Diary And Letters Of A World War I Fighter Pilot, The
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DIARY Wednesday 31st October
Tender at 8.30 to Lovée. Flight formation to Ypres, Bailleul, Armentières, “Plugstreet”, Dickebusch, Houlthulst Forest. 11 Huns above us! No scrap. Lunch in Pop. Formation of 3 after lunch. Ypres, Bailleul. Pump fan seized up in morning o.k. in afternoon.
Rolls & loops over aerodrome at Lovée after return. Transport arrived with Higgin etc. at Omer for dinner.
Gas attack in afternoon at Polygon Wood. Saw Sop. Dolphin at Omer in morning – four guns, 200 h.p. Hispano slight back stagger. 5000 in 4½ mins. Excellent view – as fast as a 180 hp S.P.A.D. Top plane level with fuselage.
Got to get up at 6.00 am tomorrow. Feeling rotten inside all day.
DIARY Thursday 1st November
Up at 6am. Guided all the transport convoy from Omer to Lovée! Awful! Took wrong road at Arques and had to go back – 12 lorries! Wrong road at Pop. took transport down switch road marked NO LORRIES arrived at aerodrome after 4¾ hours! V.thick day. Two patrols (B & C) due but washed out. ‘Camel’ from No 7s spun into ground and man killed.
Heavy firing in afternoon and evening. Staying with No 21 R.E.8 Squadron for the night. They seem alright. Transport arrived at last!! Bon. Going to Bailleul tomorrow probably, Très Bon.
Still feeling rotten inside but better than yesterday.
2nd November 1917
Awfully sorry that I didn’t write you yesterday but I was pretty busy. I got up at 6 am. I was told to guide the convoy of our Squadron Lorries containing our kit, which arrived at the base on Wednesday night, up to the place where we have left our airships. In all we had 12 heavy lorries, 3 Crossley tenders & 3 motor bikes! Imagine this on a narrow road full of other lorries! Well we set off but just outside the base of course I must go & take a wrong turning & the whole caboodle had to turn round! All went well till we got to that town near the lines & also near our ‘drome which is rather unpopular with the Huns as it gets shelled. Here I again took a wrong road & had to take the convoy down a switch road marked ‘No Lorries’ but I told the Traffic Corporal to go & boil himself when he tried to stop us. We arrived at last after 4¾ hrs, a ghastly trip! The weather was “dud” & so there was no flying. We had lunch in the Mess & stayed the night with an Art. Obs. [Artillery Observation] Squadron on the same Aerodrome. Bill & I had the beds of two men on leave – they however turned up at 4. a.m. I was awake & heard them swearing at finding us in their beds. To all outward appearances however I was asleep & remained so!
This morning “A” Flight was to do a Defensive Patrol at 10,000 ft. We were not to cross the lines but were to attack any Huns who came over – however the clouds being at 500 ft. it has been “washed out”. This place is within sound of the guns & they were going pretty well all last night. Today the Transport Convoy has moved down South to the aerodrome we are going to occupy by & by – you’ll hear when we do. I think we are going to fly over there & settle down today, I shall be jolly glad when we do as I’m sick of going round to other Squadrons. Well no more news today.
DIARY Friday 2nd November
Spent last night in bed of an officer on leave. He turned up at 4am and cursed like **** to find me in bed. I was officially asleep! Got up at 7am and he went to bed!
Raining all day – no patrol. Transport and all my kit left for Bailleul, v bored and fed up – Mess here v rotten, good fellows tho! Am v.sick of a Nomadic life.
65 Squadron
3rd November 1917
Yet Another Billet!
Dearest Dad & Mum,
There is very little to tell you today – the weather still continues dud. As soon as it is fine enough an R.N.A.S. Squadron on the coast goes to England while the one in our future aerodrome takes its place & we in turn will occupy its vacant place.
This morning – as all yesterday we just loafed around the Mess we were staying at last night & felt very bored! This afternoon we watched a Rugger match No 21 v No 4 played on the aerodrome. In the journalistic style I may say it was played within sound of the guns at the Front about 10 miles away. Philip Gibbs would have loved it! After this we bade the Squadron goodbye. “A” Flight has taken up its abode pro tem in a Convent in the town (Oh no! The nuns have departed!) I am writing this in a comic little nun’s cubicle. The beds are the worst part & are of doubtful cleanliness. I only hope they are extinct!! I had a very comfy night last night in the bed of a poor chap who has gone west. The guns are going pretty hard again tonight but it’s just an Evening’s Hale [sic] I think. Well no more news I’m awa tae ma bed!
Bestest love from the Bunsoy.
P.S. I went to a very good Cinema in the town today & saw Charlie Chaplin – a good fellow C.C.!
DIARY Saturday 3rd November
Spent night in bed of fellow who has gone West R.I.P. Slept v.well. Dud all day. Getting v.fed up with this. Lunch with 21. Rugger match in afternoon 21 v 4, 4 won 8-5. Within sound of guns – what price Philip Gibbs!
Down to Pop. in evening. Tea at Aprils – rotten. Cinema – v.good after tea. Dinner – with difficulty – at Skindles – v.good meal – v.amusing drunk Canadian. Billeted for night at Convent! Beds pretty unhealthy! Slept well however. Guns going hard – a hate on!
Bosch counter-attack in morning – & Bosch guns going all day. Various rumours current about our going to Italy.
65 Squadron R.F.C.
4th November 1917
Settled down at last! Yesterday morning we went up to the aero’ but the weather was dud so we just loafed about. I had lunch at the Officers’ Club in the Mess & afterwards from 2-3 stood by for a defensive patrol over ---- at 10,000 ft but no orders came so I didn’t go up. At about 4 p.m. orders came that “A” & “C” Flights were to go to our own ‘drome at By & By – you’ll be wondering where that is! Well we set off & it was as thick as pea soup & I could only just see the man in front of me through the mist. We got pretty well lost & wandered around Flanders till we saw some Verey Lights going up out of the fog, we headed for there & found the aero’; they had been sending up the lights for us to see. It was nearly dark when we landed but no one crashed. Two of “A” Flight machines didn’t turn up & we heard they had landed at a farm further South – tears of joy from us all to hear they had got down O.K. They turned up this morning! The Mess here is unfurnished at present but quite nice – two huts joined by a passage. My hut is very nice, it is one of three little round ones. Inside it is partitioned off as follows [No illustration]. Corrugated iron outside & wood boards inside, v.warm. I am sharing my room with Marshall [2nd Lieutenant L. Marshall] – the lad from Wellington. Well “A” Flight is going on Defensive Patrol at 12 & it is nearly that now so I will close – - – Confusion to the Huns! I am awfully glad to get my things again.
Bestest love – I am very fit & happy – Bunsoy,
No mail yet. 2.30 p.m. Back from patrol O.K. saw nothing.
DIARY Sunday 4th November
Up to Lovée after brekker. Messed about all morning – v.thick weather. Cleared up after lunch stood by for patrol from 2-3. Na poo, at 4.00 pm. ‘A’ & ‘C’ flights set forth for Bailleul. So thick that I could only just see O.B. [‘Old Bill’ – Lieutenant G. Bremridge]. Completely lost! Saw Verey lights and landed – a v.bon landing too! Higgin & Little Willie [2nd Lieutenant A. Rosenthal] landed at Armentières. Found kit here. Topping to be in ones own mess. Bed early – very cold.
DIARY Monday 5th November
Slept poorly. Got up at 8.15, ran up engine. Fairly cloudy. Up on a Line Patrol at 11.15 – all present except L. Willie, v.rotten formation – 5 is a beastly number. Patrol at 11,000 over Ypres. One Hun seen. No scrap – v cold. Lost on the way back. Down to Bailleul at 3.30 – Bought some things. Lecture by Major in Mess afterwards.
Straightened out room a bit. Dinner in Mess. Bed. Slept excellently. Pretty cold.
65 Squadron R.F.C.
B.E.F. France
6th November 1917
The mail has at last arrived & I had two letters from Mum & one from Dad, the gloves & your o
ther letters have not come yet but I expect they will “roll up” all right in time. The letters were dated 2nd & 3rd Nov (Mum’s) & 31st Oct (Dad’s). You appear to have had a warm time of it with the Gothas! I have had no experience as thrilling as being bombed. I am in a room with O.W. (Old Bill) now. I have changed my hut as all A Flight is in one line now. I am getting my room made comfy & went to the town & bought some pictures, a basin & a few oddments. The Mess is getting put right & we have now some chairs! I will try & photo my hut. This is a sketch of my corner of the hut (more or less). [No illustration] That’s as near as I can draw it looking from my bed to the door. I was up on a defensive patrol at 7.15 a.m. today but saw no Huns. However we saw a v.big show on the ground – it will be in the papers you see! The whole ground was dotted with the flashes of the big guns going off & the wreath of smoke barrages. I write in pencil from choice – it looks well from the front!
Bestest love & write often!
DIARY Tuesday 6th November
Up at 7am Line Patrol with O.B. & L.W. [Little Willie] Formation Good. Ypres and Houthulst Wood. Saw no Huns. Watched the battle for Passchendaele – gun fire terrific and smoke barrage clouds low – pretty thick. Up 1 hour. Passchendaele taken.
To Bailleul in evening, bought things for room, dud all day. Bailleul shelled at ½ hr intervals. Mail arrival.
Guy to May (his Sister)
On Active Service in the Field
Passed by Censor No 5308
65 Squadron
R.F.C. B.E.F.
France
7th November 1917
Dearest,
About time I wrote to you, what? Well here I am settled down at last, thank heavens. This Squadron has been wandering about ever since it came out, waiting for the Squadron who had this aerodrome to clear out. We came in here on Sunday.
We are in little Nissan huts – v.warm & comfy. Before we came here we were staying with another squadron north of this place. It was North West of a v.well known town – perhaps the best known in the war. This place is about 12 miles south of it & about 7 miles from the Lines – within sound of the guns. The town near this place was shelled with 9.2” shells all yesterday at half hour intervals. It was being shelled when I was in it about a week ago. I was strolling down the street when suddenly “B o o m !! whe e e e! Crump!!” – & a house about 200 yds further down the street literally dissolved into brick dust! Gee, but I jumped some! I have been up on several defensive patrols at 10,000 but have not been across the lines yet. I saw some Hun machines the other day but we left them alone!
You have no idea of the awful state of the ground around the lines. There is not a square inch without a shell hole – that town I mentioned is in an awful mess – hardly a standing wall! I was up yesterday morning & watched a v.big show on the ground. The gun fire was terrific & the whole ground was glittering with gun flashes.
It will be topping if you can get up the line & see me. Let me know all about it. I think we shall be going over the lines pretty soon now! Wotto!
Well, bests & love dearest
from the Brother Boy
DIARY Wednesday 7th November
Dud all day nearly. Rain in morning v cold. Went for joyride in afternoon in L.W.’s bus looped etc. Went over Armentières. Nearly got lost.
To Bailleul in evening. Got some things. Gotha raid at night at 3.a.m!
65 Squadron
8th November 1917
Another mail hurrah! This time I got your 3 early letters. Mum & Dad’s first one – one from Elsie, one from May, also from Uncle Jack Cox [? last part illegible] & one from Carrie! I also got the gloves & etc., the former are very nice but not so warm as the others. Thanks awfully for your two first letters – I am keeping them both. Yesterday was dud nearly all day but I went for a “flip” in a borrowed bus, as my engine was being taken down & cleaned. I went over [a] small town & nearly got lost! In the evening I went down to the town & got some more things for my room. I haven’t used my hot [water] bottle yet. Last night there was an air raid all round here by Gothas at 3 a.m. I heard the engines & “Archies” but it was much too cold to get up & look.
The weather today is fine thank goodness. This morning at about 11 a.m. a Hun machine came over & we were ordered to go up after it at once so I hove off first in my bus which is now running toppingly. I got up to 16,000 ft. & I think I saw him far off but lost him again. Then I joined some other “Camels” & did an ordinary defensive Patrol – we saw some Huns across the Lines but none near us. I was jolly cold I can tell you! We are getting the Mess in order now & my room looks v.bon!
Bestest love to you both from the Bunsoy.
DIARY Thursday 8th November
Lovely day – Bath in morning – v cold day. My bus ready. Tested it – v nice. Looped etc. Hun came over and O.B. and I went up after it. Got to 16,000 but missed it – Line Patrol – awful cold.
Read in afternoon and played bridge – lost 4f 25c! Bed – v cold.
65 Squadron R.F.C.
9th November 1917
Dearest Dad & Mum & Joe
Thanks awfully for your two letters, also for “Flying” & “Ashore & Afloat”. There is not much news to give you this time. We didn’t fly yesterday afternoon as it was raining & as it continued all evening I stayed in Camp. We played Auction Bridge & I lost 4 francs 50 cts! By the way you remember I said yesterday that some Huns had come over – well “B” Flight met one of them. He got the wind up & dived away from them at a great pace, in fact he over dived himself & his wings folded back & he was slain. One Hun the less! The other day, I think it was Tuesday – it was very cloudy & we sent up some patrols – defensive of course, anyway 3 of our fellows – Harrison [Lieutenant W.L. Harrison], Cutbill [2nd Lieutenant E.H. Cutbill] & Gordon [Lieutenant E.G.S. Gordon] failed to return & are still missing. I guess they must have got lost & landed in Hun land. Rotten luck – wasn’t it? Three new pilots have just arrived from the Base. This morning I stood by for early patrols but didn’t have to go up. How topping Joe coming home, give him my bestest love. This morning from 10.45 – 12.15 we went up on Line Patrol but it was very cloudy & we couldn’t see anything – we saw no Huns. I guess we will be crossing the Lines soon now! Wind up! We have got some blue curtains for my hut also a table made of a board – it looks great! We also have some mats on the floor & pictures on the walls. I wore the new fur gloves today – they are great! The weather is very unsettled & rains on & off. I had a shot at censoring Mum’s letters, rather an amusing game! “The roar of the guns made one man’s blood go cold.”
Well na poo now. Bestest love to all three of you from the Bunsoy.
DIARY Friday 9th November
Fine morning. Patrol at 11am. Clouds all the way up. Formation poor – Engine dud. Contour chasing with O.B. in afternoon. Put the wind up troops on parade! Went to Armentières – v.knocked about & deserted!! Watched a communication trench being shelled. Saw kite balloon being archied – too close to be pleasant! Engine went ‘wonk’ and cut out at intervals all way home. Ignition wire broken. Shorting on another cylinder. Got it fired up o.k. now.
To Bailleul in evening, not quite so cold.
10th November 1917
Just a wee note as there is not much time before the post goes out. There is no news at all to give you this time. Yesterday afternoon Bill & I went up & had a practice scrap. I beat him I think. We then put the wind up troops on the road then I went over a town S.E. of this & quite near the Lines (Armentières) it has hardly a whole roof in it & looked very deserted. I watched the Huns shelling Communications trenches about 300 yds out of the town – v.good shooting.
Then I saw a kite balloon about ½ a mile away from me & my own level getting “Archied” so I thought it was time to go! My engine started cutting out on the way home & I thought I wasn’t going to get back but just managed to. An ignition wire had gone & was short circuiting other cylinders; it’s all right again now tho’. I went into the town yesterday evening & got a few things. Today it’s rain
ing hard – I have just lost 4 francs 50 cts at Auction! I shall never gamble, I haven’t the luck! (N.B. by Mother good thing too!)
No time for more.
The Bunsoy.
Guy to May (his Sister)
On Active Service in the Field
Passed by Censor No 5308
65 Squadron
10th November 1917
Dearest
I hope that by this time you will have had my last (& first letter). I have had two from you so far I think.
I am afraid there is no immediate prospect of my getting down to Rouen to see you but when I get my leave – in 5 or 6 wks if all’s well, we must arrange a meeting somehow or other.
Well, we have been out on patrol at 5000 ft over the lines pretty nearly every fine day for the past week & I have had one scrap. I haven’t done in any Huns yet! The first day we were out was rather unfortunate as we had two missing & 1 wounded.