, picked up the road I was to follow, and -finally reached the place I was to bomb. Here I ran into clouds and had -to come down to between 1,000 and 2,000 feet. I dropped my bombs all -right, and saw them explode--as good as a Brock’s firework display. -Moreover, I heard the bangs from them, and felt the machine bumped by -the rush of air caused by the explosions. Flying back by compass, I -soon picked out some flares which I headed for. Realising that I was -over the wrong aerodrome, I looked round, spotted ours, got there, did -a good landing, reported, and went to bed again. - - * * * * * - -My Flight-Commander has gone home after being out nearly eleven -months. We are all sorry to lose him, I am sure there is no better -Flight-Commander in all France. - - * * * * * - -I have just come down from a long and rather boring job with E., which -took us from 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the upper regions. I had trouble -with my engine yesterday, and had a forced landing, managing to get -into the aerodrome and land in a cross wind. I had a repetition of -the stunt to-day when testing it. We have now solved the trouble--a -semi-choked petrol pipe. I am booked for tennis shortly, so will write -more another time. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: A Mixed Grill.] - -Well, I have a little news for you this time. To let you down lightly, -I will first tell you that I am having several new walking-sticks made, -and with your usual Sherlock Holmes intelligence you will deduce, quite -accurately, that I have carefully and conscientiously reduced a B.E.2C. -to its molecular constituents--in other words, “crashed it.” - -Now don’t worry, as I am perfectly all right and thoroughly enjoying -life. - -To sum up my work for the last twenty-four hours, I have had three -forced landings, four hours’-odd flying, and one night flight, and a -crash--not bad, eh? - -The three forced landings within that short space of time constitute -almost a record. It was with my own machine, and each time some trouble -with the engine broke out when I had got up 500 feet. Each time that -we thought that we had discovered the trouble and I took her up again, -she cut out just the same. By great good luck I managed to get back -into the aerodrome. On one occasion I had bombs on too! Now the machine -is being practically pulled to pieces and altered by almost raving -mechanics. - -I had, as I wrote you yesterday, a three and a half hours’ non-stop -flight, and later was down for night bombing. I was all on my own, and -several people said they thought it was too misty. However, the C.O. -asked me if I would like to try, and I said I was quite willing, and -got ready. - -I went up all right, though from the time I passed the last flare I -saw absolutely nothing. There was a horrible ground mist, worse than -it looked from the ground, and with no moon everything was black as -ink. I could not tell whether I was flying upside down or anyway, and -the machine was an old one and not very stable. I looked round at the -flares and found I was flying all on the skew, left wing down, and I -put that right; but not being able to see even a white road directly -below me, I knew it was hopeless trying to leave the vicinity of the -’drome, and signalled that I was coming down. So down I came. - -I had been told to land down wind, owing to trees being at the other -end of the ’drome. Well, there wasn’t much wind, but what little there -was I had pushing me on instead of holding me back. Likewise I lit a -flare at the end of my wing, and although that enabled me to see the -ground directly below me, I couldn’t tell my height. I expected to -touch ground by the first flare, but owing to these things and the -fact that I was flying a strange machine the engine of which “ticked -over” rather fast, I did not touch ground at the first flare--but at -the last. The landing was all right, but I plunged merrily on into the -pitch darkness until I came to a nice new road and a ditch which pulled -up ye machine with a “crunch”! It at once began to take up peculiar -attitudes, similar to those of a stage contortionist, and endeavoured -to mix up its tail and rudder with the propeller. At any rate, this is -how the machine looked a second afterwards: - -[Illustration] - -The flare on the wing tip was still burning, and I had hardly time to -get over my surprise at the bombs not bursting, when it occurred to me -that there might be a lot of petrol knocking about. “This is no place -for me, my boy,” I thought, and undid my safety belt double quick and -slid down one of the wings to the ground. - -Meanwhile some dozens of breathless mechanics and officers arrived -at the double, and made kind inquiries as to my health. I am -absolutely certain they were infinitely more scared than I was, and -they all seemed relieved when I told them I was all right. I then -lit a cigarette (as being the correct thing to do), observing with -satisfaction that my hand was quite steady, and walked up to the C.O. -and apologised. “Oh, that’s all right, as long as you are all right: -J--, just ring up the Wing, and tell them our machine has landed.” - -Everybody was bucked that I got out all right. One of our pilots said -he didn’t know how I managed to land at all, and thinks I was jolly -lucky. - -At any rate, it is experience and it didn’t hurt me in the least, so -I have nothing to grumble about. By the way, I don’t expect to get my -next leave much before Christmas at any rate, as there is none going -here just now. - - * * * * * - -I had a good game of tennis yesterday, and took up my machine to test -it again. This time the engine ran perfectly and I did some splendid -stunts coming down. When I had landed, an officer who was visiting the -aerodrome came up and thanked me for my “beautiful exhibition.” I felt -inclined to pass the hat round. I have just come down now, and have -been taking photos. Archie was scarce owing to clouds, but the clouds -made it harder for me to photo. Made a topping landing. - - * * * * * - -Just come down from a shoot. G. was up with me, but I did the shoot. We -got some pretty good Archie at us, and as the artillery did not shoot -well, I dropped a couple of bombs on the target. I must get tea, and -then to tennis. - - * * * * * - -I have not much news to-day, except that I have had a splendid game of -tennis, and a rather pleasant bombing raid. We went a long way over, -past a Hun aerodrome, and got hardly any Archie at all, owing to the -clouds. I got a beautiful shot with one of my bombs, on a railway -station--my objective. On the way back I did a spiral on the other -side of the Hun lines, and one of our chaps, thinking I was a Hun -going down, fired a drum of ammunition at me. I told him he must be a -rotten shot, and had better have some practice on the range with me. -Altogether it was quite a jolly flight. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: Stalling] - -I was testing my machine round the ’drome this morning when it occurred -to me to indulge in a few stunts. I obtained the sanction of my -passenger, and we proceeded to do vertical banks, stalls, and tail -slides, much to the enjoyment of a group of officers who (I heard -afterwards) were watching. I found it most enjoyable. Perhaps you don’t -know what “stalling” is. You are flying level so: - -[Illustration] - -then you pull the nose of the machine up so: - -[Illustration] - -till at last it becomes perpendicular, so: - -[Illustration] - -when of course it gradually slows down and stops dead in the air, -sticks there a moment, and then falls so: - -[Illustration] - -and plunges on until it regains sufficient speed to bring it under -control again and level. The feeling after the machine has stuck -at the top, and then falls down, is the “left your stummick up -above--tube-lift feeling”--only more so. - - * * * * * - -E. and I have been on a cross-country flight. The exhaust pipe blew -off, and as the hot exhaust then became directed on the petrol tank, -we decided to land, and came down in a nice little field, pulling up -six inches from a ploughed field, and conveniently near a hospital. -However, we didn’t need the hospital, and soon got the machine to -rights, but are stuck here owing to rain. We are, however, near a town, -and are going to a “flicker show” to-night to see Charlie Chaplin. -We have “fallen” among friends here, for there was an officers’ mess -within a hundred yards of where we landed, and we are being splendidly -treated. Altogether an ideal place for a forced landing. - - * * * * * - -My adventures of the past two days remind me of the great motor-cycle -ride R. and I had from Devon to London. Let me see--it was the day -before yesterday, I think, that I last wrote you, and told you about -our forced landing. Well, E. and I and two others went to the cinema -and saw “Charlie” in the evening, and stopped the night in an hotel. -The next day we made a few purchases, and when the rain stopped I went -up alone from the field to dry the machine and examine the weather. I -had hardly left the ground before I went slap into the clouds at 50 -feet. I turned quickly and crawled back just above the ground, missing -a factory chimney by a few yards, and plunged down again into a bigger -field close by the other, pulling up a couple of yards from a hole in -the ground. Later in the day when it cleared up we started again, and -we were only a few miles away when the blessed exhaust pipe popped off. -The petrol tank started getting hot again, so we had to come down, and -it took us an awful time to find a decent field. They were all humps -and bunkers and hazards, where, if we had landed, we should have gone -head over heels. At last I found a good place, and perched, pulling up -with the wing tip touching a bundle of hay. We stopped a car, and E. -went on it to the aerodrome for help. However, I got a spare bolt from -the car, and while they were gone repaired the damage myself, got two -farm labourers to hold the machine while I swung the propeller, and -started the engine myself. Then I clambered into the machine and went -off alone, getting to the aerodrome just as my helpers were leaving. - - * * * * * - -The weather is pretty dud. You remember the two games of Patience I -used to play--the Four Aces and the Idle Year. They have caught on -here tremendously; every one from Flight Commanders down is playing -them. I am thinking of sending to Cox’s for my passbook. Four of us -played pitch and toss yesterday with pennies for two hours, and I lost -sevenpence. The gambling fever has gripped. - -I took up a Scotch sergeant a couple of days ago. He was a perfect -“scream.” “Can you tell me where ahm tae pit ma feet, an’ where ahm no -tae pit them.” He quite enjoyed the flight, though, and looked round -once with a huge grin, and said “Bon!” By the way, I saw a very curious -sight the other day, and a very rare one. I saw two of our shells pass -in the air while I was flying. They were not near me, but I just got -an impression of them as they went down. You can, I believe, see them -go if you are standing behind the guns, but P. is the only one in our -Flight who has seen them from the air. - -I think the idea of dividing R.F.C. Squadrons up by public schools is -splendid, but, alas! impossible. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: An Air Fight.] - -Yesterday G. and I were doing a big shoot some four miles or so over -the lines, and as it was a bit misty we went up to about 6,000 feet and -sat right over our target for about a quarter of an hour. There was a -Hun patrol of three machines buzzing around that neighbourhood, and -when they got within a few hundred yards, I thought it was about time -to draw G.’s attention to the matter. He sat up with a jerk, gave a -quick glance round, never noticed ’em, and glued himself on his target -again. “All right,” I said to myself, “you’ll wake up with a jump in a -minute.” To my surprise two of the Huns took no notice of us and went -on, while the third circled about very diffidently watching us. Once -he passed right over about 200 feet above us, and at that moment G. -looked up. You could see the black iron crosses painted on a background -of silver on the wings, and at that G. moved, and damn quickly too. I -was busy watching the Hun, and didn’t feel a bit excited or nervous. I -watched and waited, and then suddenly the Hun stuffed his nose down and -swooped behind us, and we heard his machine gun pop-popping away like -mad. I waited till he was about a hundred yards away, and then did a -vertically banked “about turn” and went slap for him, and let him have -about forty rounds rapid at about seventy yards range. G. had his gun -ready to fire, when the Hun turned and made for home. We chased him a -short way just for moral effect, and then went back to our target and -on with our job. We were awfully surprised when he didn’t come back. -I suppose we scared him or something. This little chat took place -about 7,000 feet up, and five miles on their side of the lines. Was up -’smorning; jolly cold. The guns are going like Rachmaninoff’s Prelude. - - * * * * * - -Before I stop I want to say this: If my adventures and amusements are -going to cause you loss of sleep when they are over, you ain’t a-goin’ -to hear no more. Please don’t let them disturb you. I have generally -forgotten all about them by the time your return letter arrives. - - -[END] - - PRINTED BY - HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD., - LONDON AND AYLESBURY, - ENGLAND. - - - - -FOOTNOTES - - -[1] Now with the gunners in France. - -[2] Interned in Germany since outbreak of war. - -[3] In his private Log Book “Theta” apportions to the various -“episodes” a figure showing the probable value of each narrow escape. -From this it appears that he reckoned he ought to have lost his life -fifteen and a half times! - -[4] Archie = Anti-aircraft. - -[5] Trig = Trigonometry. - -[6] 2C = B.E.2C. - -[7] Firsts = 1st Air Mechanics. - -[8] V.P. = _Vol Plané_. - -[9] In his private log book “Theta” sets out the cost of petrol -expended by him on a non-eventful flight, and the cost to the Huns of -the Archies fired at him, drawing out a balance of cash profit or loss -to the R.F.C. - -[10] The Prince of Wales. - -[11] Reference to a humorously satirical caution against the use of the -terms “’bus” or “plane” instead of “aeroplane” or “machine.” - - - - -Transcriber’s Notes - - -Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a -predominant preference was found in the original book; otherwise they -were not changed. - -Footnotes, originally at the bottoms of pages, have been collected, -resequenced, and moved to the end of the book. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of War Flying, by L. 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