Diary And Letters Of A World War I Fighter Pilot, The

by Christopher Burgess

  On at 9. Flew to Chingford with Gowan where he landed and crashed after lunch. Formation in morning on new Camel.

  Home by 4.30 from here. Arr: 7.49. House upside down. Read and talked and smoked. Last visit to Homeland. Bed, slept rippingly.

  DIARY Monday 23rd September

  Up by 9.49. Flew in afternoon. Formations etc. Flew over to Dunton. Got Sgt Henderson off. Landed in ploughed field and couldn’t get off. Rushed about in rain and finally got flown back from Orsett.

  To binge at Aussie in evening. Quite good fun on the whole. Danced a bit v.cold.

  DIARY Tuesday 24th September

  Did 3½ hrs flying. Up early. Everything went wrong in afternoon. Very bad up and wild generally.

  Dinner at Bull with Houseley. Tried to find P. Baker but failed. Loafed about Dartford after dinner trying to find car. Bed 11. Dashed cold.

  DIARY Wednesday 25th September

  Did 2½ hrs flying, misty day. Flew to Hainault farm after tea, v.bumpy. Talked philosophy to Houseley after dinner and then bed. Cold.

  DIARY Thursday 26th September

  Flying hard in morning. Down to Detling for lunch with Houseley. High wind. Back in afternoon. Houseley feeling rotten and I with a cold. Fire in room.

  Talked and went to bed early, v cold day. To Aussie Hpl after tea. Saw Robbie.

  DIARY Friday 27th September

  High wind. Flying at 11. Formation or [?]. Flying in afternoon. Washed out at 6pm. To see “Bat” at Orsett.

  Read in evening in front of fire. Duggie back from leave.

  DIARY Saturday 28th September

  Early flying at 7.30. V high wind. Didn’t do much. Flew off 1574 for Sgt Henderson from field across Creek. V.little room. Got flying start and got off in 15th. Up to town after lunch. Down to Putney. Walk (route walk) with Uncle, Gin and Mum before tea. Up town with Gin and Vi. Dinner at Frascatis – not a great success. To see “Roxana” jolly fine show. Back by tube, awfully full. Jolly cold and tired. Saw Baker in morning. Poor old Forsyth killed.

  DIARY Sunday 29th September

  Down by 11 train. Raining. Sgt Henderson spun 1574 into Ground this morning. Choked – same as yesterday – tried to turn. Killed at once.

  Wonderful news. All Houthulst Forest and Sladen captured. General advance all along line and the Bulgars suing for peace. To Am. hpl in afternoon. Tea at Bull. To Kirk in evening.

  DIARY Monday 30th September

  Raining all morning – no flying. Cleared after lunch. Flew over to Brooklands and landed. Spent night with Elsie.

  Rather a rotten cough. Saw the Tarrant Aeroplanes.

  Back Home

  1 October 1918 – 31 December 1918

  DIARY Tuesday 1st October

  Left Brooklands at 12.45. Flew back for lunch. Dashed cold. I am taking over ‘A’ Flt for Grimwood. Dam’ and blast. I hate Avros. Did a little flying. To Auzzie for binge, jolly good fun.

  Miss Holroyd is v.bon. Left at 12.30.

  DIARY Wednesday 2nd October

  Up at 6!! Nearly dead. Flew all morning, did 3 hrs. Formated on Camels.

  Kathleen wired she couldn’t come. Up town with Duggie. Tea at Troc. Bought gloves – £3-3/-. Putney for dinner and bed. Saw Mum and Gill. Mr Wilkins in after dinner.

  DIARY Thursday 3rd October

  Down by 6.49. We are going to Redcar on Saturday. Curse it. I am flying two-seater Camel. Curse it again!! To Aussie after lunch with Houseley. Down to Sqn for conflab after. Round to shack with Houseley after dinner. Topping time. Talked about everything under the sun till 11. Duggie turned up at 10.30. Long talk with Holroyd. I am sorry for her she is a good sort.

  DIARY Friday 4th October

  Moped about all day and discussed move. Up town by 10.30 train. Went to Cox’s. Have about £40 odd. Down to Putney for lunch. Up town with Mum in afternoon.

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  DIARY Saturday 5th October

  Rain in morning. Set forth on two-seater with Adams. Grew v.thick and [?]. Landed the noxious beast with difficulty and had another brekker. Rain again. Flew back to J.G. where Adams crashed! I landed by brute all right. Rain all day prospect of starting finally – abandoned. Stick with Houseley after firmly determined not to go to Shack. Met Miss Wardle and finished up finally at Shack for supper.

  Talked till 9 and then to bed.

  DIARY Sunday 6th October

  Rain till 9 and then cleared up. Set forth at head of my Camels who at once lost formation. Bumpy as sin! Boyd, Harvey and Gidding left after Hunt. Landed at Grantham – spittle gate. Houseley crashed, Mayes and I o.k. Mac: turned up later with a Sgt Burridge who crashed! Graham and Rogers arrive later. That’s all! Awful place this. Dinner in town and then bed right early. Apparently both my Camels are crashed and six or so Avros!

  DIARY Monday 7th October

  Raining all day to beat the band. Simply loafed about and got fed up. Pat up at the ‘Angel’. Spent day phoning all round the Country and playing Auction where I lost 4/- in half an hour!

  To music hall after dinner. Jolly good show on the whole. Bed after that. Talked to Houseley in bed.

  DIARY Tuesday 8th October

  Up at 6. Fine day and not wet. Took off at 7.5 and pushed off. No bumps at all. Got over York by 8.15. Very cold up. Finally arrived at Redcar at 8.50 nearly frozen to death and having landed at Marski first. I was first to arrive Mac and C.O. arrive later. Maye crashed on way up and others either got lost or didn’t start. Good old Rednose! Wonderful flying here.

  Wired Gally and met her at Middlesbro’ at 6.15. Still a pretty little devil as ever but rather sweet. Got on pretty fairly! Back at 9.10. Cold evening.

  DIARY Wednesday 9th October

  Rain and then rain all day long. Played billiards in morning. Loafed around all day. To M‘boro’ with Adams after tea. Met Gally and we went to see “Nothing but the Truth” – jolly good show. Had a v.posh evening altogether. Back by 11.20 after a long wait in a club.

  Bed v.tired.

  DIARY Thursday 10th October

  Loud and fruity gale all day. V.little aviation. Played billiards and loafed around tarmac all day. Went to bed fairly early and slept well. Duggie arrive with some others.

  DIARY Friday 11th October

  Lovely day. Flying hard. Amused myself by sand hopping – absolute paradise. Did several formations – one v.good one with Houseley. Lecture by Major at 6. Talked till 6.40 when I hooked it and ran like sin to the Station and hopped into train as it was moving off – nearly dead.

  Dinner with Gally and then for a stroll, v nice time. Trés bon kid. Back by 9.10. Squadron is in a spin – no A.M.’s or pickups or any bloomin’ thing!

  DIARY Saturday 12th October

  Early flying at 6.30. Warmish day but squally. Did a formation or so but rained on and off. All the buses got soaked and I got v.fed up and cross.

  Washed out at 4pm. Talked in room till mess. Then listened to Capt Blake till 11.30 and so to bed. Pretty chilly at night. Gally rang up. Dance washout.

  DIARY Sunday 13th October

  To Kirk in morning v.good service. Finish day. Did some Aviation – formations etc.

  Wrote to Gally. To bed at 9.30. Pretty tired. Fire in room. Hun accepts the 14 points. Hope we don’t give him an armistice.

  DIARY Monday 14th October

  Misty and dud all day. Not much flying. The Major to Confab York. To Middlesboro’ with Duggie by 6.48. Met Gally for dinner. Tried to get into shows but all full up. Sat in Grand and then saw her home.

  Chapter of accidents:

  Couldn’t find my eye mask.

  Broke identity bracelet.

  Gally pinched silk hanky and knife.

  Lost fountain pen – hence this pencil!

  Pretty chewed up. Various rumours abroad.

  DIARY Tuesday 15th October – FALL OF ROULERS

  Lovely fine day. Formated a bit. Went over to [?] to try and fly mono or tripe. Washed out [?] [?] pinheads. Came back and did a lot of dashed s
illy low stunting. The demon entered into me. However D.V. I shall not do any more stunts below 1000ft. 63 are going to France as a service Squadron I think. Jolly good news. What ho for the merry men!

  Roulers has fallen. Praise the Lord of battles hooray. Wonderful news.

  DIARY Wednesday 16th October

  Fine day. Flew a good deal. Formations etc.

  Concert in evening. Fair show but too long. Gally couldn’t come. Bed 11.30.

  DIARY Thursday 17th October

  Finish all day. Raced Houseley on Camels. Didn’t fly v much.

  Toggs, Mac and Shanks abso: blotto at dinner! Had a binge after and got rather tight myself. The news came thro’ that Lille and Ostend had fallen! Cheerie ho! That finished me off! Naval No 3, other efforts. Bed at 11.30.

  DIARY Friday 18th October

  Still a bit blotto in morning! This wore off after brekker. Up for early flying at 6.30. Flipped a bit and felt better.

  Dud all day, with rain. Mooned about and bed early.

  DIARY Saturday 19th October

  Dud all day. Rain on and off. Did a bit of flying and one formation.

  Tried to get on to Gally but failed as she was out. Stayed at home and read in evening v.fed up. Zeebrugge has fallen.

  DIARY Sunday 20th October

  To Kirk in morning. Flew after for a bit. Rain on and off all day low clouds. Footled about. Kirk in evening with Pilcher and Houseley. The only three there – rather a fiasco.

  Bed early.

  DIARY Monday 21st October

  Fine in morning. Formation with Burns – couldn’t lose the man! Rain after lunch and clouds at 50ft – no good. Washed out flying.

  To M‘boro’ to see Gally in evening. Dinner and then sat in Grand. Had a ripping time, but made an awful fauxpas!

  Bed at 11.30.

  DIARY Tuesday 22nd October

  Early flying at 7. Formation with Burns. Had row with Graham and Ives at brekker. They try to run my flight. They can go and eat coke. Fairly fine. Sent up Burns on Rednose to do 15000 at 12 noon. Not yet returned – a snip crash. Gas chamber at G. Filthy C.O. foaming around the tarmac talking brick dust about 10 pilots.

  Only one good Camel. Rest in A.R.S. Flew Bristol Scout and looped it – Bon. Just heard Burns been picked up by Trawler in the North Sea and Rednose has sunk. Oh heck is right: isn’t it pitiful.

  DIARY Wednesday 23rd October

  Flying all day. Fairly fine. Formated with Sgt Higgins. Duddish later. Met Gally after dinner, sat in Grand Hotel and talked. Topping time – she was so bon but I insulted her rather I fear. Back at 9.10. Slept well. Taking course here bon.

  DIARY Thursday 24th October

  Early flying. Not much doing. Flying in day. Formations etc. Rather short of Avions just now. Sankey forced landed after tea and I had to go out in the pitch dark to run up his engine – wouldn’t start, rather a fool errand. Up with Hansard, f. landing.

  Slept rottenly.

  DIARY Friday 25th October

  Flew back Sankey’s avion after brekker – Flying in day, not much tho. Mostly foulups doing tests. None of our gunbuses are ready! To M‘bro’ in evening to see “13th Chair” with Gally. Quite good but when the lights went out – oh tush! Can’t get Gally at all. I don’t like the signs and wonders! Back by 9.10 but Gally didn’t come to see me off – rotten! Slept rottenly – and reading and smoking till 2.

  DIARY Saturday 26th October

  Irving crashed 6.30. The other Camel used for tests 15000 etc all day. The other one in and out of A.R.S. for repairs all day. No great work done – luffly day. Fullars over on Albatros which I photo’d. Sgt Burridge then crashed 4197 – the pinhead. Leaving us one Camel. Duggie and Tors and I to dinner at the Bull. Walked back. Slept well.

  DIARY Sunday 27th October

  Lovely day. Kirk in morning watched Philips loop and roll. Lost 2/6 to Sankey! V .bored. Lead a formation on the two-seater but was scared down. No buses = no pilots – there you are. Read in evening. Wrote 5 letters.

  DIARY Monday 28th October

  New bus out of Flight. Quite good bus but engine throws oil. No formations. Sent up Phillips to stunt. Then had them cleaning avions. Woolhouse did his 15000, came down to 7,000 on his back! Bus in an awful state, wires in knots. Rang up Gally but in bed with flu. Lecture by C.O. – who talked awful tripe for an hour. I am getting fed up with this anyhow. Bed late – slept well.

  DIARY Tuesday 29th October

  One bus only. I flew a bit. Wind rising in afternoon.

  Wrote many letters. Concert in evening – not a bad show – rather too long. Rough house in mess after. Bed at 12 slept v.well.

  DIARY Wednesday 30 October

  V.high wind all day. One bus out of A.R.S. – a rotten bus with a dud engine. Sent up Sankey. No formation. Wind rose to a gale after lunch and I washed out flying. Turned an Avro over.

  Walked down town with Houseley and Mac. Tea at Lonsdales and then to show. Quite good. Supper at Lonsdales after that with Maggie and [brother in law?]. Sang songs and then walked back singing. Letter from Mum saying King had shot himself on Monday afternoon. May he rest in peace and may God comfort poor Elsie.

  Collapse of Turkey. Splendid news.

  DIARY Thursday 31st October

  Feeling v.fed up altogether – C.O. nearly drove me mad talking about his pilots! Working v.hard all day and flying like sin. Managed to get out 8 pilots. None of them can fly worth a damn but still the C.O. hotaired on the tarmac all day and got in the way so I told him off!

  To dinner with Gally in Middlesboro! I got rather blotto: as I was so fed up. Ives and Duggie there carried off Gally. Back by 9.10. Woke up at 4.a.m. Heart over revving!

  DIARY Friday 1st November

  Went on leave by 9.30 with Graham. Fairly comfy trip but v.long. Got a seat all right. Down Byfleet by the 5.55. Found Elsie simply wonderful she is a brave women. “Nothing moves a man so much as to see a women brave”. R.L.S. Mum and Dad there.

  Bed at 10.30 – rather tired slept v.well.

  DIARY Saturday 2nd November

  Feeling v.fit. To King’s funeral at noon. R.I.P. he did his bit and I think all is for the best. Lunch at West Hall with Dad. Home for tea. Reading “Our Admirable Betty”. Quite good. Bed early. Elsie is splendid.

  DIARY Sunday 3rd November

  Raining hard. To Kirk and H.C. with Elsie. Good service. Dad not v.fit and he and Mum stayed home. Lunch at W. Hall. Kathleen not there – talked to Cousin Fred.

  Austria has collapsed, is out of the War. Germany is alone – Wonderful news. Trieste taken, only 2½ mile from Ghent.

  Peace by Xmas – wotto! Did not go to Kirk in evening. Read and talked. Am going to apply to go to France.

  DIARY Monday 4th November

  Packed in morning. Elsie gave me £2. Left by 12.58. Bought pen and knife in town. Balance of £45:16:5 at Cox’s. Saw Northwood. Tea at Callards. Taxied to Kings Cross. Tea again there! Booked seat at 4. Left town by 5.30, v full train. Comfy seat. Walked up in pouring rain and howling wind with bag – awful!

  DIARY Tuesday 5th November

  Rather tired! Flew once or twice – high wind and washed out aviation in afternoon.

  To dancing class in evening with Gally – dinner at Red Lion – awful – Gally too dud for words. Jolly good fun at dance – learnt a whole lot. Tender back.

  DIARY Wednesday 6th November

  Luffly day! Early flying – enjoyed it v.much lovely up. Tested a few buses. Wired Eily to meet me 5.45. Flew to Tad. at 3.30. Arrived York at 4.15 and couldn’t find Tad. in mist. Going to turn back when I found it. Landed o.k. Taxied to Leeds. No Eily. Finally found her just as she was going having waited from 4.45! Dinner at Queens with Bakie and Eily. Slept at Bakies. V.nice girl.

  DIARY Thursday 7th November

  Up for 8 train, v foggy and train late. Arrived Tad. at 10. Too dud to start. Left at 12 and found York by luck. Home at 1000. V.thick everywhere. Not much aviation. Rumour of Germany having signed peace at night. Something of a
celebration! Washed out later!!! Time to get out yet.

  DIARY Friday 8th November

  Up at 9. Fine day. Bokoo aviation. Mit formations etc, all day. Americans take Sedan. Further ‘hush hush’ rumours going. V.cold, went up with Blake and find I can’t fly at all!!

  Dance washed out in evening. To pictures instead. Wrote to Holroyd.

  DIARY Saturday 9th November

  High wind all day, v little aviation. Duggie away. Massive dance at Saltburn in evening till 3.a.m. The best fun in the world! Priceless. For a 13 mile walk with Mac: all day – to Guisboro’ and back. Lunch there. Feel v.fit indeed. Further advance as far as Hauberge.

  DIARY Sunday 10th November

  High wind and no flying v.tired! Not to Kirk in morning. Loafed about indoors all day. Abdication of Kaiser! All in a spin like!