The seemingly far-fetched speculations above are commonplace enough in the judgment of aeronautical people of far greater authority and experience than I can claim. But they could only be brought to materialisation by an abnormal supply of modern aeroplanes, especially the chaser craft necessary to keep German machines from interference. Given the workshop effort to provide this supply, French and British pilots can be relied upon to make the most of it. I am convinced that war flying will be organised as a means to victory; but as my opinion is of small expert value I do not propose to discuss how it might be done. This much, however, I will predict. When, in some nine months' time--if the gods permit--a sequel to the present book appears, dealing with this year's personal experiences above the scene of battle, the aerial factor will be well on the way to the position of war predominance to which it is destined. CONTACT. FRANCE, 1917. CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE vii INTRODUCTION xxi CHAPTER I. FLYING TO FRANCE 3 II. THE DAY'S WORK 27 III. A SUMMER JOY-RIDE 49 IV. SPYING OUT THE LAND 71 V. THERE AND BACK 90 VI. A CLOUD RECONNAISSANCE 117 VII. ENDS AND ODDS 140 VIII. THE DAILY ROUND 170 LETTERS FROM THE SOMME I. LOOKING FOR TROUBLE 195 II. "ONE OF OUR MACHINES IS MISSING" 205 III. A BOMB RAID 213 IV. SPYING BY SNAPSHOT 220 V. THE ARCHIBALD FAMILY 235 VI. BATTLES AND BULLETS 243 VII. BACK IN BLIGHTY 252 INTRODUCTION BY MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. BRANCKER (DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF MILITARY AËRONAUTICS) Every day adds something to the achievements of aviation, brings to light yet another of its possibilities, or discloses more vividly its inexhaustible funds of adventure and romance. This volume, one of the first books about fighting in the air, is written by a fighting airman. The author depicts the daily life of the flying officer in France, simply and with perfect truth; indeed he describes heroic deeds with such moderation and absence of exaggeration that the reader will scarcely realise that these stories are part of the annals of a squadron which for a time held a record in the heaviness of its losses.