Great Britain. Royal Air Force; World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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